The pygmy possums are a family of small possums that together form the marsupial family Burramyidae. … The mountain pygmy possum is the only mammal restricted to the alpine and sub-alpine areas of mainland Australia. It was thought to be extinct until rediscovered in 1966 at Mt Higginbotham in Victoria.
Is the pygmy possum a mammal?
What type of animal is the pygmy possum?
marsupials Pygmy possums are tree-dwelling marsupials. From head to tail they can be as large as 12cm and, fully grown, as small as 5cm! They weigh between 10g and 50g. They have large eyes, large ears and long whiskers.
Is the mountain pygmy possum a marsupial?
The Mountain Pygmy-possum, Burramys parvus, is a predominantly terrestrial marsupial that has a highly restricted distribution in south-east New South Wales and north-eastern Victoria.
Is a pygmy possum a rodent?
There are five species of tiny marsupials in this family. They are mouse-sized and are found in Australia and New Guinea. The have small, triangular heads; long, prehensile tails, and big round eyes.
What is a pygmy possum related to?
The pygmy possums closely resemble small dormice of the Northern Hemisphere, such as the hazel mouse (Muscardinus avellanarius). Species range in size from 2.3–2.7 in (6–7 cm) and 0.2 oz (7 g) in the smallest species, Cercartetus lepidus, to the largest Burramys parvus with 4.3 in (11 cm) and 1.4 oz (40 g).
What are Numbats related to?
Taxonomy. The numbat genus Myrmecobius is the sole member of the family Myrmecobiidae, one of four families that make up the order Dasyuromorphia, the Australian marsupial carnivores.
What ecosystem do mountain pygmy possums live in?
The Mountain Pygmy-possum lives only in alpine and subalpine areas on the highest mountains of Victoria and NSW. In NSW the entire range is in a 30 km by 8 km area of Kosciuszko National Park between Thredbo and Kerries Ridge, where it occupies less than four square kilometres of habitat.
Is a mountain pygmy possum a herbivore?
Mountain pygmy possums are omnivores. During spring and summer, these animals feed upon protein rich Bogong moths, allowing them to accumulate fat. Their diet includes various insects, seeds as well as fruit of Mountain Plum Pine, Rambling Bramble, Snow Beard-heath and other plants.
Can you have a pygmy possum as a pet?
It's illegal to keep them without a wildlife rehabilitation permit, though, and once they're old enough to survive on their own, healthy possums can, and should, be released. … They're wild animals who don't fare well often in captivity.