Ring-tailed opossum (SciiFii)

The ring-tailed opossum (Psudeocheirodelphis lemurcauda), also known as the marsupial ring-tailed cat and, inaccurately, the ring-tailed possum and simply as the possum, is a species of opossum that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests, swamps, forests, and open woodlands across North America to help boost biodiversity. The ring-tailed opossum weighs between 550 and 1100 g and is approximately 30–35 cm long when grown (excluding the tail, which is roughly the same length). The ring-tailed opossum is a nocturnal mammal that wakes up at dusk before going back to its shelter at dawn, although it has become diurnal in some areas. It is mainly a folivore, but has been known to eat small mammals such as rats. In most forest habitats of North America, leaves of various tree species are a significant part of the diet, but rarely the sole item eaten. The ring-tailed opossum is highly adapted to arboreal life. It relies on its prehensile tail and rarely descends to the ground. The ring-tailed opossum communicates with soft, high-pitched, and twittering calls. The ring-tailed opossums live a gregarious lifestyle which centres on their communal nests, also called dreys. Ring-tailed opossums build nests from tree branches and occasionally use tree hollows. A communal nest is made up of an adult female and an adult male, their dependant offspring and immature offspring of the previous year. A group of ring-tailed opossums may build several dreys at different sites. Ring-tailed opossums are territorial and will drive away any strange conspecifics from their nests. A group has a strong attachment to their site. In one experiment, in which a group was removed from their territory, it remained uncolonised for the following two years. Ring-tailed opossum nests tend to be more common in low scrub and less common in heavily timbered areas with little under-story. Dreys contribute to the survival of the young when they are no longer carried on their mother's back. The conservation status of the ring-tailed opossum is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the ring-tailed opossum's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii