19th century illustration (w kuhnert 1865 - 1926) of Bennett's Tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus bennettianus
Bennett's Tree-kangaroo is a large tree-kangaroo. Males can weigh from kg up to almost 14 kg (25 to 31 lbs), while the females range between about 8 to kg ( to 23 lbs). They are very agile and are able to leap 9 metres (30 ft) down to another branch and have been known to drop as far as 18 metres (59 ft) to the ground without injury. This very elusive (or "cryptic") tree-kangaroo is found in both mountain and lowland tropical rain forests south of Cooktown Queensland to just north of the Daintree River; an area of only about area of only about 70km by 50km (44 miles by 31 miles). It is also occasionally found in sclerophyll woodlands. It lives almost completely on the leaves of a wide range rainforest trees, notably Schefflera actinophylla (the Umbrella Tree), vines, ferns and various wild fruits. Now that it is rarely hunted by Aborigines, its main predators are pythons and the Dingo. It is thought to be the closest Tree-kangaroo to the ancestral form Tree-kangaroos are macropods adapted for life in trees. They are found in the rainforests of New Guinea, far northeastern Queensland, and nearby islands, usually in mountainous areas. Although most are found in mountainous areas, several species also occur in lowlands, such as the aptly named Lowlands Tree-kangaroo. is understood that tree-kangaroos evolved from creatures similar to modern kangaroos and wallabies, as they retain many standard macropod adaptations to life in the plains—notably the massive hind legs and long, narrow feet which allow orthodox macropods to travel fast and economically on the ground. Tree-kangaroos have developed exceptionally long tails for balance, and stronger forelimbs for climbing. The feet are shorter and wider, they have longer claws on all feet, and rubbery soles for better grip. The ancestors of all kangaroos are believed to have been small arboreal marsupials that looked like some of Australia's present-day possums.
Size: 3300px × 5379px
Photo credit: © markku murto/art / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: 19th, animal, art, bennett, bennettianus, brehms, century, dendrolagus, drawing, illustrations, kangaroo, kuhnert, mammal, marsupial, painting, tierleben, tree-kangaroo, vintage
