High up in the trees in the tropical rainforests of Australia and New Guinea, extremely rare animals called tree kangaroos spend their days navigating the dense vegetation and snacking on leaves. For some time, these animals largely evaded researchers, as their uniquely rugged home is very hard to access. But recently, Australian animal scientists tried a new tactic, and the results proved spectacular.
“Thermal drones, which detect animals by their body heat, may help to unravel the mysteries of tree kangaroos and guide efforts to protect them,” researcher Emmeline Norris wrote in a piece for The Conservation.
That’s right — scientists are flying drones above the treetops and using them to spot tree kangaroos. Infrared cameras in the drones can easily locate the warm-blooded animals, even when they’re hidden under the leaves.
“Our new findings mark a significant step forward, offering hope for improved conservation of these elusive, near-mythical creatures,” Norris wrote.
Specifically, the researchers found Bennett’s tree kangaroos, agile brown marsupials known for their long tails and amazing ability to leap through the trees. According to Norris, these animals are especially impacted by deforestation and climate change, making this research particularly important.
During the study, detailed in the Journal of the Australian Mammal Society, scientists flew the drones three times. Historically, researchers spent days surveying the animals from the ground, often only catching a single glimpse of one tree kangaroo. But this time, they saw so many more.
“To our surprise, we detected six Bennett’s tree kangaroos in under an hour of flight time — an unprecedented result,” Norris wrote.
Researchers are tentatively hopeful about the outcome.
“Our findings suggest Bennett’s tree kangaroos are thriving in Cape Tribulation’s lowland rainforest,” Norris wrote. “While this is encouraging, further systematic surveys are needed to assess how population density varies with forest type, elevation and other factors.”
Overall, this new method proved a stunning success, and researchers are excited to continue studying these beloved animals.
“Our findings suggest Bennett’s tree kangaroos are thriving in Cape Tribulation’s lowland rainforest,” Norris wrote. “While this is encouraging, further systematic surveys are needed to assess how population density varies with forest type, elevation and other factors.”
Overall, this new method proved a stunning success, and researchers are excited to continue studying these beloved animals.
“For the rare and remarkable Bennett’s tree kangaroo, this technology could make the difference between obscurity and security,” Norris wrote.
