Caring for tree kangaroos here at Perth Zoo

Perth Zoo is home to four Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroos, a species native to the rainforests of Papua New Guinea.

Huli, Doba, Kaluli, and Muku are important ambassador animals, raising awareness for their cousins in PNG who are doing it tough.

Conservation isn’t just what happens in the wild. It’s about inspiring people all over the world to love nature and take action to protect it – and our resident Tree Kangaroos are loveable indeed!

In the sanctuary of Perth Zoo, our tree kangaroos do not need to fight for dwindling food resources or escape a human in search of meat.

But for their wild cousins, every day can be a battle to survive. That’s why we are committed to making a difference, sharing the plight of tree kangaroos with our visitors here at Perth Zoo.
 

Our role in the global breeding program

As part of the globally coordinated breeding program, we are proud to have successfully bred five Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroo babies.

Descendants of Perth Zoo’s tree kangaroos are now living all over the globe – as far as Europe and the UK!

We were jumping for joy to introduce the newest member of our tree kangaroo group, baby Muku, born to mum Kaluli and Dad Huli last spring.

The arrival of Muku is an example of the good work zoos do, making a tangible difference to wildlife.

As tree kangaroos are endangered, every individual counts to ensure we never see a world without these beautiful creatures in it.

Thanks to critical habitat restoration, sightings of Weimang Tree Kangaroos are becoming more frequent. Image: Tenkile Conservation Alliance

Habitat restoration

We’re committed to re-wilding the natural habitats of tree kangaroos in Papua New Guinea, working with the Tenkile Conservation Alliance (TCA) to protect native environments and build sustainable villages.

By preserving existing forests, we can ensure these adorable marsupials have a safe place to call home. This canopy comeback has been a swinging success, with sightings of two species of tree kangaroos, the Tenkile and Weimang, becoming more frequent!

Through our partnership with TCA, we have funded projects like the roll-out of household solar units and street lights for villages within the Tenkile Mountain Range that participate in tree kangaroo protection, reducing the need to harvest habitat timber for fire.
 

Female Rangers known as Rok Rok Meri during frog monitoring training in Papua New Guinea.

Healthy ecosystems, healthy tree kangaroos!

We have worked with TCA since 2006, to help save our beloved tree kangaroos from extinction.

The more we can help the overall community and ecosystems thrive, the healthier the tree kangaroo population will be!

So now our partnership is growing to protect not only our furry friends, but also the amazing amphibians around PNG’s Torricelli Mountain Range.

6% of the world’s frogs are found in PNG, but there is still so much to learn about them.

Through this new program, female rangers known as the Rokrok Meri’s will apply their traditional knowledge to photograph, monitor and record the sounds of frogs in PNG.

If we can uncover the secrets of these native frogs, we may be able to unlock the mysteries of the currently incurable Chytrid fungus that is threatening frogs around the world, and keep PNG habitats strong.

We may even discover a new species!
 

6% of the world's frogs are found in Papua New Guinea. Image: Tenkile Conservation Alliance

Every creature whether furry, scaly, slimy or feathered, plays a significant role in our planet’s rich biodiversity.

By protecting habitats and empowering local people, we can protect tree kangaroos, frogs, and all of the animals that call the PNG home.

Help us to protect wildlife in native habitats worldwide, by donating to Perth Zoo. Your generosity will support more conservation work, more rehabilitation, more research and more medical care for wildlife.