A guest for dinner

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The photos were all taken by Vince. It’s a brushtail possum that visited our camp at Dryandra in Western Australia. Australia’s possums are quite unlike the American opossum. There are two species – the brushtail (Trichosurus vulpecula) and the ringtail (Pseudocheirus peregrinus). The brushtail weighs around 1.2–4.5 kg (2.6–9.9 lb) and is the marsupial which would be most seen by city-dwellers as it has adapted well to human habitation. It was introduced into New Zealand in the 1850s but with few predators and a mild climate, it’s now a major agricultural and conservation pest. It’s nocturnal and omnivorous although it eats mostly leaves and vegetable matter. The prehensile tail is bare towards the end. The thick woolly coat was favoured by indigenous people for its warmth. The coat is lighter on the ventral surfaces and there is a scent gland on the chest, the secretions from which are used to make its territory. The area around the scent gland is often stained red. And something I didn't know - in Tasmania, possum meat is served in some restaurants. The one in the photo was keen to have a wine before eating.