Life Sciences Commons^™

Behavioral Observations Surrounding A Diet Change Of Zoo-Housed Matschie's Tree Kangaroos (Dendrolagus Matschiei), Sarah Miller, Noah T. Dunham, Diana Koester

Intersections Fall 2020

The diet of zoo-housed animals has significant implications to many aspects of each species' health and survival. A recent study revealed the diet of free-ranging Matschie's tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus matschiei) to be mostly browse-focused, including plants like leaves, ferns, and orchids. Prior to those findings, zoo-housed tree kangaroos were fed diets, mostly biscuit-based, that differ vastly from that of free-ranging tree kangaroos possibly contributing to widespread issues within zoos concerning obesity and low reproductive success. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (CMZ) houses two Matschie tree kangaroos which, in 2019, underwent a significant diet change from a more traditional, baseline, biscuit-heavy diet …