Western Pygmy Possum (Cercartetus concinnus) lives in eucalyptus forest across Southwest Western Australia. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Western Pygmy Possum
- When frost bites, this tiny marsupial can drop its body temperature to within a single degree of the chilly 12 °C air and sip only 1% of its normal oxygen, essentially turning itself into a living snowflake. During bouts of torpor, which may last for up to seven days at a time, body temperature falls to within 1 °C (1.8 °F) of ambient temperature of 12 °C (54 °F), and oxygen consumption to just 1% of normal levels.
- A single night can turn this nocturnal forager into a marathon runner, covering up to four kilometres in search of nectar. Movements of between 1,000 and 4,000 m (3,300 and 13,100 ft) or more within a single night have also been recorded, possibly reflecting the patchy distribution of food resources within its habitat at different times of the year. Typically moving around 50 m (160 ft) each day.
- A mother can rear a full litter of six tiny joeys because her pouch holds exactly six forward-facing teats, matching the maximum number of embryos she can support at once. The female has a well-developed forward-opening pouch, containing six teats. Females give birth to litters of four to six young. The mother may give birth as little as two days after weaning a previous litter, showing how rapid turnover lets populations bounce back quickly when food is abundant, a crucial advantage in their fluctuating environment.
- Genetic clocks place this possum's split from its eastern cousin about eight million years ago, a timeline that mirrors the late Miocene breakup of its sister species C. nanus. Genetic studies indicate its closest relative is likely the eastern pygmy possum, from which its ancestors diverged around eight million years ago. C. concinnus is thought to have diverged from its sister species, C. nanus, in the late Miocene period. These deep splits highlight a long, independent evolutionary journey.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSouthwest Western Australia
HabitatEucalyptus forest
DietNectar & pollen
About the Western Pygmy Possum
In the moonlit underbrush of Australia's southern forests, the Western Pygmy Possum weaves an intricate dance, its delicate paws barely touching the ground as it darts between the shadows. With eyes aglow like tiny lanterns, this diminutive marsupial navigates its nocturnal realm with an air of quiet purpose, driven by an insatiable hunger for sweet nectar and succulent insects. As it moves, its slender tail streams behind it like a silken banner, leaving a whisper of its presence in the stillness of the night.
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