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Short-eared Possum

Trichosurus caninus

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-28.2297, 153.185

Field Notes

Description:

This cute little possum was found at night outside our tent at Binna Burra in the Lamington National Park, Queensland. The narrow tail, colour and location indicate it is a short-eared possum.

Habitat:

Subtropical rainforest

Notes:

Unfortunately that's my only shot.
http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Mammals/C…
More info on this species on this spotting:
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/44002200

Reference Links:

Trichosurus caninus (Mountain Brushtail Possum, Short-eared Brushtail Possum)

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (26)
AliceGreenup
Daniele i spotted another guy tonight & this one is much more similar in colour to yours than my other spotting. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/43973112
DanielePralong
Thanks for checking it out Alice! As you may have seen from text and comments this is the way I was leaning... I will edit it to Short-eared possum, Trichosurus caninus, and link to your for more info.
AliceGreenup
Daniele i would say this guy is the same as mine (Trichosurus caninus), despite the colour difference. For one common brush tails around QLD tend to be a copper colour (although i haven't seen any photos of pure black ones at all), also the ears of the common B.tail are very long and pointed. Another way to tell is the tail. The tail of the common b.tail doesn't taper at the end as it appears to with both yours and my possums, rather it's very bushy all the way to the end. The Short-eared possum like it's cousin the mountain brush tail can display a range of colours. If you google image common brushtail possums the face in general appears very different. As you know from the info i posted on my spotting being north of Sydney that would make this guy a short-eared possum as oppose to a mountain brushtail possum.
DanielePralong
Thank you everyone! I'll be camping at the same spot at the end of the month, and I can only hope for another encounter :-)
injica
Such a sweet creature :)
Olivia Chee
Nice shot! Looks like it got caught with its hand in the cookie jar...
Hans.New
a special sweet one. Nice shot.
rivu.ghorai
whatever it is, one thing is sure, it is very adorable...
DanielePralong
He has some squirrel manners about himself doesn't he LauraMaria? I hear you about the short ears, hence my suggestion about the short-ear mountain possum above... but I also hear lori.tas about the common brushtail still fitting the picture. Short of him volunteering a DNA sample at the time we'll never know!
LauraMaria
Sooo adorable, Daniele! His tiny little hand paws, and that adorable face... What a cutie! I wonder if his ears are too big to be a common brushtail? Although that is based on me just googling both suggestions for about 5 minutes so I don't think it's worth much! I like ratcatsquirrel too ;)
DanielePralong
Thanks a lot for you input lori! We'll leave it with the 2 possible IDS. On the other hand I like auntnance123's ratcatsquirrel!
auntnance123
Ratcatsquirrel? All I know is that it's a very nice picture.
lori.tas
Given it's location it could be either the Common brushtail or the Short-ear brushtail. I see a lot of narrow tails on young Brushtails (and this one appears young), so that can't be the deciding factor. And color really varies, so that's not much help. Sorry I can't be more help.
DanielePralong
I've narrowed it down to a short-ear mountain possum: http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Mammals/Common+mammals+of+south-east+Queensland/Marsupials/Short-eared+Mountain+Possum Description + narrow distribution do match. Other opinions still welcome!
DanielePralong
Agree on the cuteness factor Elsa! I guess it's the tail that puzzles me. I'll go and have a look at those pictures! It he's arboreal he obiouvly came to the ground attracted by some leftovers on the campsite.
Elsa
Well I'm definately not a possum expert - whatever it turns out to be it is very cute! Try to google 'black possum' in google images though - loads of images of a similar animal comes up!
DanielePralong
Thanks Elsa! I doubt that this is a common brushtail possum. The common brushtail's tail is thicker. They are also mostly arboreal and this guy was found hopping on the ground. I could be wrong though! Let's see if somebody else voices out an opinion.
Elsa
Sorry, meant common brushtail possum! :)
Elsa
That picture is so cute, and got me super curious to find out what it is! I think it might actually be a black possum (check this link http://www.arkive.org/common-brushtail-possum/trichosurus-vulpecula/image-G39931.html)

Spotted for Missions

Mission
2011 Best Wildlife Photo
Mission
Wilds of South-East Queensland
Mission
Queensland's Nocturnal Wildlife

Tags

Photographed
PublishedMay 28, 2011

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