Adorable Tree Kangaroos Fitted With Tiny Video Cameras | National Geographic

hi in the northern mountains on the

hi in the northern mountains on the island of New Guinea in the cloud forest

island of New Guinea in the cloud forest

island of New Guinea in the cloud forest lives an elusive animal found nowhere

lives an elusive animal found nowhere

lives an elusive animal found nowhere else in the world hello with an

else in the world hello with an

else in the world hello with an endearing face and thick affair the Matt

endearing face and thick affair the Matt

endearing face and thick affair the Matt cheese tree kangaroos of Papua New

cheese tree kangaroos of Papua New

cheese tree kangaroos of Papua New Guinea are only found on the islands two

Guinea are only found on the islands two

Guinea are only found on the islands two on Peninsula and they’re endangered

on Peninsula and they’re endangered

on Peninsula and they’re endangered threats include a growing human

threats include a growing human

threats include a growing human population and subsistence hunting tree

population and subsistence hunting tree

population and subsistence hunting tree kangaroos for a long time have been part

kangaroos for a long time have been part

kangaroos for a long time have been part of the local diet they are difficult to

of the local diet they are difficult to

of the local diet they are difficult to study because of the remoteness of their

study because of the remoteness of their

study because of the remoteness of their habitat and they spend most of their

habitat and they spend most of their

habitat and they spend most of their lives high in the rainforest canopy 70

lives high in the rainforest canopy 70

lives high in the rainforest canopy 70 to 100 feet above the ground just

to 100 feet above the ground just

to 100 feet above the ground just getting to their home isn’t easy first

getting to their home isn’t easy first

getting to their home isn’t easy first the area is inaccessible by vehicle so

the area is inaccessible by vehicle so

the area is inaccessible by vehicle so researchers need a small plane landing

researchers need a small plane landing

researchers need a small plane landing on a bumpy airstrip in the village of

on a bumpy airstrip in the village of

on a bumpy airstrip in the village of yahwah

then it’s a two-day hike through dense

then it’s a two-day hike through dense forests up and down steep mountain

forests up and down steep mountain

forests up and down steep mountain ridges even once you get there they are

ridges even once you get there they are

ridges even once you get there they are extremely difficult to find local

extremely difficult to find local

extremely difficult to find local hunters and trackers provide the

hunters and trackers provide the

hunters and trackers provide the critical skills to locate these elusive

critical skills to locate these elusive

critical skills to locate these elusive animals dr. lisa de Becque is director

animals dr. lisa de Becque is director

animals dr. lisa de Becque is director of the tree kangaroo conservation

of the tree kangaroo conservation

of the tree kangaroo conservation program based at Woodland Park Zoo in

program based at Woodland Park Zoo in

program based at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle oh and then she’ll home because

