Western Pygmy Possum: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Australian Mammals · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. Its pygmy possum cousins are grey, but this one wears bright cinnamon fur on top and a pure white belly.
2. Its tongue can reach 12 mm, huge for an animal weighing just 8 to 18 g. It uses it to lap up nectar and pollen from flowers.
3. To save energy in the cold, it goes into a deep rest called torpor, curled on its front with its ears folded over its eyes.
4. A bout of torpor usually lasts up to seven days, but the record is 11 days. During it, the possum uses just 1% of its normal oxygen.
5. Most nights it moves only about 50 m. But some have been tracked covering 1,000 to 4,000 m in a single night to find flowers.

The quiz

1. What colour is most of the western pygmy possum's fur?

• Grey
• Bright cinnamon (correct)
• Black
• Striped green

Unlike its grey relatives, it is bright cinnamon above with a white belly.

2. How long can its tongue be?

• 1 mm
• 5 cm
• 3 cm
• 12 mm (correct)

Its tongue reaches up to 12 mm, very large for its size.

3. How does it usually lie during torpor?

• Hanging upside down by its tail
• Standing on its back legs
• On its front, ears folded over its eyes (correct)
• On its back with paws in the air

It rests on its front with ears over its eyes and tail coiled underneath.

4. What is the longest torpor bout recorded for this possum?

• 11 days (correct)
• 2 hours
• 6 months
• 1 year

Bouts usually last up to seven days, and the record is 11 days.

5. How far has one been recorded travelling in a single night?

• Up to 5 m
• 1,000 to 4,000 m (correct)
• Exactly 50 m, never more
• 100 km

Most nights are short trips, but journeys of 1,000 to 4,000 m in one night have been recorded.

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