PAPUAAROUND — Kangaroos are closely associated with Australia. However, Indonesia also has kangaroos, but they are different from Australian kangaroos. Kangaroos in Indonesia have the scientific name Dendrolagus pulcherrimus and their habitat is in Papua.
Information about kangaroos in Papua is still rarely published. This is because the kangaroo, also nicknamed the ‘golden coat’, is a rare animal with a very remote habitat in the Torricelli Mountains of Papua New Guinea and the Foja Mountains in Papua.
This animal is named Dingiso. Dingiso is a rare Papuan marsupial. Its population is declining towards the brink of extinction. Dingiso is similar to koalas, but different from those in other countries.
Here are some facts about Dingiso, an Indonesian kangaroo also known as the golden-coated tree kangaroo. Let’s discuss them so that we can get to know this Indonesian animal better.
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1. Dingiso on the Verge of Extinction
Dingiso was introduced to the public relatively young. According to Mongabay, it was discovered in 1990 by Pavel German on Mount Sapau, Torricelli Mountains, Papua New Guinea.
Another opinion was expressed by Tenkile Conservation Alliance, a non-profit wildlife conservation organization in Papua New Guinea. In an interview with IUCN, they said that the golden-coated tree kangaroo was first recognized in the mid-1980s.
Prof. Tim Frannery, a mammal expert from Australia, had made many expeditions to the Torricelli Mountains in the 1980s to collect and describe mammals. He wanted to let the world know that tree kangaroo species (including the golden coat) were on the brink of extinction.
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2. Dingiso is Only Found in Papua
Dingiso is found in only two places in Papua. The first place is in the Torricelli Mountains, in Papua New Guinea. The second place is found in the Foja Mountains in Membramo Regency, West Papua. The Foja Mountains were, until 2005, still considered a mountain range with untouched forests.
12 scientists from the US, Australia and Indonesia conducted an expedition in the Foja Mountains in 2005 and they found a population of Dingiso in the forest. National Geographic documented their journey and published it in 2006.
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3. Same Hand and Foot Length
A distinctive feature that makes Dingiso different from Australian kangaroos is the hands and feet. Australian kangaroos have shorter hands than feet. While Dingiso, the size of the hands and feet are the same length.
They use these body parts to climb and spend most of their lives on the branches and twigs of trees in the forest. Occasionally, the dingiso will descend to the ground to find a drink.
4. Golden Brown in Color on the Back
In general, the Dingiso has fine, predominantly dark brown and light brown fur. On its neck, chest, belly and lower arms, it has a light golden brown color.
The tail is about 80 cm long, and has circles that are light enough in color to look like rings. Although it has a long tail and lives in trees, it does not have the ability to prehensil.
Prehensil is the ability of an animal’s body part to hold an object. If you’ve ever seen a monkey whose tail can hold onto a tree branch, that’s a prehensile tail. While Dingiso, despite its long tail, does not have this ability.
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5. Often Hunted for Food
In 2015, the species Dendrolagus pulcherrimus was classified by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Critically Endangered (CR).
Its population continues to decline in the wild due to forest destruction and human hunting. Inland Papuans catch Dingiso for meat consumption.
Please note, Dingiso can reach a maximum weight of up to 14 kilograms. So it can be estimated that the meat attached to its body can be quite a lot.
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6. Became the Mascot of PON Papua
Last year’s National Sports Week (PON) XX was held in Papua. Various completeness of the event has begun to be made by the organizing committee, such as the main mascot.
They made two mascots, the first is Kangpho and the second is Drawa. Reported by Kominfo, the two mascots were inspired by endangered Papuan animals.
The mascot named Kangpho is based on the golden coat tree kangaroo, while Drawa is a mascot inspired by the bird of paradise.
Both have a tassel on the waist, Governor Lukas Enembe explained, “the tassel on the waist of Drawa and Kangpho is commonly used by women and men which symbolizes the warm welcome and intimacy in the land of Papua,” he explained.
So, now you know the animal called dingiso, right? Gold-coated kangaroos. It turns out that Indonesia has had a real kangaroo all along. Be proud and don’t forget to help preserve this one animal.
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