Common Brushtail Possum

## Description

The common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula, from the Greek for "furry tailed" and the Latin for "little fox", previously in the genus Phalangista ) is a nocturnal, semiarboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, native to Australia and naturalised in New Zealand, and the second-largest of the possums.

Like most possums, the common brushtail possum is nocturnal. It is mainly a folivore, but has been known to eat small mammals such as rats. In most Australian habitats, eucalyptus leaves are a significant part of the diet, but rarely the sole item eaten. Its tail is prehensile and naked on its lower underside. The four colour variations are silver-grey, brown, black, and gold.

It is the Australian marsupial most often seen by city dwellers, as it is one of few that thrive in cities and a wide range of natural and human-modified environments. Around human habitations, common brushtails are inventive and determined foragers with a liking for fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and kitchen raids.

The common brushtail possum was introduced to New Zealand in the 1850s to establish a fur industry, but in the mild subtropical climate of New Zealand, and with few to no natural predators, it thrived to the extent that it became a major agricultural and conservation pest.

## Appearance

The Common brushtail possum is one of the most commonly seen possums in Sydney, where this animal occurs in urban areas, fearlessly associating with humans. The bushy tail of the animal has a prehensile tip and a naked patch on the underside, which allows the possum to easily grasp tree branches. Front feet possess rather sharp claws. Each of the hind feet has an opposable and clawless first toe, providing a good grip. The second and third toes are webbed, equipped with a long and split claw, which is typically used in grooming.

## Distribution

This possum is widely distributed across Australia, Tasmania, and many offshore islands such as Barrow Island and Kangaroo Island. The animal is also introduced and fairly common in New Zealand. The Common brushtail possums occur in a wide variety of habitats such as woodland, dry eucalypt forest, pine plantations, savanna, cultivated areas, rural gardens, suburban and urban areas.

## Behavior

Common brushtail possums are arboreal and solitary animals, marking their home ranges through scent secretions. However, due to a very high number of their populations, they often have overlapping home ranges. In spite of being solitary, Common brushtail possums have been known to display dominance hierarchies with co-dominants of the same sex typically avoiding each other. However, direct aggression among individuals is very rare. These nocturnal animals spend their daytime hours resting in hollow logs or trees, while those in urban areas may rest wherever they feel secure, even in attics of houses. Brushtail possums are highly vocal animals. They interact with conspecifics through a wide variety of calls such as clicks, grunts, hisses, alarm chatters, guttural coughs, or screeching.

## Diet

These possums are mainly herbivores (folivores, frugivores, granivores). They feed upon leaves, shoots, and flowers, supplementing their diet with clovers, seeds, and garden fruits.

## Reproduction

Common brushtail possums exhibit polygynandrous (promiscuous) mating system, in which both males and females have multiple mates. Mating usually depends on location. Thus, in some areas such as northern Australia, they usually breed throughout the year. In other areas, these possums mate with peak periods, occurring in spring, from September to November, and during the autumn months, from March to May. Meanwhile, in some areas of their range, they can give births in both seasons. The gestation period lasts for 16-18 days, yielding a single, tiny baby, which climbs into the pouch of its mother without any help. The baby remains in the pouch for about 4-5 months, after which it is left in the den or may ride on the back of its mother until 7 - 9 months old. Females of this species are ready to mate at 12 months old, while males are mature at 2 years old.

## Population

### Population threats

Presently, the Common brushtail possum suffers from the loss of its natural habitat. The animal is hunted by dingoes, foxes, cats, and dogs. The Common brushtail possum also competes for food and home sites with other possums and animals.

### Population number

According to IUCN, the Common brushtail possum is locally abundant and widespread throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Although this species is currently classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, its numbers are decreasing.

## Fun Facts for Kids

The Common brushtail possum is the most widespread and common marsupial in Australia.

When in trees, this animal is able to move very fast, leaping from branch to branch with agility.

According to studies, these possums spend 10% of their time grooming, 16% feeding, 30% traveling, and as much as 44% sleeping.

The scientific name of this species is ‘Trichosurus vulpecula’, meaning "furry tailed" in Greek and "little fox" in Latin.

The pouch of this possum opens to the front, while that of other Australian marsupials such as koala or bilby, opens to the back.

This animal is insusceptible to many plant toxins. Moreover, the brushtail possum feeds upon the leaves of some trees, which are poisonous to many other animals.

## References

https://animalia.bio/common-brushtail-possum