Seattle oh and then she’ll home because

Seattle oh and then she’ll home because that’s what she did when she came to

that’s what she did when she came to

that’s what she did when she came to study this endangered marsupials for

study this endangered marsupials for

study this endangered marsupials for more than 20 years tree kangaroos spend

more than 20 years tree kangaroos spend

more than 20 years tree kangaroos spend most of their time high up in the trees

most of their time high up in the trees

most of their time high up in the trees and so we are not able to see what

and so we are not able to see what

and so we are not able to see what they’re doing up there that’s why she’s

they’re doing up there that’s why she’s

they’re doing up there that’s why she’s asked for the help of the National

asked for the help of the National

asked for the help of the National Geographic critter cam this critter cam

Geographic critter cam this critter cam

Geographic critter cam this critter cam for the tree kangaroo is completely new

for the tree kangaroo is completely new

for the tree kangaroo is completely new we’ve been working with National

we’ve been working with National

we’ve been working with National Geographic for the last few years trying

Geographic for the last few years trying

Geographic for the last few years trying to figure out a way to have a small

to figure out a way to have a small

to figure out a way to have a small enough critter cam to put on a tree

enough critter cam to put on a tree

enough critter cam to put on a tree kangaroo it takes a team of experts for

kangaroo it takes a team of experts for

kangaroo it takes a team of experts for this project scientists veterinarians

this project scientists veterinarians

this project scientists veterinarians and the local hunters these are the

and the local hunters these are the

and the local hunters these are the local landowners who used to hunt tree

local landowners who used to hunt tree

local landowners who used to hunt tree kangaroos but now they are helping us

kangaroos but now they are helping us

kangaroos but now they are helping us with our research so they are the best

with our research so they are the best

with our research so they are the best people to find the tree kangaroos in the

people to find the tree kangaroos in the

people to find the tree kangaroos in the forest tree kangaroos really hide in the

forest tree kangaroos really hide in the

forest tree kangaroos really hide in the trees you you might be able to see that

trees you you might be able to see that

trees you you might be able to see that the the moss on the trees are the very

the the moss on the trees are the very

the the moss on the trees are the very same color as the tree kangaroos

same color as the tree kangaroos

same color as the tree kangaroos themselves and tree kangaroos tend to

themselves and tree kangaroos tend to

themselves and tree kangaroos tend to hide in the moss

hide in the moss

hide in the moss they look like plush toys up in the

they look like plush toys up in the

they look like plush toys up in the branches but they’re very well adapted

branches but they’re very well adapted

branches but they’re very well adapted for the cloud forests with the thick fur

for the cloud forests with the thick fur

for the cloud forests with the thick fur and then they have long claws for

and then they have long claws for

and then they have long claws for climbing the trees and then they have

climbing the trees and then they have

climbing the trees and then they have their long tail for balancing themselves

their long tail for balancing themselves

their long tail for balancing themselves but they can also leap down from the

but they can also leap down from the

but they can also leap down from the trees onto the ground and not hurt

trees onto the ground and not hurt

trees onto the ground and not hurt themselves he needs to be a clear

themselves he needs to be a clear

themselves he needs to be a clear position like this okay when one is

position like this okay when one is

position like this okay when one is spotted there are no tranquilizer darts

spotted there are no tranquilizer darts

spotted there are no tranquilizer darts or anesthesia used a hunter will climb

or anesthesia used a hunter will climb

or anesthesia used a hunter will climb the tree the kangaroo is on and pokes it

the tree the kangaroo is on and pokes it

the tree the kangaroo is on and pokes it to leap to the ground

to leap to the ground

to leap to the ground below other hunters clear brush and wait

below other hunters clear brush and wait

below other hunters clear brush and wait for the moment it might go looks like

for the moment it might go looks like

for the moment it might go looks like there it goes

Papua New Guinean Gabriel Porlock

Papua New Guinean Gabriel Porlock handles the captured male he is the tree

handles the captured male he is the tree

handles the captured male he is the tree kangaroo conservation program research

kangaroo conservation program research

kangaroo conservation program research coordinator and a key figure in the

coordinator and a key figure in the

coordinator and a key figure in the local preservation effort think six kill

local preservation effort think six kill

local preservation effort think six kill the captured animal is weighed and

the captured animal is weighed and

the captured animal is weighed and examined by veterinarian Carol Essen and

then the critter cam collar is fastened

then the critter cam collar is fastened into place okay alright and then the

into place okay alright and then the

into place okay alright and then the animal is released for the next few days

animal is released for the next few days

animal is released for the next few days the animal will have a new role as a

the animal will have a new role as a

the animal will have a new role as a critter cam videographer what the

critter cam videographer what the

critter cam videographer what the researchers found was more than they

researchers found was more than they

researchers found was more than they ever dreamed of seeing it’s way beyond

ever dreamed of seeing it’s way beyond

ever dreamed of seeing it’s way beyond my wildest imagination it actually

my wildest imagination it actually

my wildest imagination it actually brought tears to my eyes when these

brought tears to my eyes when these

brought tears to my eyes when these animals go so high up in the in the

animals go so high up in the in the

animals go so high up in the in the trees that you cannot know what they do

trees that you cannot know what they do

trees that you cannot know what they do unless you have a camera on them and now

unless you have a camera on them and now

unless you have a camera on them and now we can see that the critter cam recorder

