Tasmanian pygmy possum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tasmanian pygmy possum |
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The Tasmanian pygmy possum (Cercartetus lepidus) is also called the little pygmy possum or tiny pygmy possum. It is the smallest possum in the world! A scientist named Oldfield Thomas first described it in 1888. He realized that a museum animal, thought to be an eastern pygmy possum, was actually a brand new species. The original animal used to describe the species is kept at the Natural History Museum in London.
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What Does the Tasmanian Pygmy Possum Look Like?
Even though it's a marsupial, the Tasmanian pygmy possum looks a lot like a dormouse. It's the smallest of all known possum species. Adult possums are about 6.6 to 7.5 centimeters (2.6 to 3 inches) long from head to body. Their tails are about 6 to 7.2 centimeters (2.4 to 2.8 inches) long. They weigh only 7 to 10 grams (0.25 to 0.35 ounces), which is super light!
Their fur is soft and thick. It's a light brown color over most of their body. The fur fades to a pale gray on their bellies.
Special Features of the Pygmy Possum
The possum has a short snout with long whiskers. Its eyes face forward and have slightly darker fur around them. However, they don't have the clear black rings that other pygmy possums have. Their ears can move and have very little hair.
The tail is prehensile, meaning it can grip things like a hand. The base of the tail is thick with fur. This part can get wider if the possum stores fat there. The rest of the tail is thin and round. It has only a few hairs between many tiny scales.
Where Do Tasmanian Pygmy Possums Live?
The Tasmanian pygmy possum lives all over Tasmania. For a while, people thought they only lived there. But in 1964, a living possum was found on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Since then, more groups of these possums have been found. They live in the Murray-Darling area of South Australia and Victoria.
Scientists think the possums on the mainland and in Tasmania might be different types, or even separate species. They live in sclerophyll forests, mallee areas, and open heathlands.
Pygmy Possum History and Survival
The oldest fossils of this species are from the late Pleistocene era. These old fossils were found on the mainland. The oldest Tasmanian fossils are much newer. Fossils have been found as far away as eastern Victoria and New South Wales. This shows that the species used to live in many more places than it does today.
People worried that the possums on Kangaroo Island might have been lost. This was because of the 2019 bushfires that burned almost half the island. But in late 2020, a conservation group found live pygmy possums. They were found in a survey of forests that had not burned. This was great news for their survival!
How Do Tasmanian Pygmy Possums Behave?
The Tasmanian pygmy possum is a nocturnal animal, meaning it is active at night. It is also arboreal, which means it lives in trees. It mostly lives in shrubs or the undergrowth of forests. Even though it's a good climber, it usually doesn't go into the very high branches of trees. This is probably to stay safe from birds that might try to eat them.
Pygmy possums use strips of bark to build dome-shaped nests. They make these nests in holes in trees or in rotten wood. These possums are solitary animals. This means they live alone and don't share their nests with other possums. The only exception is when a mother has her young.
What Do Tasmanian Pygmy Possums Eat?
Tasmanian pygmy possums are omnivorous. This means they eat both plants and animals. They eat insects, spiders, and small lizards. They also enjoy nectar and pollen, mostly from Banksia and eucalypt trees. They are careful when eating pollen and don't harm the flowers. This might mean they help to pollinate some plants, helping them grow!
Who Are Their Predators?
Some animals that hunt and eat Tasmanian pygmy possums include Tasmanian devils, quolls, kookaburras, masked owls, and tiger snakes.
How Do They Survive Cold Weather?
When the weather gets cold, especially below 6°C (43°F), Tasmanian pygmy possums can go into a special state called torpor. While in torpor, their body temperature drops. Their need for oxygen also falls to just 1% of what it normally is. This helps them save energy when food is scarce or it's too cold.
Tasmanian Pygmy Possum Reproduction and Life Cycle
Tasmanian pygmy possums can breed all year round. However, they might have more babies in spring and summer. The female possum has a well-developed pouch. Inside her pouch, she has four teats. This means she can only have a maximum of four babies at a time.
The young possums stay in the pouch for about 42 days. After that, they might still hold onto their mother's fur and be carried around. They leave the nest to find food and live on their own when they are about 90 days old.
See also
- In Spanish: Póssum pigmeo pequeño para niños
