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More About Possums ...
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A possum is any of about 25 small to medium-sized arboreal marsupials native to Australia. The name derives from their resemblance to the opossums of the Americas and, unlike most names applied to Australian fauna in the early years of European colonisation, happens to be accurate: the opossums of America are distant relatives. (The name is from Algonquian wapathemwa, not Greek or Latin, so the plural is possums, not *possa.).
Possums are small marsupials with brown or grey fur, ranging in size from the length of a finger (pygmy possums and sugar gliders), to the length of a forearm (brushtails and ringtails). All possums are nocturnal and omnivorous, hiding in a nest in a hollow tree during the day and coming out during the night to forage for food. They fill much the same role in the Australian ecosystem that squirrels fill in the northern hemisphere and are broadly similar in appearance.
The two most common species of possums are also among the largest. The Common Brushtail and Common Ringtail possums are both frequently found in urban areas, often being considered pests because of their habit of eating fruit, vegetables, flowers and tender young shoots from gardens, and nesting in roofs.
To those unfamiliar with it, the very loud hissing, crackling territorial call of the male Common Brushtail has a nightmare quality. Since it is illegal to kill a possum in Australia, it is advised that the best way to deal with invading possums is to block off entrances to the roof at night while they are out foraging, and to either trap and remove them or to install a possum nesting box to give them an alternate home.
Possums can also be a lot of fun to have as guests. They keep the distance of wild animals while visiting in the evening for a piece of bread or a carrot. Their fur is amazing and their social behaviour is very interesting to watch.
The Common Brushtail and Common Ringtail possums were introduced to New Zealand by Europeans in an attempt to establish a fur industry. They quickly escaped into the wild and the Brushtail in particular has become established in great numbers: around 60 million individuals. There have been numerous attempts to eradicate them because of the damage they do to native trees and wildlife. For New Zealand, possums have been almost as much of an ecological disaster as rabbits have been in Australia.
Although the Common Brushtail and (to a lesser extent) Ringtail possums have adapted well to European settlement, many of the lesser-known species are reduced in number, threatened, or endangered.
About two-thirds of Australian marsupials (magnorder Australidelphia) belong to the order Diprotodontia, which is split into two suborders: the Vombatiformes (wombats and the Koala, 4 species in total); and the large and diverse Phalangerida. This suborder contains about 80 species in 9 families. The 25 different possums account for 6 of those 9 families, the remaining three families contain the solitary Musky Rat Kangaroo, the potoroos and bettongs (10 species) and the kangaroos and wallabies (about 45 species).
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Source: Wikipedia Read more about Possums
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INFO LINKS
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Western Pygmy-possum
Westernwildlife.com
Appearance, breeding, feeding and conservation information. "The Northern Quoll is a beautiful but deadly creature. A close cousin of the Chuditch". Read More
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Opossum
National Geographic
Opossum fact sheet and pictures; audio clip Read More
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Leadbeater's Possum
Unique Australian Animals
Categorized information on Leadbeater's Possum including description, habitat, feeding, etc. Has nice pictures, too. Read More
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Pygmy Possum
Unique Australian Animals
Categorized information on Pygmy Possum including description, habitat, feeding, etc. Has nice pictures, too. "The Pygmy Possum is a Marsupial
Being Nocturnal the Pygmy Possum rests by day in a spherical nest of shredded bark in a small tree -hole or und Read More
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Brushtail Possum
Perth Zoo
Narrative on Brushtail Possum. "Once widely distributed through most of Australia, the Brushtail Possum has largely disappeared from the dry interior". Read More
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Brushtail Possum
Tasmania - Dept. of Primary Industries, Water, and Environment
Brief description of Brushtail possum Read More
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Common Ringtail Possum
Tasmania - Dept. of Primary Industries, Water, and Environment
Brief description of Common ringtail possum Read More
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Eastern Pygmy Possum
Tasmania - Dept. of Primary Industries, Water, and Environment
Brief description of Eastern pygmy possum Read More
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Little Pygmy Possum
Tasmania - Dept. of Primary Industries, Water, and Environment
Brief description of Little pygmy possum Read More
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