Rainforest Ecologies

Tropical Rainforests are the world’s largest source of biodiversity and CO2 absorption and contain at least half of the Earth's species. In this section we highlight some of the species that make rainforests so unique and so important.

Tree Kangaroo

Tree-kangaroos are adapted for life in the trees of the mountainous rainforests of New Guinea, far northeastern Queensland and several nearby islands. Although most are found in mountainous areas, several species also occur in lowlands. Many tree-kangaroo species are considered threatened due to hunting and habitat loss, which is often a result of deforestation.

There are approximately 12 species of tree-kangaroos and, depending on species, there are significant variations in colour and size. Head and body length varies from 41 to 77 centimetres and tail length from 40 to 87 centimetres. Male tree-kangaroos can weigh up to 14.5 kilograms, females generally being smaller than males.

It is believed that tree-kangaroos evolved from creatures similar to modern kangaroos and wallabies. Their forest habitat means they have 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.

In the forest canopy tree-kangaroos are bold and agile. They climb by wrapping the forelimbs around the trunk of a tree and hopping with their powerful hind legs, allowing their forelimbs to slide. They are expert leapers; 9 metres downward jumps from one tree to another have been recorded, and they have the ability to jump to the ground from 18 metres or more without being hurt. On the ground however, tree-kangaroos are slow and clumsy. They move at about walking pace and hop awkwardly, leaning their body forwards to balance their long heavy tail.

Tree-kangaroos feed mostly on leaves and fruit, taken from both the trees and on the ground, but other foods are eaten when available, including grain, flowers, sap, bark, eggs and young birds. Their teeth are adapted for tearing leaves rather than cutting grass.

Birds-of-paradise

The bird-of-paradise is of great cultural importance to the inhabitants of New Guinea as magnificent plumes of feathers are often an important part of elaborate tribal head-dresses. The trade in feathers and skins of the birds-of-paradise has been going on for two thousand years. The associated hunting, and recently habitat loss due to deforestation, means a number of species of birds-of-paradise are now threatened.

The majority of species in this family are found in New Guinea and the surrounding islands, with a few species occurring in the Moluccas of Indonesia and eastern Australia. The family has forty species, best known for the plumage of the males of most species, in particular highly elongated and elaborate feathers extending from the beak, wings or head. This plumage is often used by male birds-of-paradise in wild courtship dances in order to attract potential mates.

Birds-of-paradise are generally crow-like in body-form, being the brother group to crows and jays. Birds-of-paradise range in size from the King Bird-of-paradise at 50 g and 15 cm to the Curl-crested Manucode at 44 cm and 430 g. The male Black Sicklebill, with its long tail, is the longest species at 110 cm. In all the males are larger and longer than the female, the differences ranging from slight to extreme. The males are also more colourful, the females being drab in comparison. Bird-of-paradise wings are rounded and sometimes structurally modified on the males in order to make sound.

The centre of bird-of-paradise diversity is New Guinea; all but two genera are found there. The majority of species live in tropical forests, including rainforest, swamps and moss forest. The southernmost species, the Paradise Riflebird of Australia, lives in sub-tropical and temperate wet forests.