The tenkile (''Dendrolagus scottae''), also known as Scott's tree-kangaroo, is a species of
tree-kangaroo
Tree-kangaroos are marsupials of the genus ''Dendrolagus'', adapted for arboreal locomotion. They inhabit the tropical rainforests of New Guinea and far northeastern Queensland, along with some of the islands in the region. All tree-kangaroos a ...
in the family
Macropodidae
Macropodidae is a family of marsupials that includes kangaroos, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, wallaroos, pademelons, quokkas, and several other groups. These genera are allied to the suborder Macropodiformes, containing other macropods, and ar ...
. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to a very small area of the
Torricelli Mountains
The Torricelli Mountains are a mountain range in Sandaun Province, north-western Papua New Guinea. The highest peak in the range is Mount Sulen at 1650 meters. The Bewani Mountains are located to the west, and the Prince Alexander Mountains ar ...
of
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...
.
[ Flannery, Tim: ''Mammals of New Guinea'', Chatswood, 1995] Its natural
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
is subtropical or tropical dry
forest
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...
s. It is threatened by
habitat loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...
and by hunting.
The tenkile is listed as endangered due to hunting and logging activities in Papua New Guinea. The tenkile is hunted for its meat, and is the main protein source for the residents of Papua New Guinea. The population of Papua New Guinea has increased in recent years due to improvements in healthcare; therefore increasing need in tenkile meat which means that more tenkiles are being hunted. Additionally, tenkiles are poached for their fur and are captured and sold as a part of the illegal pet trade.
Domesticated dogs also hunt tenkiles.
Deforestation in Papua New Guinea affects all tree-kangaroos, however industrial logging that occurs in the Torricelli Mountain Range decreases the species' already restricted habitat. The Torricelli Mountain Range faces additional deforestation due to the timber industry, and the production of coffee, rice and wheat.
Description
The tenkile is a close relative of
Doria's tree-kangaroo
Doria's tree-kangaroo (''Dendrolagus dorianus'') is a long-tailed, furry, bear-like mammal found only in tropical mountain forests on the island of New Guinea (in Papua New Guinea). It is one of the largest tree-kangaroos (genus ''Tree-kangaroo, ...
. It weighs , with males being larger than females. It is predominantly black with some chocolate-brown on limbs and long tail, and whirls of hair on the shoulder. It has a powerful and persistent odour.
Tenkiles have a noticeably long snout, and these kangaroos are able to hop and walk bipedally. They are also able to raise their arms above their head, all of which normal kangaroos cannot. It is believed that this species possibly breeds year round, with a young born each year. The young become independent after two years. The tenkile is believed to be the most intelligent of all tree kangaroo species.
Habitat
Tenkiles have a very limited habitat. They are found at about 900-1,700 meters above sea level in the Torricelli Mountain Range. Their total Habitat does not exceed 125 square kilometres.
The tenkile inhabits mid-mountain rain-forests predominated by ''
Podocarpus
''Podocarpus'' () is a genus of conifers, the most numerous and widely distributed of the podocarp family, the Podocarpaceae. The name comes from Greek πούς (poús, “foot”) + καρπός (karpós, “fruit”). ''Podocarpus'' species ...
'', ''
Libocedrus
''Libocedrus'' is a genus of five species of coniferous trees in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to New Zealand and New Caledonia. The genus is closely related to the South American genera ''Pilgerodendron'' and '' Austrocedrus'', and ...
'', ''
Araucaria
''Araucaria'' (; original pronunciation: .ɾawˈka. ɾja is a genus of evergreen Conifer, coniferous trees in the family Araucariaceae. There are 20 extant taxon, extant species in New Caledonia (where 14 species are endemism, ende ...
'' and ''
Rapanea
''Rapanea'' is a genus of plant in family Primulaceae. It has often been placed in synonymy with ''Myrsine'', and many species have been moved to ''Myrsine''. , Plants of the World Online does not accept the genus, regarding it as a synonym of '' ...
''. It feeds on
epiphytic
An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...
ferns, green leafy material and vines including ''
Scaevola'' and ''
Tetracera
''Tetracera'' is a genus of flowering plants of the Dilleniaceae family native to the tropics. Several species are lianas.
Species
'' Plants of the World Online'' currently includes:
# '' Tetracera affinis'' Hutch.
# '' Tetracera akara'' (Bu ...
''.
[ However, serious studies have not been conducted on the species. Currently, research is being compiled from the knowledge of the local people and a collection of the animals specific diet is being prepared.]
