Jim Thomas first heard about the possible extinction of the tenkile tree kangaroo while he was working as a zookeeper in Melbourne, Australia. When the opportunity arose for Jim to move to Papua New Guinea (PNG)—where the tenkile lives—to run a new conservation organization devoted to saving the rare animal, he jumped at the chance.
Jim soon realized that saving the tenkile was as much about working with the people of New Guinea as it was about working with animals. Local people used to hunt tree kangaroos but signed an agreement saying they would no longer kill the endangered animals. That agreement meant that a new source of food needed to be found. The Tenkile Conservation Alliance, Jim’s organization, introduced rabbit farming, chicken farming, and fish farming to the area.
Jim works alongside his wife Jean, who moved to PNG with him. Their work has had an impact on the health and welfare of more than 10,000 people and has also enabled the Tenkile population to grow from just 100 to more than 300.
Jean and Jim were named the Australian Geographic Conservationists of the Year in 2013 and are the subject of an upcoming documentary called Into the Jungle.
Learn more about the Tenkile Conservation Alliance.