Thermal drones are highly effective for detecting elusive Bennett's tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus bennettianus) in Australia's tropical rainforests

Abstract

Tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus spp.) are poorly studied owing to their elusive arboreal nature, which makes detection difficult using traditional methods such as spotlighting and hand-held thermal cameras. This note documents the first successful detection of Bennett's tree kangaroos (D. bennettianus) using thermal drones in tropical rainforest at Cape Tribulation, Australia. In less than an hour, six individuals were observed across 17 ha. The method proved minimally invasive and highly effective in rainforest environments despite dense vegetation and high temperatures, demonstrating both the unexpected abundance of this species and the utility of thermal drones for monitoring tropical arboreal fauna.