Possums

Possums: A Marsupial Blueprint for Adaptability

Possums belong to the suborder Phalangeriformes within the order Diprotodontia, which also includes kangaroos, wombats, and koalas. What makes possums so distinctive is their arboreal lifestyle. Most possums are skilled climbers, equipped with strong prehensile tails, grasping hands and feet, and sharp claws.  They are primarily nocturnal and spend the day tucked into tree hollows or dense foliage, emerging at night to forage.  There are over 70 species of possums, and they range widely in size, habitat, and behavior.  Most are omnivores, feeding on fruit, leaves, flowers, nectar, insects, and small animals.  Their varied diet helps them thrive in both wild and urban environments.  While their appearance can be misleadingly cute—with large eyes and twitching noses—possums are intelligent, curious, and fiercely resourceful.  Their ability to adapt has allowed them to coexist with humans in cities, gardens, and national parks alike.  Possums play a number of ecological roles.  They help pollinate plants by transferring pollen as they feed on nectar and flowers.  They also help control insect populations and disperse seeds, contributing to forest regeneration.  Their nesting habits, which often involve taking over tree hollows, also influence the competition for cavities among birds and other mammals.

The Brushtail Possum: The Urban Acrobat

One of the most familiar and widespread possums in Australia is the common brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula.  Easily recognized by its thick, bushy tail, silver-gray fur, and curious demeanor, the brushtail possum has become a household name, especially in suburban areas where it often takes up residence in attics, garages, and garden sheds.  Originally forest dwellers, brushtail possums have successfully adapted to urban life.  Their omnivorous diet and nesting flexibility have allowed them to live alongside people, often leading to both amusement and frustration.  While they’re known for loud nighttime calls and the occasional raid on fruit trees or compost bins, brushtail possums also charm many residents with their antics and bold behavior.

In the wild, brushtails prefer eucalyptus forests, where they feed on leaves, fruits, bark, and small animals.  They are territorial and communicate with a variety of growls, hisses, and grunts. Each individual maintains a home range that it marks with scent glands located on its chest.  Despite their resilience, brushtail possums face threats in rural areas due to habitat clearing, vehicle strikes, and predation by foxes and cats.  In New Zealand, where they were introduced in the 19th century for the fur trade, they have become an invasive pest, severely impacting native bird populations and vegetation.

The Ringtail Possum: The Social Spinner

In contrast to the solitary brushtail, the common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) is a more social and cooperative species. Smaller and more delicately built than its brushtail cousin, the ringtail is named for its long, curled tail, which it uses like a fifth limb to grip branches and carry nesting materials.  Ringtail possums are herbivores, feeding primarily on eucalyptus leaves, as well as flowers and fruits.  Unlike brushtails, they produce a special kind of feces during the day that they re-ingest at night to extract additional nutrients—an adaptation similar to that seen in rabbits.  They live in groups, often consisting of a monogamous pair and their offspring, and they sleep in communal nests made from leaves and twigs, called dreys.  These possums are active and nimble climbers, often seen leaping between branches with their tails coiled for balance.  Their wide range across eastern and southern Australia, including in urban parks and gardens, makes them relatively familiar to city dwellers who spot them during nighttime walks or hear the soft rustling of leaves overhead.  Ringtail possums are also important pollinators.  As they move through flowering plants, their fur collects and spreads pollen, supporting the reproduction of native flora.  In addition to this ecological role, their social behavior and strong family bonds offer a fascinating glimpse into the complexity of marsupial life.

The Sugar Glider: A Marsupial with Wings

One of the most enchanting members of the possum family is the sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps), a tiny, wide-eyed marsupial with a patagium—a skin membrane that stretches between its limbs and allows it to glide effortlessly from tree to tree.  Sugar gliders are true aerial acrobats, capable of gliding distances of over 150 feet through the forest canopy.  Sugar gliders are nocturnal and social, often living in small family groups.  Their diet is diverse and seasonally adapted, consisting of insects, sap, nectar, and fruit.  They use their keen sense of smell and excellent night vision to locate food and navigate the treetops. When gliding, they use their tails as rudders to steer and land with precision.

