Common Ringtail Possum

• It is the only possum in which the male takes an active part in raising the young.
• It builds spherical nests called dreys out of bark, leaves and twigs.
• It practises caecotrophy — re-eating its own droppings — to get the most out of the cellulose.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (marsupial mammal)

Habitat & environment

Open and closed forest, coastal scrub and suburban gardens of eastern Australia and Tasmania

Birth weight

0.3 grams

Size at birth

Extremely undeveloped at birth, finishing its development in the pouch over some 15-18 weeks

Sexual maturity

12 months (both sexes)

Gestation / incubation

20-26 days

Litter / clutch size

1 to 4 young per litter (2 most often), though only 2 of as many as 6 embryos find a working teat

Lifespan in captivity

Documented record of up to 10.1 years in captivity

Sources consulted: AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Animal Diversity Web; The Animal Facts; Australian Geographic; Critter Science; Wikipedia (Common ringtail possum); Encyclopedia of Life

Best time: All year round, at night, in woodland and gardens of eastern Australia; it is found with a torch by the reflection of its eyes.