Social media is widely considered to be bad for oneâs mental health, at least anecdotally. However, it can have some positive impacts, such as videos of animals chewing food very loudly. What could possibly be better than a closeup of an animalâs snout as it crunches on a carrot?Â
This week, zoos around the United States have been using social media to highlight one particularly cute muncherâtree kangaroos. Ahead of World Tree Kangaroo Day on May 21, conservation organization AZA SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction): Tree Kangaroo of Papua New Guinea is inviting organizations working with tree kangaroos to compete in this yearâs International Tree Kangaroo Crunch-a-Thon.Â
In the aptly-named competition, participants posted videos on Instagram and/or Facebook of their tree kangaroo eating something. The competition categories are Most Likes, Most Views, and Judgesâ Choice, and winners will be announced on May 17, Australian Eastern Standard Time.Â
The organizers even provide crunchy food recommendations: bell peppers, celery, romaine hearts, snap peas, green beans, cucumbers, and zucchiniâwith the caveat that the last two vegetables might not have the best crunch.Â
âIn partnership with the AZA Tree Kangaroo SAFE program, weâre participating in the Tree Roo Crunch-a-Thon to help shine a spotlight on this endangered species,â reads a social media post by Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village featuring three munching, pink-nosed brown and white tree kangaroo. âOur Zoo is home to three Matschieâs tree kangaroos â a species of tree kangaroo native to the cloud forests of Papua New Guinea.â
Tree kangaroos are 14 species in the Dendrolagus genus, the sole arboreal kangaroo group. They are herbivorous marsupials with bushy tails, and usually have long arms and padded back feet. Tree kangaroos live in parts of Australia, Indonesia, and New Guineaâs rainforests. The Golden-mantled tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus pulcherrimus) is among the worldâs most endangered mammals and only lives in a small area of Papua New Guinea.Â
In the words of the Crunch-a-Thon organizers, âlet the crunching begin!âÂ
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