It can be found in forests and woodlands all along the east coast, and also lives in inland areas along tree-lined rivers and creeks. They are nocturnal animals and are active at night; they usually spend the day sleeping. In the bush, brush-tailed possums feed on leaves, buds, flowers and fruits. They have strong teeth and often use their front paws to hold their food while eating. It is the Australian marsupial most often seen by city-dwellers, as it is one of few that thrives in urban areas, as well as a wide range of natural and human-modified environments.
Around peoples' homes, brush-tail possums are inventive and determined foragers with a liking for fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and kitchen raids. Brush-tailed possums are marsupials, and their young are usually born in May and June after a gestation period of 17 days humans have a gestation period of nine months. The newborn possum finds its way to the mother's pouch and attaches itself to a teat. After feeding and growing for about 5 months in the pouch, the young possum spends another two months clinging to its mother's back as she moves about.
Usually only 1 young is born at a time, and males do not take part in looking after the young. By the time they are 7 months old, the young possums are independent of their mothers. They are fully grown by about 10 months, and the females will usually start to breed for the first time when they reach 12 months of age. Except when breeding, brush-tailed possums tend to lead a solitary life.
They stick to their 'home range', which they mark out by coating tree branches with a scent released from glands on their chests. If 2 possums meet at night they try to avoid each other - fights between adult possums are rare, although they may make threatening noises towards each other. Young possums may be attacked if they try to take over an adult's range. Possums have adapted well to contact with people. However, at times this contact can be noisy and messy - particularly if the possum takes up residence in the roof of your house.
If this happens, the possum can be trapped and removed from the ceiling cavity, provided you first obtain a licence from the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment. You must release your resident possum back onto the area near your property, as it will not survive if relocated to a different area.
In some areas, wildlife rehabilitation groups will help you with this. The best solution is to make friends with local possums. If you encourage a possum to stay around and claim your yard as its territory, other possums will be discouraged from taking up residence.
Although you should not feed your resident possum, you could try building it a special shelter , somewhere safe and away from your roof cavity where it won't be disturbed by dogs or people. Ready-made nesting boxes are also available to purchase online. Search for 'possum box' or 'nest box' in your area. DPIE has a policy on managing possums that cause disturbance to residents and business.
The policy requires people to maintain their properties, including roof and chimney cavities, to prevent possums and other animals such as birds from entering the premises.
Common Ringtail Possums get their name from their long, tapering tail. This possum can grip branches with its tail and even carry nesting material with it. Common Ringtail Possums live along the east coast of Australia and in the south-west corner of Western Australia. In southern Australia, Ringtails build nests called dreys out of sticks, bark and grass. Common Brushtail Possums do not build dreys. They live in tree hollows, nest boxes or roofs. Brushtails get their name from their thick, bushy tail.
As well as in the areas the Ringtail is found, the Brushtail also lives in the centre of Australia and a greater area of south-east South Australia. Many of our possums are dependent on tree hollows.
They need them to sleep in during the daylight hours. Competition from other possums, birds, bats and gliders along with the clearing of many old trees has reduced suitable hollows and possums often move in to the roof or walls of your home.
They are not quiet — if you have a possum in your roof, you will soon know about it! By providing a nest box outside about 4m up in a tree, your backyard can become a better home for possums.
Backyard buddies are the native animals that share our built-up areas, our beaches and waterways, our backyards and our parks. The possum is a backyard buddy. Backyard buddies are also the local people who value the living things around them, like possums, and are willing to protect and encourage them by doing a few simple things around their own homes. They, and Brushtails, also eat flowers, fruits and veggies. In your garden they love to eat roses, gardenias, fuchsias and passionfruit.
Brushtail possums fed by humans may become less capable and adaptable foragers and dependent on humans for food. This puts them at risk if the human feeder goes on holiday or moves away.
The population density of brushtail possums around human food sources may become abnormally increased, which may lead to increased aggression and infection transmission, which may make local brushtail possums sick. Feeding brushtail possums may result in them losing their fear of humans, and as a result make them more vulnerable to abuse by other people. There are plenty of things you can do to assist brushtail possums living in your garden, to encourage their presence without the risk of causing them harm.
Energetics of free-ranging mammals, reptiles and birds. Search Search Wildlife health Feeding wildlife Parasitic diseases, viruses and other threats to wildlife health Parasites and wildlife conservation Glossary Report wildlife with parasitic disease Where to take sick and injured wildlife.
Species Marsupials Birds Reptiles Fishes. Resources Documents to download Media Science Useful links. News articles Newsletter News articles Events.
Feeding brushtail possums. In Australia, it is a protected species. The Australian Museum respects and acknowledges the Gadigal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum stands. Image credit: gadigal yilimung shield made by Uncle Charles Chicka Madden.
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more. Skip to main content Skip to acknowledgement of country Skip to footer A Common Brushtail Possum is pictured hanging upside down on a leaf-less tree branch by its tail and front and back claws.
0コメント