Cuscus and brush-tailed possum
Cuscuses and brush-tailed possums are medium-sized marsupials native to the forests of Australia and New Zealand, primarily belonging to the family Phalangeridae. These nocturnal animals are adept climbers, equipped with prehensile tails that allow them to hang upside down, and large, bulging eyes that enhance their night vision. Cuscuses typically measure between 22 to 50 inches in length, with long tails, while the common brushtail possum is about the size of a cat, measuring 1 to 2 feet long. Their diets mainly consist of leaves, fruits, and occasionally small invertebrates, which can lead them to be seen as pests in suburban gardens.
While some species, like the common brushtail possum, are abundant and can even be considered nuisances in certain areas, others, such as the black-spotted cuscus, are critically endangered due to hunting and habitat loss. The reproductive cycle involves a short gestation period of 16 to 18 days, after which females care for their young in pouches for several months. These marsupials can live up to 17 years, although life expectancy varies by species, highlighting the diversity within this group. Understanding their ecological roles and conservation status is crucial given their varying populations and the threats they face.
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Cuscus and brush-tailed possum
Cuscuses and brush-tailed possums are about the size of large cats and live mostly in trees. They are excellent climbers and have tails for hanging upside down. Their large, bulging eyes help them to see at night.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Phalangeridae
Genus: Various (see below)
Species: Various (see below)
The cuscuses, brush-tailed possums, and their relatives comprise the family Phalangeridae. These marsupials are nocturnal (night-active) animals that live in Australia's and New Zealand's forest habitats. They also nest in hollow logs, water-bank burrows, and under house roof overhangs in suburbs. Their diet consists of leaves, fruits, bark, and occasionally eggs and small invertebrates (animals without skeletons). They may eat plant leaves, grass, and clover. Some have even chosen rose buds from gardens and, for this reason, are hunted by gardeners.
Cuscuses are tree-dwelling marsupials that vary in size from 22 to 50 inches (55 to 125 centimeters) and have long prehensile tails between 12 and 20 inches (30 and 50 centimeters). Some of the largest, the black-spotted cuscus (Spilocuscus rufoniger), weigh 13 to 15 pounds (6 to 7 kilograms). The common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), is cat-sized at 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 centimeters) long with tails measuring between 9 1/2 and 16 inches (24 and 40 centimeters). Females weigh between three and eight pounds (up to 3 1/2 kilograms) and males up to 11 pounds (up to five kilograms). Both animals have prehensile tails that can wrap around branches so they can hang upside down. Both also have sharp claws for climbing well.
Some species in this family are endangered while others are nearly overpopulated. The common brushtail possum and its relatives the northern brush-tailed possum (Trichosurus arnhemensis) and the mountain brush-tailed possum (Trichosurus caninus) are abundantly populated in Australia. In some areas, they are pests. The scaly-tailed possum (Wyulda squamicaudata) is protected in its northern Australian habitat and listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as near threatened. The IUCN lists the black-spotted cuscus as critically endangered, mostly because of hunting.
Gestation (duration of pregnancy) in both is 16 to 18 days, after which the female gives birth to a single young which she raises in her pouch for four to five months.
The life span is 13 to 17 years for cuscuses and brush-tailed possums, though this varies between species.
Bibliography
Myers, Phil. "Phalangeridae." Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Phalangeridae. Accessed 5 Apr. 2024.
"Zoology - Phalangeridae (Brushtail Possums, Cuscuses)." PBS, nhpbs.org/kn/vs/scilab6fa4hadiprotodontia9.asp. Accessed 5 Apr. 2024.