Diet
Unlike other tree kangaroos, they are mainly herbivores; their known diet comprises tree leaves, ferns, and soft vines. Tenkiles have been known to look for their food either in the treetops or on the ground.
Reproduction
The exact nature of reproduction is still being studied, however it is currently believed that they reproduce year round. This would imply that there is no breeding season and females are free to mate as they please. Reproduction is thought to occur slowly with a single new offspring thought to be born once a year. A young tree kangaroo is referred to as a joey, as is the case with all kangaroos. The gestation period for this extract species is currently unknown, but other tree kangaroos have a period of approximately 30 days; therefore, a similar period is expected for the tenkile. Parental care is carried out by the females though the exact involvement of the males is unknown. Groups of a male, female, and young have been observed but so have groups of only female and young. Newborns are carried in the mother pouch until they are old enough to leave, which can last up to a year. After being born the young will spend two years with its mother before becoming independent.
The species' slow reproduction rate may increase its extinction risk. It was thought that the tenkile population could have been as low as 100 individuals in 2001. The low number of individuals meant a lower number of individuals to choose from when mating. The slow reproduction rate would also mean that it simply takes longer to replace lost individuals or increase the population.
Social interaction
Most accounts of tenkile social interaction in the wild has been recorded by locals in Papua New Guinea. When the tenkile was first discovered, most locals recount seeing the tenkile travelling in packs of four, comprising a male, female and offspring, but now most sightings of tenkiles in the wild are individual. This is most likely the result of the decline in population over recent years. Not much is known about their options for communications, but it is believed that they use all available senses to communicate with each other. These senses include: vision, hearing, chemical cues and touch. Tenkiles have not been known to be hostile to humans and usually stay away from human activity while they are up in the trees.
Status
Tenkiles have declined greatly over the past 50 years, including an 80% decline in ten years. It is currently restricted to three remote areas along the summit of the Torricelli Range, the eastern Bewani Range
The Bewani Mountains form a mountain range in northwestern Papua New Guinea. Together with the Torricelli Mountains and Prince Alexander Mountains it forms the North Coastal Range of Papua New Guinea. , the Menawa Range, and the Torricelli Mountains
The Torricelli Mountains are a mountain range in Sandaun Province, north-western Papua New Guinea. The highest peak in the range is Mount Sulen at 1650 meters. The Bewani Mountains are located to the west, and the Prince Alexander Mountains ar ...
in the Fatima
Fāṭima bint Muḥammad ( ar, فَاطِمَة ٱبْنَت مُحَمَّد}, 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, th ...
area of Papua New Guinea where it is found at altitudes between above sea level. The animal is hunted by indigenous people for food and the sub-population in the Torricelli Mountains is believed to number fewer than 250 individuals. The International Union for Conservation of Nature
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
has assessed the animal's status as being " critically endangered" and a moratorium on hunting has been arranged with the local community in the Swelpini area.
Conservation
The main group concerned with the preservation of the tenkile in Papua New Guinea is the Tenkile Conservation Alliance (TCA), which is a group established as a part of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in 2001. The group’s main aim is to protect the biodiversity in Papua New Guinea and make the Torricelli Mountain Range, in northwestern Papua New Guinea, a protected area. The TCA works with communities living in and around the tenkile’s habitat through community outreach which includes school visits to teach the younger children about the species. TCA have been able to get 50 villages to join the hunting moratorium that helps in the conservation efforts of not only the Tenkile but also the Weimang/ Golden Tree Kangaroo. The culture of the residents of the Papua New Guinea towards the tenkile has changed, as TCA has been able to substitute the consumption of rabbits, fish and imported meat with the consumption of the tenkile. As stated above, the tenkile faces extinction due to hunting, mainly hunting for its meat. This change has led to a decrease in the hunting of the tenkile for over 10 years.
Another conservation program implemented in Papua New Guinea in 2000 is the WWF Forest Program (PNG or FoNG), which aims to increase the biodiversity through community outreach programs. The program also plans on contacting the government and other non-governmental organisations
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...
to support various conservation efforts and create conservation models that can be implemented across Papua New Guinea.
References
External links
Tenkile Conservation Alliance website
{{Taxonbar, from=Q209159
Critically endangered fauna of Oceania
Macropods
Marsupials of New Guinea
Mammals of Papua New Guinea
Endemic fauna of New Guinea
Endemic fauna of Papua New Guinea
Sandaun Province
Mammals described in 1990
Taxa named by Tim Flannery
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot