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48-461: The Huon Peninsula is home to a diverse range of indigenous communities, each with their own unique cultures and traditions. The region is known for its rich biodiversity, with a wide range of flora and fauna that are found nowhere else in the world. The Huon Peninsula Conservation Area is home to numerous endangered species, including the Huon tree kangaroo and the golden-mantled tree kangaroo . The area

96-689: A maximum of 90 animals, but it has declined to 53 in the past few years in these conservation zoos. North America developed the Tree Kangaroo Species Survival Plan (TK-SSP) in 1991 and the TK-SSP Master Plan in 1993 to help with their conservation. Conservation education programs have been set up in some schools thanks to Lisa Dabek, a conservation expert for the Matschie's tree-kangaroos, who has dedicated much of her career and life to helping ones in captivity as well as studying some in

144-471: A mother and her offspring and one male. Most of the time, the groups have a sex ratio of 1:1. The Matschie's tree-kangaroos are very closely related to Dendrolagus goodfellowi , the Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo, which was once considered a subspecies of the Matschie's tree-kangaroos. Matschies' appear to be scared of humans because they scramble around when humans are nearby and they are very difficult to find in

192-732: Is a tree-kangaroo native to the Huon Peninsula of northeastern New Guinea island, within the nation of Papua New Guinea . Under the IUCN classification, Matschie's tree-kangaroo is an endangered species . The scientific name honours German biologist Paul Matschie . The indigenous population refers to it as a Boongarry . With a body and head length of 20 to 32 inches (51–81 cm), Matschie's tree-kangaroo are much smaller than Australia's well-known red kangaroo . An adult male weighs between 20 and 25 lb (9–11 kg). An adult female weighs between 15 and 20 lb (7–9 kg). There

240-453: Is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator . There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southeast Florida, United States, and Okinawa, Japan that fall into the tropical rainforest climate category. They experience high mean annual temperatures, small temperature ranges, and rain that falls throughout the year. Regions with this climate are typically designated Af by

288-634: Is a table containing some of the frogs and lizards commonly found within the area. The below table contains some of the birds commonly encountered at higher elevations along the Huon peninsula. The raised beach coastal terraces of Huon were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on June 6, 2006 in the Mixed (Cultural + Natural) category. In 2009 the YUS Conservation Area

336-480: Is between 54.2 and 56.8 days and tree kangaroos are able to produce young at 2 to 2.5 years of age. Mating occurs when a female advances on a male while on the ground; they touch each other's noses and click their tongues. The female is initially resistant to the male's advances. She will hiss and swat at the male but will permit him to mount her within ten minutes. Copulation can last up to sixty minutes afterwards. The gestation period lasts approximately 44.2 days, which

384-559: Is common in the area, with many families growing crops such as bananas, taro, and sweet potato for subsistence and sale. At intermediate altitudes within the region mandarins are produced as a cash crop. In addition to its natural attractions, Huon Peninsula also has a rich cultural heritage. The region is home to several indigenous communities, each with its unique language, customs, and beliefs. Visitors can learn about these communities by visiting their villages, attending cultural festivals, and participating in traditional ceremonies. Some of

432-480: Is high throughout the months. One day in a tropical rainforest climate can be very similar to the next, while the change in temperature between day and night may be larger than the average change in temperature during the year. When tropical rainforest climates are more dominated by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) than the trade winds (and with no or rare cyclones), so usually located near

480-445: Is known to be the longest for any of the marsupials. A single observed captive birth occurred above ground, in the branches. Joeys first stick their head out of the pouch at roughly 22 weeks. They will first leave the pouch and feed on their own at 28 weeks. Joeys permanently vacate the pouch at approximately 41 weeks. The Matschie's tree-kangaroos have no embryonic diapauses or delayed implantations and are able to get pregnant as soon as

528-482: Is no particular season in which they breed. Gestation lasts 44 days and joeys of captive bred individuals leave the pouch after 11 months. The average life span of the Matschie's tree-kangaroo in the wild is unknown, but is at least 14 years. The life span of the kangaroo in a zoo is about 20 years. The most distinctive trait of all tree-kangaroos is the hair whorl they possess. It is a patch of hair that goes out in many directions and its location ranges from up near

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576-484: The Doria's tree-kangaroo . Matschies' ears are small and bear-like looking and they do not have a good sense of hearing because of it. They have curved claws on their forelimbs and soft pads on their hind limbs that aid in their climbing ability, and they have some independent movement of their digits as well as good dexterity due to their forelimbs being able to bend a great deal. The 4th and 5th digit of their feet are enlarged,

