The Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo (detail of an illustration by Peter Schouten)
National Geographic recently reported an interesting story about the Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus mayri). Until recently, this arboreal marsupial was known only from a single specimen collected in the Wondiwoi Peninsula of West Papua in 1928. It was thought to be extinct, and was listed on the “25 most wanted lost species” at lostspecies.org. But when an amateur expedition visited the dense mountain forests of the Wondiwoi Peninsula, there it was, living happily in the trees. A good-news story from the animal kingdom, for once.
Surprised to find kangaroos living in trees? There are a number of related species that do this, in the rainforests of New Guinea and northern Australia. In fact, members of the kangaroo family live in a range of different habitats (the rock-wallaby would be a less dramatic example).
Scientific Gems 