Meet Chester zoo's new resident: Sangria the Goodfellow tree Kangaroo

Chester Zoo have taken in a Goodfellow tree kangaroo for the first time in its history.

Tree kangaroos are on the edge of extinction and only 23 are cared for in European zoos.

Sangria will share its habitat, which is inside the zoo’s East Asian Islands zone, with the UK’s only breed of wallaby the dusky pademelons.

Conservationists at the zoo plan to introduce the kangaroo to a male companion in the hope that the couple will mate.

Sangria was originally born in San Diego zoo before jumping over to Cheshire.

She will play a massive part in the global conservation breeding programme for the species.

The Goodfellow tree kangaroo is native to the rainforests of Papa New Guinea.

The species is currently under threat from hunting and habitat destruction, as a result its population has halved in the last thirty years.

Mike Jordan, Collections Director at Chester Zoo, said:

“These remarkably charismatic and highly interesting animals are teetering on the brink of extinction. Hunting for their meat and body parts, combined with deforestation for wood and timber and coffee and rice plantations, has all severely reduced their range and subsequently their numbers. “

“We really hope that Sangria, in her new home, will help us to create some much needed awareness of the species and its plight in the wild.”

The new tree kangaroo and dusky pademelon habitat will open to visitors to Chester Zoo for the first time today (Thursday 24 May).