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Brush-tailed Possum

Country New South Wales, Australia.

Featured in Wildlife Appeal and Rural NSW

Brush-tailed possums are marsupials, and their young are usually born in May and June after a gestation period of 17 days. The newborn possum finds its way to the mother’s pouch and attaches itself to a teat.

After feeding and growing for about five months in the pouch, the young possum spends another two months clinging to its mother’s back as she moves about. Usually only one young is born at a time, and males do not take part in looking after the young.

By the time they are seven months old, the young possums are independent of their mothers. They are fully grown by about 10 months, and the females will usually start to breed for the first time when they reach 12 months of age.

The brush-tailed possum is the most widely distributed possum in Australia. It can be found in forests and woodlands all along the east coast, and also lives in inland areas along tree-lined rivers and creeks. A nocturnal animal, it is active at night and usually spends the day sleeping.

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