What Are Tree Kangaroos?

Where To See Tree Kangaroos in Cairns

Tree kangaroos are marsupials that have adapted well to live in the trees, instead of on the ground. They don’t look much like the kangaroos that live on the ground – they just share the name! Tree kangaroos are native to New Guinea and Australia.

Normally, they spend their lives jumping in and out of the trees, swinging along the branches in the rainforest.

There are heaps of these wonderful marsupials living in the forests near Cairns.

Different species of tree kangaroos

There are two different types of tree kangaroo species.

1. Bennett’s Tree Kangaroo
2. Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo

So what’s the difference between the tree kangaroo and the ground kangaroo?

Tree kangaroos have muscly back legs which are well-suited to their life in the trees. They have a thick build, with a flexible tail which helps to keep them balanced.

They have reddish-orange coloured fur tinged with flecks.

The babies tend to have patchy parts covering their faces.

Spotting a tree kangaroo

Spotting the Lumholtz tree kangaroo can be a rarity, so if you spot one, you’re very lucky!

Unfortunately, human disruption to their natural habitats has meant that they’ve been driven into more untouched areas of tropical Far North Queensland, such as the north side of the Daintree Rainforest.

Tree kangaroos also have sharper, longer claws, which help to climb trees. They are the ‘Tarzans’ of the kangaroo world! However, tree kangaroos can still jump very far! They can jump as far as 25 metres.

What’s the difference between these two species of tree kangaroo?

Bennett’s tree kangaroos populate the north side of the Daintree River rainforests. Their population spreads as far as Cooktown. They’re much larger than the Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo, which is slightly smaller.

They have a thicker build, and their tail helps to keep them.

But where can you see the tree kangaroos?

You might be able to spot tree kangaroos in the following places near Cairns:

• Curtain Fig National Park
• Malanda Falls (if you’d like to see a taxidermied version of the tree kangaroo, then there’s one on display here).
• Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas
• Rainforestation Nature Park in Kuranda

If you’d like to spot tree kangaroos in their wild habitat near Cairns, then the Curtain Fig National Park and Malanda Falls are your best options. Of course, you’re not always guaranteed a sighting – especially with heaps of crowds!

If you don’t spot any during the day, try returning at dusk with a flashlight. Make sure any artificial lights are dimmed low, so that you don’t startle the wildlife in the trees!