Baby Tree Kangaroo Joey, Taronga Zoo, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Description
Unlike their ground dwelling kangaroo cousins the tree kangaroo contains some different characteristics that give these macropods the ability to live in trees. Tree kangaroos have shorter yet broader hind feet which contain longer curved nails, as well as sponge like grip on its paws and soles of its feet to enable a heightened climbing ability. The tree kangaroo has a much larger and pendulous tail than the ground dwelling kangaroos, giving the tree kangaroo fantastic balance while swinging from trees. The male Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo averages size is about 15.6 lbs where the average female weighs in at about 13.2 lbs. The average size of a male when measure from head to the base of the tail is about 23.3 inches long with an average tail length of 27.4 inches. The average size of a female when measure from head to the base of the tail is about 21.8 inches with an average tail length of about 27.5 inches. The tail on both the male and female of this species is the same size, if not longer than the body, proving the importance of the tail which is primarily used for balance. Tree-kangaroos do not sweat, in order to cool their bodies they lick their forearms and allow the moisture to evaporate.