we can see that the critter cam recorder

we can see that the critter cam recorder is on a timer so it records short

is on a timer so it records short

is on a timer so it records short segments at different times of the day

grooming eating as he scales one old

grooming eating as he scales one old tree branch to another you can see the

tree branch to another you can see the

tree branch to another you can see the lush vegetation mosses and orchids that

lush vegetation mosses and orchids that

lush vegetation mosses and orchids that serve as a smorgasbord some nine

serve as a smorgasbord some nine

serve as a smorgasbord some nine different species of plants the tree

different species of plants the tree

different species of plants the tree kangaroo eats so you get this view all

kangaroo eats so you get this view all

kangaroo eats so you get this view all the way down to the ground from it’s

the way down to the ground from it’s

the way down to the ground from it’s probably about a hundred feet up and

probably about a hundred feet up and

probably about a hundred feet up and then it was sunrise it was about 6 a.m.

then it was sunrise it was about 6 a.m.

then it was sunrise it was about 6 a.m. or so because that’s when we think that

or so because that’s when we think that

or so because that’s when we think that they feed and in fact that’s when we saw

they feed and in fact that’s when we saw

they feed and in fact that’s when we saw in the video that he was feeding but

in the video that he was feeding but

in the video that he was feeding but then he looked out and it was the

then he looked out and it was the

then he looked out and it was the sunrise which was amazing the team

sunrise which was amazing the team

sunrise which was amazing the team captured a second kangaroo this one a

captured a second kangaroo this one a

captured a second kangaroo this one a female they’ve been tracking for three

female they’ve been tracking for three

female they’ve been tracking for three years

years

years named Trish and this time she has a baby

named Trish and this time she has a baby

named Trish and this time she has a baby Joey developing in her pouch when Trish

Joey developing in her pouch when Trish

Joey developing in her pouch when Trish was set free with a camera she collected

was set free with a camera she collected

was set free with a camera she collected video from a female perspective

video from a female perspective

video from a female perspective including one segment where she is seen

including one segment where she is seen

including one segment where she is seen cleaning her pouch the forest where

cleaning her pouch the forest where

cleaning her pouch the forest where these tree kangaroos live is pristine

these tree kangaroos live is pristine

these tree kangaroos live is pristine and it will hopefully stay that way as

and it will hopefully stay that way as

and it will hopefully stay that way as the local population has agreed to set

the local population has agreed to set

the local population has agreed to set it aside as a conservation area

it aside as a conservation area

it aside as a conservation area de Becque helped enlist the local

de Becque helped enlist the local

de Becque helped enlist the local population that she says is crucial to

population that she says is crucial to

population that she says is crucial to the efforts to save this species this

the efforts to save this species this

the efforts to save this species this first Crittercam tree kangaroo project

first Crittercam tree kangaroo project

first Crittercam tree kangaroo project was funded through the National

was funded through the National

was funded through the National Geographic Society on weight grant

Geographic Society on weight grant

Geographic Society on weight grant program this is an incredible tool we

program this is an incredible tool we

program this is an incredible tool we can now see what the animals are eating

can now see what the animals are eating

can now see what the animals are eating up in the canopy which we never could do

up in the canopy which we never could do

up in the canopy which we never could do before and see what how they’re moving

before and see what how they’re moving

before and see what how they’re moving in the trees and at what time of day

in the trees and at what time of day

in the trees and at what time of day know if great the project was a success

know if great the project was a success

know if great the project was a success for tree kangaroo research and also a

for tree kangaroo research and also a

for tree kangaroo research and also a crucial test for the new critter camp

crucial test for the new critter camp

crucial test for the new critter camp with this smaller system critter cam

with this smaller system critter cam

with this smaller system critter cam will be opening windows into the hidden

will be opening windows into the hidden

will be opening windows into the hidden lives of many new species