Mammals · Diprotodontia · Tarsipedidae

Honey Possum

Tarsipes rostratus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The honey possum, or noolbenger, is a tiny marsupial and unique in the world: it is the only non-flying mammal that feeds exclusively on nectar and pollen. It lives in the heathland of south-western Australia, where it depends on the staggered flowering of banksias, dryandras and other proteas throughout the year. It has an elongated snout, a tongue with a brush-like tip and teeth reduced to pegs, because it has no need to chew.

Weight

7 g – 16 g

Size

6.5 cm – 9 cm

Lifespan

2 years

Diet

Nectarivore

Feeds mainly on flower nectar.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

DesertGrasslandNectarivore Nocturnal Solitary Desert Grassland Mammal

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Fun facts

alimentaciónIt lives almost entirely on nectar and pollen, one of the few non-flying mammals that works as a specialised pollinator.
It is the only land mammal in the world that lives exclusively on nectar and pollen: it does not even take insects as a supplement.
It has the longest sperm known of any mammal, at some 0.36 millimetres, longer than those of a blue whale.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Coastal heath and protea scrub of south-western Western Australia
Sexual maturity: 5.5 months
Gestation / incubation: 42 days
Litter / clutch size: 3

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarsipes_rostratus