Their natural range includes forests across northern and eastern Australia and New Guinea.  They are particularly dependent on mature forests with plenty of large trees and hollows for nesting.  The loss of these habitats due to logging or land clearing poses a threat to their survival in some areas.  Though incredibly charismatic and increasingly popular in the exotic pet trade, sugar gliders are wild animals with complex needs.  Conservation efforts focus on preserving their native habitat and educating the public about the importance of protecting natural gliding corridors.  In the wild, their presence adds a magical dimension to the nighttime forest, a living reminder that flight isn’t limited to birds and bats.

The Greater Glider: Silent Giants of the Night

At the opposite end of the size scale from the sugar glider is the greater glider (Petauroides volans), Australia’s largest gliding marsupial.  With thick, woolly fur and an impressive wingspan enabled by its large patagium, the greater glider glides silently through the treetops, often mistaken for a ghostly shadow.  Greater gliders are strict folivores, feeding almost exclusively on eucalyptus leaves.  They are solitary and spend much of their time resting in tree hollows during the day.  Their home ranges depend on the availability of suitable trees and food sources, and their movement is graceful but deliberate, conserving energy for gliding and feeding.  These animals are more sensitive to environmental disturbances than some of their relatives.  Logging, bushfires, and habitat fragmentation have significantly reduced their numbers in some regions, particularly in southeastern Australia.  Despite their elusive nature, greater gliders are vital indicators of forest health, and their presence often signifies a mature, intact ecosystem.  Efforts to conserve greater gliders include protecting old-growth forests, establishing wildlife corridors, and minimizing disturbance in key habitats.  Their graceful glides, often witnessed only by those who seek them out, add to the rich tapestry of Australia’s nocturnal wildlife.

The Striped Possum: A Clawed and Curious Oddity

Less well known but equally remarkable is the striped possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata), found in the rainforests of northern Queensland and New Guinea.  This possum stands out with its striking black-and-white fur pattern and oversized fourth finger, which it uses to tap on wood and extract insects, much like a miniature marsupial woodpecker.  Striped possums are insectivorous and highly active, using their sensitive ears and long fingers to hunt for beetle larvae, ants, and termites hidden in logs and branches.  They also feed on sap and fruit, making them both predators and pollinators in their rainforest homes.

These possums are less frequently observed due to their elusive habits and dense, remote habitat.  They live alone or in pairs, using tree hollows as shelters.  When disturbed, they can emit a strong, musky odor—an effective deterrent against predators.  While not currently considered threatened, striped possums face pressures from deforestation and climate change, which impact the delicate rainforest systems they depend on.  Their rarity and unusual feeding methods make them a favorite subject for researchers and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

The Ecological Value and Future of Possums

Across their many forms and habitats, possums contribute greatly to the ecological balance of their environments.  They pollinate plants, disperse seeds, regulate insect populations, and provide prey for predators like owls, pythons, and quolls.  Their reliance on tree hollows highlights the importance of preserving mature forests and dead trees, which often contain the cavities crucial for possum nesting and shelter.

Possums also serve as an important link between natural ecosystems and human communities.  Their adaptability has led them into backyards, rooftops, and public parks, where they offer everyday Australians a tangible connection to native wildlife.  While this proximity sometimes creates friction, it also fosters awareness, appreciation, and the motivation to protect natural habitats.  Conservation concerns vary by species.  Some possums, like the common brushtail, are stable or thriving in urban areas.  Others, like the greater glider or northern populations of sugar gliders, face habitat loss and declining numbers.  Addressing these challenges requires a combination of protected area management, public education, and sustainable land use practices.

A Nighttime Invitation to Discover Possums

Possums represent one of the most diverse and dynamic groups within Australia’s marsupial world.  From the loud footsteps of a brushtail on a corrugated roof to the silent sail of a glider through a moonlit canopy, they animate the nighttime landscape with curiosity, intelligence, and grace.  Their adaptability, wide range of behaviors, and ecological importance make them endlessly fascinating subjects for study and observation. Whether you’re watching a ringtail mother tuck her joey into a leafy drey, or catching a rare glimpse of a striped possum tapping along a tree trunk, possums reward those who look a little closer, and listen a little longer.  This is your invitation to explore further.  Each species of possum has its own story, its own mystery, and its own place in the web of life.  Step into the shadows, peer into the treetops, and discover a world of movement, mischief, and marsupial mastery just beyond the edge of day.