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Pseudocheirus pereginus
The common ringtail possum weighs between 550 and 1100 g. It has grey fur with white patches behind the eyes and usually a cream coloured belly. It has a long prehensile tail which normally displays a distinctive white tip over 25% of its length. The back feet are syndactyl which helps it to climb. The molar teeth of the ringtail possum is similar to that of the koala and the greater glider with the four major cusps being shaped into crescentic blades.
Ringtail possums are found along the eastern coastline of Australia, Tasmania, and the south-western corner of western Australia. They generally live in temperature and tropical environments and are rare in drier areas. Ringtail possums prefer forests of dense brush. The common ringtail possum and its relatives occupy a range of niches in a matter similar of lemurs, monkeys, squirrels, and bushbabies in similar forests on other continents.
Seen during the day, disturbed by noisy miners.
Spotted on Jan 25, 2012
Submitted on Jan 25, 2012
33 Comments (1–25)
As am i! I'm also amazed that i got some good shots, as it was the first day i got my camera and had no idea how to use it. It was all pure luck
I'm still amazed by the colour of this Alice... ours are so plain and grey.
Thanks a lot Derrick!
Nice shot!
Those noisy miners certainly create mischief.
Thanks, yeah it's gorgeous! I'd never had the chance to photograph one during the day before this and never after. Really was all just luck & a little help from those noisy miners!
Wow! Unlike any possum i've ever seen. They are so much more amazing in the daytime, you can really see its colours.
Done Christiane!
Please join the "Marsupial of the World" Mission and add this beautiful spotting.
Perhaps the confusion about the ID and colours with this one was due to the fact i didn't specify this as being a common ringtail, as there are a few different types of ringtail.
I know! I was very lucky too, i just happened to hear the noisy miners going off and there he was, good thing i had my camera at the ready because i don't see them during the day very often
You picked the right time for your photos when you got the most sun to show off their color!
Amazing photos! What a beautiful colour!
Thankyou!
Interesante
Thanks!
Really nice picture!
If anyone has any spottings from NSW please consider adding them to this mission http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/8642...
No worries :)
yeah sorry you're right... the base of the tail is just fatter than the ones I'm used to.
Yeah the base was very bushy but thinned out towards the end. I hope so, we've spent many years planting rainforest trees to create a great habitat for these guys!
I agree, it's a ringtail although the base of this one's tail looks brushy. (It's quite a fat possum, looks like it's doing well!!)
No i'm quite certain this is a ring tail as the face and ears of the brush tail are very different. Also although not shown in this picture the end of its tail was thinner, pink and curled.
Ring tailed : http://goo.gl/nsIIP
Brush tailed : http://goo.gl/UD9pk
Their appearance is far too different to get them confused
Lovely spot!
Actually this is a Brush tailed possum. - Trichosurus vulpecula
I was too busy enjoying at the picture to notice the name.