The Australian Possum is perhaps the best known type of possum in the world. This species also exists in New Guinea and Sulawesi as a native species and it has been artificially introduced in New Zealand and China. Possum.com provides you with interesting Australian Possum Facts, and interesting info about these animals. Read on Possum.com more about the Australian Possum and the Australian Possum Facts.
The Australian Possum is any of the 70 arboreal marsupials that can be seen in any of the before mentioned countries. They are small to medium in size and are often confused with opossums (The marsupials that commonly live in South America). The Australian Possum is however a quadruped marsupial with long tails. The largest Australian Possum can reach the weight of 7 kg and it is the Baer Cuscus. The Australian Possum is a nocturnal animal that spends at least some part of its time in trees. This species usually lives in a vegetative habitat, but it has adapted very well to urban settings. It is interesting to note some Australian Possum Facts according to which some species of these animals are omnivores and herbivores.
The most common species of Australian Possum is the brushtail tail possum. These animals have been known to live in Australia since the time when the aboriginal Australians were still populating the country. They have played an important role in the culture and folklore of the country and they have been used by the aboriginal Australians in playing a game called Marn Grook. Moreover, anthropologists revealed that the indigenous inhabitants of Australia used the skin of the possum as clothing items.
The possum does not longer live only in their natural habitat, but they are now commonly seen in urban areas which makes encounters with humans much more frequent than some would desire. When they reach human establishments, the possums are seen as pests since they eat the fruits, vegetables and basically everything that can be edible in a household. Moreover, they tend to nest in roofs and that is in many cases disturbing for the people. The possum is however protected by Australian laws and deterring it with violence or baiting it is prohibited by regulations. However, people use natural deterrents such as garlic to keep them away from their properties. Yet, if one of these animals is captured it must be released within a very short period of time.
To conclude, the Australian Possum is a small to medium sized marsupial that is often seen in people’s properties and which are however protected by preservation laws. Among the many species of possums, the common brushtail possum is the most commonly seen and the best adapted to urban environments.