- For the Western Hemisphere marsupial, see opossum.
A possum is any of about 64 small to medium-sized arboreal marsupial species native to Australia,
New Guinea, and Sulawesi (and introduced to
New Zealand). 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.) Possum is also used in North America as a
diminutive for the Virginia Opossum. The possum's rank odour is due to its large musk
glands located behind each ear.
Possums are small marsupials with brown or grey fur, ranging in size and weight from the length of a finger or 170 grams (6
ounces) (pygmy possums and wrist-winged gliders), to the
length of 120 centimetres (four feet) or 14.5 kilograms (32 pounds) (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, the Common Brushtail and
Common Ringtail, are also among the largest.
Interaction with humans
The animal has been a part of Australian culture and folklore since the original indigenous inhabitants of the country.
Indigenous Australians once used possum hides whilst playing the traditional game
of Marn Grook. Possum-skin cloaks were important
clothing for Aborigines from the south-east, as well as being important clan heirlooms.
In modern times, the phrase "Hello possums!" made famous by satirist Barry Humphries'
character Dame Edna Everage has become a celebrated catchphrase.
Possums are commonly found in suburban areas, where they are often considered pests owing to their habit of eating fruit,
vegetables, flowers and tender young shoots from gardens, and nesting in roofs. The loud hissing, crackling territorial call of
the male Common Brushtail may also be a problem for suburban residents. Natural deterrents which play upon the possum's acute
sense of smell are often employed to discourage them. These include cloves of garlic, camphor or naphthalene. As a native species
in Australia, possums are protected by Australian regulations, even when they reside in urban neighbourhoods, and cannot be
baited. They cannot be killed as pests, and if captured, the regulations stipulate that they must be released within a small
radius of that locality since they are territorial creatures. Preventative measures such as blocking off their access to the roof
spaces or building a possum nesting box for an alternative home are instead recommended.
Although the Common Brushtail and (to a lesser extent) ringtail possums have adapted well to the urban environment, many of
the lesser-known species are reduced in number, threatened, or endangered.
Introduction into New Zealand
The Common Brushtail Possum was introduced to New Zealand by Europeans to establish a fur industry.
They soon escaped into the wild where they have thrived as an invasive species with
great numbers: around 60 million individuals estimated. There are no native predators of the possum in New Zealand. There have
been numerous attempts to eradicate them because of the damage they do to native trees and wildlife, as well as acting as a
carrier of bovine tuberculosis. For New Zealand, the introduction of possums has resulted
in as much of an ecological disaster as the introduction of rabbits has been in
Australia.
Classification
About two-thirds of Australian marsupials belong to the order Diprotodontia, which is split into three suborders: the
Vombatiformes (wombats and the Koala, 4 species in total); the large and diverse Phalangeriformes (the possums
and gliders) and Macropodiformes (kangaroos,
potoroos, wallabies and the Musky Rat-kangaroo).
- Suborder PHALANGERIFORMES: possums, gliders and allies
- Superfamily Phalangeroidea
- Family Burramyidae: pygmy possums
- Family Phalangeridae: brushtail possums and cuscuses
- Subfamily Ailuropinae
- Subfamily Phalangerinae
- Tribe Phalangerini
- Genus Phalanger
- Gebe Cuscus, Phalanger alexandrae
- Mountain Cuscus, Phalanger carmelitae
- Ground Cuscus, Phalanger gymnotis
- Eastern Common Cuscus, Phalanger intercastellanus
- Woodlark Cuscus, Phalanger lullulae
- Blue-eyed Cuscus, Phalanger matabiru
- Telefomin Cuscus, Phalanger matanim
- Southern Common Cuscus, Phalanger mimicus
- Northern Common Cuscus, Phalanger orientalis
- Ornate Cuscus, Phalanger ornatus
- Rothschild's Cuscus, Phalanger rothsschildi
- Silky Cuscus, Phalanger sericeus
- Stein's Cuscus, Phalanger vestitus
- Genus Spilocuscus
- Tribe Trichosurini
- Superfamily Petauroidea
References
See also
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