Article
Australia's tree-kangaroos: current issues in their conservation

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(98)00052-4Get rights and content

Abstract

Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus lumholtzi) and Bennett's tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus bennettianus) are the two largest arboreal folivores in Australia and are both restricted to the tropical rainforests and adjacent forest communities in North Queensland. Both species display cryptic and secretive behaviour, and consequently are poorly studied. Bennett's tree-kangaroos are found within a relatively small area (∼2000 km2) of the Wet Tropics, however the majority of this area is within a protected `World Heritage Area', and consequently the conservation status of this species is considered moderately safe despite its rarity. The overall distribution of Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo, which is also considered rare, covers a larger area (∼5500 km2), which also has considerable overlap with the `World Heritage Area' (WHA). Despite this, the species appears to maintain its highest densities in forest outside the WHA conservation zone. Lumholtz's tree-kangaroos are more commonly found in the fragmented forests on the Atherton Tablelands, and are often associated with remnant and secondary rainforests on basalt soils. These forest communities are considered rare and are poorly represented in existing reserves. This paper considers the conservation issues for both of these species, but focuses particularly on Lumholtz's tree-kangaroos for which more data is available. Issues discussed include the loss of habitat outside the World Heritage Area, road deaths of animals, predation by canids, traditional hunting, and fecundity and recruitment. Measures for the conservation of these species are suggested, including measures for the retention of habitat on private land, public education, translocation and captive breeding. The applicability of research on Australian tree-kangaroos to the conservation of the eight species of tree-kangaroos in Papua New Guinea is also considered.

Section snippets

Background

The humid tropical region of north Queensland covers only 0·2% of mainland Australia (Tracey, 1982, Bell et al., 1987), yet has a unique flora and fauna that maintain the highest level of endemicity of any region on the continent. In terms of vertebrates alone, this region supports over 600 species, many of which are closely associated with rainforest communities. Australia's tropical rainforests are recognized as remnants of a vegetation form that was once more widespread across the continent (

Distribution

Bennett's tree-kangaroos are found in the Wet Tropics area from Mt. Amos in the north, through the Mt. Finnigan area and south to the Daintree River, and southwest to Mt. Windsor (Winter et al., 1984, Nix and Switzer, 1991, Martin, 1992, Williams et al., 1996) (Fig. 1). Within this area it is thought that this species was likely to have been confined to the higher peaks by hunting pressure (Martin, 1992). Effective strongholds for the species may have been at boundaries between aboriginal

Habitat loss and fragmentation

Prior to European settlement Types 5a, 5b and 1a forest covered much of the Atherton and Evelyn Tableland regions. Type 5b rainforest is a particular community that supported red cedar trees (Toona oustralis) that attracted the `cedar-getters' to the tablelands during 1860s, first leading to selective logging but then to its almost complete clearance for agriculture by the 1920s (Graham et al., 1995). This forest type, which covered an estimated 30 000 ha prior to European settlement (ARC-INFO

Minimizing loss of habitat

As identified above, the major conservation threat to Lumholtz's tree-kangaroos is the potential loss of habitat from small rainforest fragments and remnants (Winter, 1991b), particularly on basalt soils. With relatively small habitat areas remaining, and very little of it currently protected, further options need to be identified to minimize the loss of habitat. Conciliatory approaches, such as the creation of voluntary conservation agreements between land management agencies and individual

Implications for the conservation of Papua New Guinean tree-kangaroos

Although Australia is often colloquially thought of as the home of the kangaroo, eight of the ten known species of tree-kangaroos are endemic to Papua New Guinea (PNG). While some species are considered reasonably common within parts of their range (e.g. Doria's tree-kangaroo, D. dorianus, and Grizzled tree-kangaroo, D. inustus), some sub-species are considered very rare (Timboyok, D. goodfellowi buergersi; Golden-mantled tree-kangaroo, D. goodfellowi pulcherrinus) (Flannery et al., 1996), and

Acknowledgements

The distributional data presented in this paper come from many sources, including the Steve Van Dyck at the Queensland Museum; Joan Dixon at the National Museum of Victoria; Linda Gibson at the Australian Museum, Sydney; John Wombey at the Australian National Wildlife Collection, CSIRO; Steve Comport; Rupert Russell; Peter Johnson, Darren Storch and Sue Laurance, Queensland Department of Environment. Particular thanks go to Margit Cianelli, John Kanowski, Sue Laurance and John Winter for access

References (52)

  • P.D. Coley

    Herbivory and defensive characteristics of tree species in a lowland tropical rainforest

    Ecological Monographs

    (1983)
  • G. Coulson

    Male bias in road-kills of macropods

    Wildlife Research

    (1997)
  • R.J. Fensham

    Aboriginal fire regimes in Queensland, Australia: analysis of the explorers' record

    Journal of Biogeography

    (1997)
  • Flannery, T.F., 1994. The Future Eaters: An Ecological History of the Australasian lands and People. Reed Books,...
  • Flannery, T.F., 1998. Throwim Way Leg. Text Publishing,...
  • T.F. Flannery et al.

    Dendrolagus scottae n. sp. (Marsupialia: Macropodidae): new tree-kangaroo from Papuan New Guinea

    Records of the Australian Museum

    (1990)
  • T.F. Flannery et al.

    A new tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus: Marsupialia) from Irian Jaya, Indonesia, with notes on ethnography and the evolution of tree kangaroos

    Mammalia

    (1995)
  • Flannery, T.F., Martin, R., Szalay, A., 1996. Tree Kangaroos. A Curious natural History. Reed Books,...
  • George, G.G., 1982. Tree-kangaroos Dendrolagus spp.: their management in captivity. In: Evans, D. (Ed.), The Management...
  • Graham, A.W., Hopkins, M.S., Maggs, J., 1995. Succession and disturbance in the remnant rainforest type Complex...
  • C.P. Groves

    The systematics of tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus; Marsupialia Macropodidae)

    Australian Mammal

    (1982)
  • G.N. Harrington et al.

    Recent contraction of wet sclerophyll forest in the wet tropics of Queensland due to invasion by rainforest

    Pacific Conservation Biology

    (1994)
  • M.S. Hopkins et al.

    Evidence of a Holocene and continuing recent expansion of lowland rain forest in humid, tropical North Queensland

    Journal of Biogeography

    (1996)
  • Hopkins, M.S., Graham, A.W., Jensen, R., Maggs, J., Bayly, B., Hewett, R.K., 1996b. Succession and disturbance in the...
  • Laurance, S.G., 1996. The utilization of linear rainforest remnants by arboreal marsupials in north Queensland. M.Sc....
  • Laurance, W.F., 1989. Ecological impacts of tropical forest fragmentation on non-flying mammals and their habitats....
  • Cited by (31)

    • Community Conservation of Tree Kangaroos

      2020, Tree Kangaroos: Science and Conservation
    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text