Meet Kofi, a Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo at Sydney Zoo

If you think kangaroos live only on the vast, open Australian outback, we have news for you. There are arboreal kangaroos too. Meet Kofi, a Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroo from Sydney Zoo. Photo- WILDLIFE Sydney Zoo

Kofi, shown here and other Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroos are one of 14 tree kangaroo species that have completely adapted to living an arboreal life, high in the canopies of Australia’s rainforests. They differ from the Red Kangaroo, the largest kangaroo, mammal and marsupial that is found across Australia’s scrublands, deserts and grasslands and is a terrestrial species. Photo- WILDLIFE Sydney Zoo

Tree kangaroos have adapted to life in the trees. They have shorter limbs, sharp claws and can move their back legs independently. Kofi was born and raised at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria state. Three-year-old Kofi has now lived at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, a wildlife park near Syney’s central business district, for one year. He has been trained by keepers to respond to commands. Here, he is seen with his keeper, Renee Howell. Photo- WILDLIFE Sydney Zoo

Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroos can also leap up to 18 metres. They are herbivores and sadly, due to hunting and rapid habitat loss, their numbers are dwindling. Here, Kofi interacts with Renee. Photo- WILDLIFE Sydney Zoo

International breeding programmes are in place to protect and grow the population of tree kangaroos including Kofi’s species. As for Kofi, he will now be ‘station trained’, which means he’ll then be able to take part in interactions with visitors to the zoo. Here, he looks at the camera. Photo- WILDLIFE Sydney Zoo