624-454: The Köppen climate classification . A tropical rainforest climate is typically hot, very humid, and wet with no dry season . Tropical rainforests have a type of tropical climate (at least 18 C or 64.4 F in their coldest month) in which there is no dry season —all months have an average precipitation value of at least 60 mm (2.4 in). There are no distinct wet or dry seasons as rainfall

672-528: The 1st digit is absent, and the 2nd and 3rd digits are syndactylous (two digits that look like one fused together). Scientists have discovered that the Matschie's are able to walk bipedally and there's a lot of rotation in their limbs for climbing. Out of all of the Dendrolagus species, the Matschie's tree-kangaroo is the best vertical climber and has more strength in its muscles than any others. Their tails help to offset their balance while moving swiftly through

720-525: The Australian 9th Division east of Lae on 4 September 1943. Below is a table containing some of the traditional inhabitants of the region, their spoken languages, and some notes about their culture. This list is incomplete and there are many other peoples in the area each with diverse set of customs and traditions. The Huon Peninsula is a part of the New Guinea Orogen , which is a mountain range that

768-742: The Earth, participates in the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program. The Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program is a program that originated from Papua New Guinea and is now based at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington . It is designed to study and conserve the various tree-kangaroo species. The program also encourages local villages in Papua New Guinea to help with conservation, enhances the local schools and teachers as well as advancing

816-577: The Huon Peninsula played a pivotal role in the Pacific War . The Australian and American militaries established bases in the area, and the peninsula became a major staging ground for military operations. After the war, the Huon Peninsula underwent rapid development, with new infrastructure being built to support the growing population. Agriculture and mining became major industries, attracting people from all over Papua New Guinea. The Huon Peninsula campaign

864-486: The Matschie's tree-kangaroos and stop the destruction of their natural habitat as well as keep healthy populations growing in the zoos. By keeping them in zoos, researchers hope to build up the populations of the Matschie's. They are strongly committed to building up the population because Matschies' are the most widely exhibited species in zoos around the world. Scientists are still trying to learn more about Matschie's tree-kangaroos and are conducting studies to watch and help

912-410: The area. The Matschie's tree-kangaroos are mainly folivorous, eating anything from leaves, sap, insects, flowers, and nuts. It was also found that they have eaten chickens in captivity as well as feeding on a variety of plants, carrots, lettuce, bananas, potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and yams. Since they eat high fiber foods, they only eat maybe about 1 to 2 hours throughout the day and the other time of

960-413: The arrival of European explorers in the 16th century. Stone tools dating back to around 40,000 years ago have been discovered by archaeologists on top of stone terraces, they were believed to be used for agricultural purposes. In the 19th century, Christian missionaries established missions on the peninsula, leading to significant changes in the region's social and cultural landscape. During World War II,

1008-514: The captive breeding program is retaining the population's genetic diversity over time. In a study done by McGreevy et al. (2010), "AZA Matschie tree kangaroo's haplotype diversity was almost two times lower than wild Matschie tree kangaroos." This difference with allele frequencies shows the changes that can happen over time like genetic drift and mutation when a species is taken out of its natural habitat. Tropical rainforest climate A tropical rainforest climate or equatorial climate

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1056-453: The day they are resting and digesting their food. Their digestion is similar to that of the ruminants; they have a large, tubiform forestomach , where most of the fermentation and breakdown of tough material takes place at; in the hind stomach, there is a mucosa lining with many glands that help absorption begin here. In captivity, the tree-kangaroos can get pregnant at any time of the year and are known to breed well. The female oestrus cycle

1104-426: The endangered Matschie's tree-kangaroo , while the birds include many of typical Australasian families such as bowerbirds , Australian robins , honeyeaters (including the endemic spangled honeyeater ) and birds of paradise (including the endemic Huon astrapia ). There are also endemic butterflies. Although some logging has taken place, the forests of the Huon Peninsula mountains are mostly undisturbed. Below

1152-519: The equator, they are also called equatorial climates. Otherwise, when they are more dominated by the trade winds than the ITCZ, they are called tropical trade-wind climates. In pure equatorial climates, the atmospheric pressure is almost constantly low so the horizontal pressure gradient is low. Consequently, the winds are rare and usually weak (except sea and land breezes in coastal areas) while in tropical trade-wind climates, often located at higher latitudes than

