Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo
Dendrolagus matschiei

Matschie’s tree kangaroos are one of 10 species of kangaroo that spend most of their time in trees (arboreal). Powerful forelimbs and independent hind limbs make them agile climbers. Rubbery foot pads and curved claws give them extra traction and a firm grip. Unlike other kangaroos, they can hop or walk moving one limb then the other.

What They Eat
The dense foliage of the rainforest supplies tree kangaroos with a steady diet of leaves. They are also known to eat flowers, fruit, ferns, moss, and bark.

Where They Live
These kangaroos are at home in dense, mountainous rainforests at elevations of 3,000 to 10,000 feet. They spend most of their time in trees, but come down occasionally to feed.

What They Do
Other than a mother and her young, tree kangaroos live alone. A female gives birth to one or two jellybean-sized babies called “joeys.” Blind, pink, and hairless, the joeys then climb into her pouch where they continue to grow and develop for up to a year.

How They’re Doing
Because of overhunting and habitat loss, the Matschie’s tree-kangaroo is currently considered endangered.

Helpful hints for viewing the animals

The best time to see our tree kangaroos is first thing when the zoo opens at 9 a.m., and again just before closing. Another good time is between midmorning and early afternoon when keepers offer them a midday snack.
                    

Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo

Care at the Zoo

Training can be an important aspect of taking care of zoo animals. It improves animal care by allowing keepers and veterinarians to perform exams on animals without causing them extra stress. Female kangaroos are trained to allow keepers to perform a pouch check without having to physically hold the animal. To train her, positive reinforcement is used to shape the behavior until finally the female goes to a specified location and allows the keeper to open the pouch and look inside with a small flashlight. Favorite treats, like bananas, yams, and cantaloupe, help speed up training. Having a female’s cooperation during pouch checks allows keepers to determine if she has a joey without causing her needless stress. 

Understanding the biological and behavioral needs of animals in zoos is very important. Enrichment gives animals the opportunity to respond to changes in their environment. Our tree kangaroos are given enrichment through a variety of foods, including fresh bamboo, willow, raspberry, and their favorite-banana leaves. Other sensory forms of enrichment include spices and extracts, and rubber toys to manipulate.

Things you can do

Invest in the future of tree kangaroos and other endangered species by joining a local or national conservation organization. Offer your time or money to local zoos, nature centers, or wildlife agencies that support conservation programs.

When you visit a park, wildlife refuge, or critical habitat area, read and obey the signs! When you travel, take lots of pictures, but leave plants and animals where you find them.

Your visit to the Zoo helps support our conservation programs. You can also sponsor an animal at the Zoo.

Become a Member of the Minnesota Zoo!

 

 

Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo

New Guinea and the surrounding islands make up the largest remaining tropical wilderness in the Asia-Pacific region. Tree kangaroo populations are currently threatened by overhunting, and habitat lost due to agriculture, logging, oil exploration, and mining.

Things the Zoo's done/doing

Since 1996, the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP) has been working in Papua New Guinea to promote the conservation of tree kangaroos and their habitat. Through field research, educational outreach, and habitat protection, the TKCP enlists the help of the local villagers to carry out conservation programs. In return, villagers learn to manage their natural resources sustainably.

The Minnesota Zoo has supported the TKCP both financially and in the field. In addition, we have contributed funds for the publication of the Tree Kangaroo Husbandry Manual, a comprehensive care guide available to zoos and conservation organizations worldwide.

The Minnesota Zoo, in partnership with other North American Zoos, is working to maintain genetic diversity in captive populations, provide conservation education, protect native habitats, and conduct field research in order to help save this rare and endangered species.