Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo

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iLumholtz's Tree-kangaroo<ref name = msw3>Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 60. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.</ref>

Image:Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo.JPG

Conservation status

Image:Status iucn2.3 LC.svg
Least Concern (LC)<ref>Martin, Roger. 2005. Tree-kangaroos of Australia and New Guinea. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Vic., Australia. ISBN 064309072X</ref>

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Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Marsupialia
Order:	Diprotodontia
Family:	Macropodidae
Genus:	Dendrolagus
Species:	D. lumholtzi

Binomial name

Dendrolagus lumholtzi
Collett, 1884

Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo is a heavy-bodied tree-kangaroo found in rain forests of the Atherton Tableland Region of Queensland. Its status is classified as Least Concern or "secure".<ref>Martin, Roger. 2005. Tree-kangaroos of Australia and New Guinea. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Vic., Australia. ISBN 064309072X</ref>, although local authorities classify it as rare.<ref>Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo. Queensland Government (2005-08-30). Retrieved on 2006-10-09.</ref> It is named after the Norwegian explorer Carl Sofus Lumholtz (1851-1922).

It is the smallest of all tree-kangaroos, with males weighing an average of 7.2 kg (16 lbs) and females 5.9 kg (13 lbs).<ref name=FMS>Flannery, Timothy F, Martin, Roger, Szalay, Alexandria (1996). Tree Kangaroos: A Curious Natural History. Australia: Reed Books. ISBN 0730104923. Retrieved on 2006-11-25.</ref> Its head and body length ranges from 480-650 mm, and its tail, 600-740 mm.<ref>Cronin, Leonard (2000). Australian Mammals: Key Guide (Revised Edition). Annandale, Sydney, Australia: Envirobooks. ISBN 0858811723.</ref> It has powerful limbs and has short, grizzled grey fur. Its muzzle, toes and tip of tail are black.

1 Habitat
2 Social Behavior
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Habitat

This largely solitary and nocturnal tree-kangaroo lives in mountain rainforests in north-eastern Australia from 800 metres above sea level and spends more 99% of its time in the rainforest canopy and tree tops.<ref name=FMS/> It is especially adapted to arboreal life and can leap 3-6 metres (10-20') between tree branches, using its tail as a rudder. When alarmed, it has been known to drop 15- 18 metres (50-60') to the ground unharmed, rather than seek escape through the treetops. It is a nocturnal feeder, and its diet is mainly leaves and tree bark.

[edit] Social Behavior

Lumholtz's tree-kangaroos live in small, loose-knit groups of three to five, consisting of a male and female mates. Each kangaroo maintains a “home range” and will be hostile towards a member of the same gender who enters it (the one exception seems to be non-hostile encounters between adult males and their male offspring). Thus, the male will protect his own range, and visit the ranges of the females in his group. Mating takes place in episodes of about twenty minutes, and is often quite violent.