Australian conservationists are imploring governments at all levels to immediately intervene and implement tougher protection methods for tree-kangaroos in the country’s north, where they say the animals are repeatedly being mowed down and killed by cars.
The iconic marsupial is found only in Papua New Guinea and in northern Queensland, with some subspecies critically endangered to the point there are estimated to be fewer than 50 individuals left.
Tree-kangaroos are highly susceptible to habitat loss because they rely on tropical montane forests in high altitude areas, which are increasingly being cleared for agriculture and logging. Much like the vast majority of Australia’s native wildlife, the animals are not road savvy, meaning they also face an ongoing threat from cars.
The Bennett’s tree-kangaroo, found in the Queensland’s Daintree region, is listed as near-threatened. The Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo, shares this classification.
It inhabits the rainforests and woodlands of the Atherton Tablelands, where a local this week photographed yet another road fatality at Malanda Falls. Yahoo News Australia spoke with wildlife groups who work on the ground at the Tablelands, and they said they’re fed up with inaction over the increasing number of tree-kangaroos being killed by vehicles.
Conservations are asking for government intervention to protect tree-kangaroos at the Atherton Tablelands, particularly around Malanda Falls, where they are being repeatedly struck by cars. Source: Facebook/Themi Graham
Tree-kangaroos ‘increasingly’ hit by cars at Atherton Tablelands
Leonie Valentine, senior manager of species conservation at the WWF, is very familiar with the issue in the region. She confirmed to Yahoo the animal died after it was “hit by a car at the road crossing” at Malanda Falls this week. “This is a common place [for the animals to be] hit by cars,” she told Yahoo.
Peter Valentine, who, incidentally is Leonie’s father, is the president of the The Tree-Kangaroo and Mammal Group. Speaking to Yahoo, he said the Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo is only just surviving “in the face of relentless clearing of its habitat”, which he said is what “got our community group started 25 years ago”.
In addition to habitat loss, it appears the animals are becoming progressively threatened by cars. Ironically, it’s tree-kangaroos themselves which contribute to tourism numbers and visitors to the Atherton Tablelands.
Peter said “many” have been killed recently by passing cars, which he said often travel through the area at speeds. He said “poor visibility” results in the animals regularly being struck by “traffic, that increasingly includes large trucks”.
“We are currently working with councillors from the Tablelands Regional Council (TRC) to have the speed limit reduced at that site,” he said. “Our proposal includes signage and speed limit reductions. Local councillors are assisting with this, [but] there is often reluctance, especially from Queensland Transport and Main Roads staff (TMR) to reduce upper speed limits until someone gets killed. TRC staff are often reluctant to support speed reductions also.”
Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo are near-threatened in Australia. Source: Getty
Peter said “we’ve already got signage out at roadkill hotspots”, but the issue, he argued, is that “social culture seems to support people driving at maximum speed always”. “Even in such a tourism hotspot as the Atherton Tablelands,” he said.
Dr Karen Coombes, director, chair and founder at Tree Roo Rescue, said there’d been a spike in road collisions in recent months. She said she’d heard of as many as four killed in recent months by cars.
“There has been … high numbers of road kills all over the Atherton tablelands,” she warned. “We are very hairy [at] this time of year — there have been [multiple] road kills at Malanda falls over the past six months [alone].”
Peter said most road kills are “young males dispersing from their natal forest” but, still “a few females are also being hit, many with joeys in their pouch or at foot”. He said, it’s not all bad news however, insisting the animals are capable of surviving when left alone from human interference.
“The good news is that they’re capable of adapting to relatively small isolated patches of suitable forest and many such patches remain on grazing properties across their former range,” he said. “Most farmers are happy to have these wonderful animals on their land and as long as farm dogs leave them alone — they are likely to survive.”
Tree-kangaroos are vulnerable to habitat loss, being struck by cars and attacks from domestic pets. Source: Getty
He suggested imposing “better conditions on land developers and land owners”, increasing “connectivity between isolated patches of remnant forest” so the animals can better disperse without having to cross roads, reduce speed limits across the Tablelands and “impose much better protection of all forest areas”.
“Ensure better signage and information about vulnerable mammal species across the Tablelands [is available too],” he added.
Online, almost 200 people responded to the latest image of a dead tree-kangaroo. One woman urged others join her in the “fight” to “have the speed limit reduced for that section”. Another claimed to have witnessed the truck that killed the tree-kangaroo. A third claimed to have “never seen a live one” after “being around here for nearly three years”. Many others shared their heartbreak at the sight.
Council refutes conservationist’s criticisms
Mark Vis, General Manager Infrastructure and Environment at the Tablelands Regional Council said like “many of the species in our region”, tree-kangaroos suffer from habitat loss and fragmentation. While he agreed many “are injured and killed by car strikes” and attacks from domestic animals, he hit back at claims council was unwilling to implemented speed reductions.
“We refute this statement from wildlife groups,” he told Yahoo News. “We respect and value the wildlife in our area and appreciate having the opportunity to contribute to their protection. We recently worked with local groups and the Queensland government to install wildlife advisory road surface and roadside signs in a high wildlife area.
In some parts of Papua New Guinea, the animals are listed as critically endangered.
“The Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) is the lead agency for the conservation and management of native wildlife. We work closely with the department across various programs and support their endeavours for protecting wildlife in our region.
“In addition to supporting DETSI with wildlife conservation and working with TMR on roadside/road surface signs, we provide locally sourced trees for wildlife plantings and environmental grants to community organisations. We are continuously looking at opportunities to improve wildlife safety through various methods, including but not limited to new and innovative signs.”
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