Dingiso
Encyclopedia
The Dingiso also known as Bondegezou (Dendrolagus mbaiso), is a species of tree-kangaroo
native and endemic
to Western New Guinea
of Indonesia
, where it lives in alpine forest
s in the Sudirman Range
at elevations of 3250 to 4200 m, just below the tree line.
It was first filmed for the BBC documentary South Pacific
in 2009 after 11 days searching with local Moni tribesmen.
; it has a white belly, and a black head, back and limbs. Unlike other tree kangaroos, it spends little time in the trees.
The species epithet, mbaiso, means "the forbidden animal" in Moni. It remains common in the west because of the protection conferred on it by the Moni people. For many Moni
, it is an ancestor which must never be harmed.
The Dingiso was formally described to science in 1995 by Australian Museum
zoologist Tim Flannery
, Indonesian zoologist Boeadi and Australian anthropologist Alexandra Szalay.
Tree-kangaroo
Tree-kangaroos are macropods adapted for life in trees. They are found in the rainforests of New Guinea, far northeastern Queensland, and nearby islands. Although most are found in mountainous areas, several species also occur in lowlands, such as the aptly named Lowlands Tree-kangaroo...
native and endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to Western New Guinea
Western New Guinea
West Papua informally refers to the Indonesian western half of the island of New Guinea and other smaller islands to its west. The region is officially administered as two provinces: Papua and West Papua. The eastern half of New Guinea is Papua New Guinea.The population of approximately 3 million...
of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, where it lives in alpine forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s in the Sudirman Range
Sudirman Range
The Sudirman Range or Dugunduguoo or Nassau Range is a mountain range in Papua province, Indonesia.Located at , it comprises a western portion of the Maoke Mountains. The highest peak in Oceania and Australasia, Puncak Jaya , is located here, as well as the large Grasberg copper and gold mine,...
at elevations of 3250 to 4200 m, just below the tree line.
It was first filmed for the BBC documentary South Pacific
South Pacific (TV series)
South Pacific is a British nature documentary series from the BBC Natural History Unit, which began airing on BBC Two on 10 May 2009. The six-part series surveys the natural history of the islands of the South Pacific region, including many of the coral atolls and New Zealand. It was filmed...
in 2009 after 11 days searching with local Moni tribesmen.
Description
The Dingiso has a distinctive pattern of black and white furFur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
; it has a white belly, and a black head, back and limbs. Unlike other tree kangaroos, it spends little time in the trees.
The species epithet, mbaiso, means "the forbidden animal" in Moni. It remains common in the west because of the protection conferred on it by the Moni people. For many Moni
Moni (people)
The Moni are an indigenous people of Western New Guinea. They speak the Moni language. They revere a large black and white whistling tree kangaroo called a bondegzeu as an ancestor. The bondegzeu was unknown to the scientific community until the zoologist Tim Flannery described it in 1995....
, it is an ancestor which must never be harmed.
The Dingiso was formally described to science in 1995 by Australian Museum
Australian Museum
The Australian Museum is the oldest museum in Australia, with an international reputation in the fields of natural history and anthropology. It features collections of vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, as well as mineralogy, palaeontology, and anthropology...
zoologist Tim Flannery
Tim Flannery
Timothy Fridtjof Flannery is an Australian mammalogist, palaeontologist, environmentalist and global warming activist....
, Indonesian zoologist Boeadi and Australian anthropologist Alexandra Szalay.
External links
- Dingiso from Tree Kangaroos: A Curious Natural History
- Dingiso at Tenkile Conservation Alliance