Short-eared Brush-tailed Possum (Trichosurus caninus) lives in eastern Australian forests across Eastern Australia. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
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Fascinating facts about the Short-eared Brush-tailed Possum
Females reach sexual maturity at about 2 years, but if they breed that early their young often die. The species has a short gestation of 15-17 days, after which the joey spends 5-6 months in the pouch, then 2-5 months suckling before weaning at 7-11 months. This extended maternal care, lasting up to three years before the young disperse, underpins the possum's low reproductive rate of one offspring per year.
Predators such as carpet pythons, dingoes and spotted-tailed quolls hunt short-eared possums, which escape by climbing or even swimming when needed. Their excellent night-time hearing and sense of smell, while scent glands on the chin, sternum and anal area mark territories and signal mates. These defenses and chemical communications maintain solitary, territorial lives.
Short-eared possums can live up to 17 years in the wild, with the oldest recorded female reaching that age while the longest-lived male made it to 12 years. This longevity, far beyond the average wild lifespan of about 7 years.
Adults measure 740-920 mm from nose to tail tip, weighing between 2.5 and 4.5 kg, with a stocky build and thick grey fur. Their tail is almost as long as the body and mostly furred except for the terminal end.
Short-eared possums are primarily nocturnal herbivores and frugivores, but they also eat insects, fungi, bark and buds. They forage on the ground among fallen logs and low shrubs, yet spend most of their day resting in tree hollows.
Sources
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In the misty veil of dawn, the short-eared brush-tailed possum stirs, its large, round eyes blinking like lanterns in the darkness as it embarks on its nocturnal foray. With a lithe, arboreal grace, it navigates the tangled canopy, its prehensile tail a counterbalance to its every move, a testament to its adaptability in the dense, dripping forests it calls home. As it pads silently through the underbrush, its soft, woolly fur a muted testament to its unassuming yet resilient nature, this unobtrusive marsupial weaves a quiet spell of wonder.
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