What do they look like?
Tree kangaroos really are kangaroos that live in trees. They are marsupials and macropods and are the largest tree-dwelling mammals in Australia.
They do look like kangaroos but have shorter legs, strong forearms and very long tails. Their feet have long curved claws and spongy soles for gripping and climbing.
Where are they found?
In Australia, they live in far north Queensland. Other tree kangaroo species live in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. The two Australian species are the Lumholtz’s and the Bennett’s tree kangaroo.
Fast facts:
- Tree kangaroos generally feed on leaves and foliage but will also eat fruits and flowers from native trees in the rainforest where they live.
- Don’t be surprised if you hear a fffft-fffft sound and one leaps from the tree to the ground – this is how they avoid predators like owls and eagles.
Tree Kangaroo
Tree kangaroos really are kangaroos that live in trees. They are marsupials and macropods and are the largest tree-dwelling mammal in Australia.
In Australia, they live in far north Queensland. Other tree kangaroo species live in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. The two Australian species are the Lumholtz’s and the Bennett’s tree kangaroo.
They do look like kangaroos but have shorter legs, strong forearms and very long tails. Their feet have long curved claws and spongy soles for gripping and climbing.
Tree kangaroos generally feed on leaves and foliage but will also eat fruits and flowers from native trees in the rainforest where they live. You will be lucky to spot one in the wild as they spend most of their lives in the high treetops. The best way to spot one is to look up and across the tree canopy in late afternoon after a light rain – they often move to the edges of a branch to catch a drying breeze.
