Ifola Tree Kangaroo

Characteristics:  Distinctive coat from very dark chocolate brown with yellow rings around the base of the tail.  Silvery tipped hairs over the back and limbs and a mixture of blackish and yellow hairs in the tail.

Males:  8.2 kg (Average weight)

Females:  6.3 kg (Average weight)

Distribution: Found throughout the mid to upper montane rainforests throughout the central highlands of New Guinea. Remote mountains including Mt Stolle, Mt Sisa and Mt Giluwe.

Elevation:   900 – 3,100 meters above sea level.

Diet: Very little is known about its diet however captive animals will often regurgitate and re-chew their food and drink frequently.

Reproduction: Very little known but possibly has an 18 month dependency period before being able to breed again.

Conservation Status: Endangered (IUCN)

Local Names: not recorded.

Social Structure:. Not known

Habits:
Ifola (Dendrolagus notatus) is located in montane forests at elevations between 900-3100m in the central highlands region of Papua New Guinea. Ifola has the largest distribution of any Tree Kangaroo with a potential range of 40,000 square kilometres. Unfortunately it is distributed in one of the most densely populated regions on earth which has resulted in it being hunted out from much of this area.  It is highly prized as a food source and for bride price customs in the highland region of Papua New Guinea.

In captivity ifola are mostly active in the early morning and evening.

Conservation status:
This species has probably disappeared from the Schrader Range. Threats include hunting pressure and habitat loss from shifting agriculture and deforestation from logging. However this species does exist in several protected areas.

References:
Mammals of new Guinea – Tim Flannery (1995) and
Tree Kangaroos – a curious natural history – Tim Flannery, Roger Martin and Alexandra Szalay (1996). 
Illustrations Peter Schouten. 
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/136732/0