Scientists made breakthrough in study of Australia's rarest animals

By Alimat Aliyeva

Australian scientists from James Cook University have made a breakthrough in the study of Bennett’s tree kangaroos, one of the rarest and most elusive marsupials in Australia.

Bennett's arboreal kangaroos live high in the treetops of tropical forests and rarely descend to the ground, making them incredibly difficult to study. Out of the 14 species of tree kangaroos, 12 are classified as endangered due to threats like deforestation and climate change. Traditional methods, such as ground surveys, often fail to detect these animals due to their arboreal lifestyle and dense forest habitats.

In a pioneering effort, the team employed drones equipped with thermal cameras to survey the forest canopy from the air. This innovative approach enabled them to detect the kangaroos even when hidden beneath dense foliage. Remarkably, the researchers were able to spot six individual kangaroos in under an hour, a result that would have been

The scientists also discovered new information about the kangaroos' diet. In the wild, Bennett’s tree kangaroos feed actively on lianas and leaves, including vines from the species Decalobanthus peltatus and Tetracera daemeliana. This insight could help in understanding their ecological role and the types of habitats they rely on.

According to the researchers, the successful use of drones with thermal imaging could become an invaluable tool in monitoring and conserving rare and endangered species. This technology has the potential to revolutionize wildlife conservation efforts, providing a non-invasive and efficient way to study elusive animals without disrupting their natural habitats.

It opens the door to studying other hard-to-reach species, not just in Australia but around the world, giving scientists new ways to assess the health and populations of rare species that were previously difficult to monitor. This breakthrough could be a game-changer in the ongoing battle to preserve biodiversity in the face of global environmental challenges.