Eastern Pygmy Possum

Description:

Eastern pygmy possums are very small, weighing from 15 to 43 grams (0.53 to 1.5 oz) and having a body length of between 7 and 9 centimetres (2.8 and 3.5 in) with a 8 to 11 centimetres (3.1 to 4.3 in) tail. They are dull grey above and white below, with big, forward pointing, almost hairless, ears and a long prehensile tail, with thick fur at the base that becomes sparser towards the tip. They have long whiskers, and a narrow ring of dark fur around each eye.

Habitat:

They inhabit shrubby vegetation in a wide variety of habitats, from open heathland or shrubland to sclerophyll or rain forest, at elevations from sea level to 1,800 metres (5,900 ft). Despite this apparent diversity of habitats, their distribution is patchy, and they are usually low in number where they are found

Notes:

At certain times of the year, presumably in response to food shortages, low temperatures, or a combination of both, pigmy possums seek out a secure shelter and lower their body temperatures, roll up into a ball and enter torpor. We were very lucky to find this guy hiding in an old bag of board games in a cattleman's hut. We took him outside to take a few pics before returning him to the dark hut.