Perth Zoo's male Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo Huli has hopped through his latest health check with flying colours!

At 12-years-old, Huli is coming into his twilight years. that's why proactive vet checks like this one ensure he continues receiving the very best targeted care. 

As part of the Zoo's preventative health, care and welfare management, Huli is monitored daily to ensure his environmental enrichment, nutritional needs, veterinary health and habitat design best cater for his ageing needs.

While under general anaesthetic in our Vet Hospital, vets and nurses examined his overall body condition, took blood samples to check health status, thoroughly checked his paws, performed radiographs and gave him a quick dental exam. 

And in good news, he's in great health for his age!

Here in the care of Perth Zoo, Huli and females Doba, Kaluli and Muku are provided with everything they need to thrive. But life for their wild cousins isn't so sweet. 

That's why Perth Zoo's work and commitment to Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroos extends far beyond our gates here in South Perth and reaches Huli's wild cousins in their native Papua New Guinea (PNG). 
 
Since 2006, Perth Zoo has proudly partnered with the Tenkile Conservation Alliance (TCA). This PNG-based organisation works to protect natural habitats and provide alternate food sources for local communities.

Through this partnership, Perth Zoo proudly supports projects that help create more sustainable villages, to reduce the impact on surrounding ecosystems and support the long-term rehabilitation of the environment. 

Ultimately, our friends at TCA are helping support local communities to make the wild safer for tree kangaroos!

FAST FACTS

  • Tree kangaroos are adapted for climbing trees – their long tail helps them balance and they can even leap to the ground from heights of up to 18metres.
     
  • There are 14 different species of tree kangaroos. Perth Zoo is home to Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroos, a species native to Papua New Guinea.
     
  • Perth Zoo is home to four tree kangaroos. Three adults– a male Huli and two females Kaluli and Doba, and youngest female Muku.
     
According to the IUCN Red List, Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroos are considered endangered in the wild and exact population numbers are not known. In the wild, they are threatened by habitat destruction and overhunting.