Wondiwoi Tree Kangaroo

Characteristics:  Distinctive yellow silver tipping of the fur. The underlying colour of the fur is blackish but frosted with yellow hairs at certain angles. The rump and limbs are reddish while the tail is almost white.

Males: 9.25 kg (one specimen)

Females: kg (not captured)

Distribution: The higher mossy montane areas of the Wondiwoi Peninsula which contains substantial parts of mica minerals.

Elevation:  1,600 meters above sea level.

Diet: Very little is known about its diet.

Reproduction: Very little known.

Conservation Status: critically endangered (IUCN)

Local Names: not recorded.

Social Structure: Not known

Habits:
The Wondiwoi Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus. mayri) is one of the most poorly known mammals on earth. This animal has not been recorded since 1928 and even then only one adult male was described. The weight of the only specimen was 9.25 kg. D.mayri was located in the Wondiwoi peninsula of West Papua at an elevation of 1600m within montane forest. It is thought that the Wondiwoi Tree Kangaroo could occupy an area of 300 square kilometres. Because hardly anything is known on this species its status is unknown.

Conservation status:
It is thought that this species could already be extinct. If they do still exist it is likely that there are only 50 animals left. It is likely to decline due to hunting pressure but also there are concerns that mining of the high grade mica minerals found in the Wondiwoi Peninsula could have considerable adverse impact on this tree kangaroo species.

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/136668/0