1200-409: The evaporation to help cool its body. In the wild, it will usually feed on leaves, fruits and mosses. When kept in zoos, it feeds on apples, carrots, yams, corn on the cob, celery, kale/romaine, high fiber monkey biscuits, tofu, hard boiled eggs, and various types of tree boughs (elm, willow, etc.). In the wild, researchers have found most Matschies' live alone or in small assemblies, containing maybe

1248-458: The forests. They spend about 14 to 15 hours of their days sleeping and resting. The Matschie's tree-kangaroos are known for defending their home territory and marking their boundaries. When the temperature of the environment drastically changes at different times of the year, they are able to maintain a moderate body temperature because of their metabolic rate. Matschies' have been found to be very susceptible to mycobacterial infections; however,

1296-589: The heaviest rainfall occurring in February. The dry season, which lasts from June to September, is characterized by less rainfall and lower humidity. The Huon Peninsula also experiences occasional tropical cyclones and monsoons , which can bring extremely heavy rain and strong winds. These weather events can cause flooding and landslides . The region is known for its production of cocoa, copra, and palm oil, which are exported to other parts of Papua New Guinea and to international markets. Additionally, small-scale farming

1344-462: The infections do not seem to be contagious because some individuals that are around infected kangaroos do not appear to get the infection. It seems to be from an avium complex related to tuberculosis, but scientists are still unsure of how exactly it spreads. Matschie's tree-kangaroos are restricted to the Huon peninsula of Papua New Guinea, a subdivision of Tumbanan faunal province, and are the only tree-kangaroos found there. They are also residents on

1392-458: The interval from 33,000 to 52,000 years ago, and the uplift events are believed to be coseismic, meaning they are caused by earthquakes. The mean recurrence interval of uplift events was found to be between 1,000 and 1,300 years in both the Holocene and late Pleistocene periods. The amplitude of uplift events averages around 3 meters, and generally increases from northwest to southeast in keeping with

1440-443: The island of Umboi , which is just off the coast of Papua New Guinea. However, most scientists believe the tree-kangaroos were introduced onto this island and were not originally found there. The Matschies' prefer to live in deciduous forests and tropical rainforests because they remain in trees for most of their days. They mainly live in the northeast interior of New Guinea and their home range sizes consists of about 25 hectares of

1488-627: The joey leaves the pouch. (Loss of pouch young results in a return to estrus within 5 days.) In 1996, the IUCN classified the Matschie's tree-kangaroos as endangered animals. A lot of the Huon Peninsula's trees have been cleared in which the tree-kangaroos chiefly inhabit, so there are more grassy areas created and the Matschie's tree-kangaroos' habitat is being destroyed. They are also threatened by oil drilling, logging, hunting by humans, and rainforest clearing. Some Matschie's tree-kangaroos are hunted by local natives for their meat and fur, while others, such as

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1536-401: The medical care for the people, and recognizing particular habitats needed for the tree-kangaroos to flourish. The Woodland Park Zoo is very keen on helping the Matschie's population grow and develop, and they have also seen that mothers develop their young better if they are removed from the males after mating. A Species Survival Plan has been developed by zoos around the world to help conserve

1584-821: The most popular cultural experiences on the peninsula include the Baining Fire Dance , the Morobe Show, and the Sepik River Crocodile Festival. Some of the most notable sites include the Madang Museum , the War Cemetery in Lae , and the ruins of the Japanese wartime base at Salamaua . Within several areas of the region some of the local populations practice a type of soil erosion prevention, they do so by weaving

1632-448: The mountainous rainforests at elevations of between 1,000 and 3,000 metres (3,300 and 9,800 ft). The kangaroo tends to live either alone or with very small groups, usually composed of just a female, a joey, and a male. They spend most of their time in the trees and come down occasionally to feed. They are very adept at hopping and can leap up to 30 feet (9 m). Instead of sweating, Matschie's tree-kangaroo licks its forearms and allows

1680-471: The peninsula is around 27°C (81°F), with very little seasonal variation. The warmest months are from October to March, when temperatures can reach up to 32°C (90°F). The coolest months are from May to August, with temperatures averaging around 23°C (73°F). The amount of rainfall in the region varies depending on the location, with some areas receiving up to 6,000 millimeters (236 inches) of rain annually. The rainy season typically lasts from December to March, with

1728-541: The people of Yawan, a village in New Guinea, aid in the Matschie's conservation. The people of Yawan have put aside 100,000 acres (400 km ) for the Matschie's preservation. Many Matschie's thrive in captivity and maintain healthy lives interacting with one another. The numbers of tree-kangaroos in captivity in North America have been recorded over the years, and in 1997, the Matschie's tree-kangaroos' population reached

