Common Ring-tailed Possums have been spotted out and about during the day near Sydney in New South Wales. The possum photographed in Newcastle was 'just sunbaking'; others seen in Sydney during daylight hours were climbing trees. In Waverton and Jannali, residents discovered the remains of Ring-tailed Possums that had been dismembered by predators.
Ring-tailed Possums are usually active at night. During the day they rest in trees, in spherical twig and bark shelters (dreys) that resemble large bird nests. Females give birth in May or early June, usually to two young. The young leave the mother's pouch at about four months of age but she doesn't wean them until they are six months old.
It is possible that the Ring-tailed Possums seen this month were young that had recently left the pouch and were exploring their surroundings. They would be more vulnerable than experienced adults to attack by predators like Powerful Owls. Another explanation is that the possums' shelters were disturbed by land clearance or the recent wind storms.
Sometimes Black Rats are mistaken for Common Ring-tailed Possums, but by the time they have fur and have left the pouch, the possums are much larger than rats. You can find out more about the differences between Black Rats and Ring-tailed Possums by looking at the factsheets about each animal.
September 2003
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