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Goodfellow's Tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus goodfellowi), also called the Ornate Tree Kangaroo, belongs to the family Macropodidae, which includes kangaroos, wallabies and their relatives, and the genus Dendrolagus, with nine other species. The species is native to the rainforests of New Guinea, and the border of central Irian Jaya in Indonesia.. Under the IUCN classification, the species is listed as Endangered. which is a result of overhunting and human encroachment on their habitat. They are slow and clumsy on the ground; they move at about walking pace and hop awkwardly, leaning their body far forward to balance the heavy tail. But in trees they are bold and agile. They climb by wrapping the forelimbs around the trunk of a tree and hopping with the powerful hind legs, allowing the forelimbs to slide. They have extraordinary jumping ability and have been known to jump to the ground from heights of 30 feet without ill effect. Although they feed mainly on the leaves of the Silkwood tree• (Flindersia pimenteliana) other morsels are accepted when available, including various fruits, cereals, flowers and grasses. They have large stomachs that function as fermentation vats, similar to the stomachs of cows and other ruminant herbivores, where bacteria break down fibrous leaves and grasses. Goodfellow's tree kangaroo, like other tree kangaroos, are quite different in appearance from terrestrial kangaroos. Unlike their land dwelling cousins, their legs are not disproportionately large compared to their forelimbs which are strong and end in hooked claws for grasping tree limbs, and they have long tails for balance. All of these features help them with a predominatly arboreal existence. Goodfellow's Tree-kangaroos have short, woolly fur, usually Chestnut to red-brown in color, gray-brown faces, yellow-colored cheeks and feet; a pale belly, long, golden brown tails, and two golden stripes on their backsides. They weigh approximately 7 kg (about 15 lb).
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