1776-418: The populations in the wild. In 2009 the YUS Conservation Area has been established to protect the habitat of Matschies' in the northern part of the Huon Peninsula . YUS stretches over 760 km (290 sq mi) and includes three rivers: Yopno, Uruwa and Som, after which it was named. Comparison of the genetic diversity of the captive breeding population to wild populations is done to evaluate how

1824-433: The regional late Quaternary trend. However, for some events, the uplift is approximately horizontal over 20 kilometers. Some of the most notable settlements along the Huon peninsula are listed in a table below. The Huon Peninsula experiences a tropical rainforest climate . This type of climate is characterized by high humidity, high temperatures, and abundant rainfall throughout the year. The annual average temperature on

1872-403: The shoulders all the way down to the tail. The Matschie's tree-kangaroo is golden on its ventral side, lower parts of its limbs, ear edges, belly, and tail, and the rest of its body is a chestnut brown colour, except for usually having a dark stripe down its back. Their faces are typically an array of yellow and white colours. The Matschies' are similar in colour and size to Dendrolagus dorianus ,

1920-405: The stems of Piper aduncum into 2-3 meter tall fences which are then used to create a type of terrace . The rainforests that cover these remote mountains provide habitats for many birds and animals and have been designated the Huon Peninsula montane rain forests ecoregion . The rainforest of the hillsides consists of shorter trees and more herbs than you would find in lowland rainforests around

1968-469: The town of Wau in the central part of the peninsula was once a major gold mining center during the colonial era, and remnants of the mining operations can still be seen in the area today. The limestone formations on the peninsula have also contributed to the unique landscape of the region. Studies have shown that up to six regressive terraces occur on the youngest Holocene reef tract , while up to 15 occur on older reef tracts II and III. These tracts span

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2016-490: The trees since their tails are about the same length as their head and body size. Sexual dimorphism is very low, with males and females being of about equal sizes. The upper and lower jaws of the Matschie's tree-kangaroos are different too in addition to them being different in body size. The upper jaw has three incisors, one canine, one premolar, and four molars, while the lower jaw has one very sharp incisor, no canines and low crowned molars. Matschie's tree-kangaroo lives in

2064-407: The wild. Dabek, along with other scientists, have captured many Matschie's in the wild and radio collared them so they could study their habits. Collaring them helps to learn their home ranges and the types of environments they stay in so that the scientists can help with conserving those types of areas. Conservation International , an organization that supports the preservation of biodiversity of

2112-461: The world, with predominant species of tree including Pometia , Canarium , Anisoptera , Cryptocarya laurels, and Terminalia , while the higher slopes have thicker forests of yet smaller trees and the higher slopes of the Cromwell Range in particular hold the best-preserved large forest of Dacrydium conifers in the southern hemisphere. Mammals indigenous to the Huon region include

2160-584: Was a series of battles fought in north-eastern Papua New Guinea in 1943–1944 during the Second World War . The campaign formed the initial part of an offensive that the Allies launched in the Pacific in late 1943 and resulted in the Japanese being pushed north from Lae to Sio on the northern coast of New Guinea over the course of a four-month period. The campaign was preceded by an amphibious landing by troops from

2208-406: Was established in the northern part of the peninsula. YUS stretches over 760 km and includes the three rivers, Yopno, Uruwa and Som, for which it was named. 6°25′00″S 147°30′00″E  /  6.416667°S 147.5°E  / -6.416667; 147.5 Matschie%27s tree-kangaroo Matschie's tree-kangaroo ( Dendrolagus matschiei ), also known as the Huon tree-kangaroo

2256-593: Was formed as a result of the collision between the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates . It is known for its complex geology, including repeated episodic uplift events. These uplift events have resulted in the formation of regressive terraces that are cut into raised late Quaternary reef tracts . The peninsula is primarily composed of sedimentary and volcanic rocks , with a few areas of metamorphic rocks . The Huon Peninsula also has significant mineral deposits, including gold , copper , and silver . The area around

2304-535: Was the site of the Huon Peninsula campaign of World War II , in 1943-44 as Japanese troops retreating from Lae fought their way over the Finisterre Mountains to Madang on the north coast. For over 40,000 years, the region has been home to indigenous communities, such as the Yabob and Morwap , who have relied on hunting, fishing, and gathering for their survival. Their way of life remained largely unchanged until

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