5 cool facts about the tree kangaroo

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They look like the cutest stuffed toys and live on trees. Yes, these kangaroos are very different from their terrestrial cousins. Here are 5 amazing tree kangaroo facts you need to know.

Some basic tree kangaroo facts:

• it's a genus consisting of more than 10 species;
• they are found in New Guinea, Indonesia, and Northern Eastern Australia;
• they are the only true macropods living on trees;
• in the wild, they feed on leaves, nuts and tree bark.

They are also in danger now because of unregulated hunting and habitat loss. As people continue to destroy forest for crop production, more and more tree kangaroos are left without hiding places. This exposes them to many predators, such as domestic and wild dogs.

Many animals face such problems now – you can learn their names with this trivia quiz.

#1 Tree kangaroos are high-skilled leapers

They can safely jump further than 8 meters (25 feet) from one tree to another.

#2 Tree kangaroos have excellent adaptations for their lifestyle

They have strong hind feet with curved nails, so they can easily climb and sit on branches. Their long tails give them balance and a great ability to safely maneuver on the tops of the trees.

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#3 They spend most of their lives on tree tops

Tree kangaroos rarely descend from trees and don't move on land as fast as among the branches.

#4 They possess a unique ability to land on the ground safe and sound from an unprecedented height of 18 meters or 60 feet

Every creature living in Australia is worth your attention. If you still don't know how to tell the difference between a land kangaroo and a wallaby, you can learn to do it here.

#5 Gestation takes about 35 days, but the joey stays inside its mother's pouch after birth to develop

After 8 months, a baby tree kangaroo is ready to get out of the pouch. During the mating season, a male mates with several females.

Bonus video – that's how an adorable tree kangaroo joey leaves its mom's pouch for the very first time:

Australian wildlife is unique and absolutely breathtaking. Most plants and animals there are endemic – you can't find them anywhere else on the planet. Learn more about the nature and everyday life of the continent with our educational article. You can also find marvelous Australian landscapes here.

Gain more knowledge about the world with our articles, fun trivia quizzes and trivia questions.