New Zealand Possum
By Dwyllis
9 Nov, 2011
10 likes
I have been enjoying the pics of the grey squirrels, so thought I would put up a pic of our NZ equivalent ... the possum. Very cute to look at, but those claws are super-sharp & it is a very destructive critter. Sadly, as it has no natural predators, it has multiplied to the extent that it is a very real threat to our native bird population, some of which are already close to extinction ... it will kill our lovely flightless native kiwi, which is an NZ icon, & many others. So it is considered to be a pest & as such, it is hunted or poisoned by the thousands .... the fur is incredibly soft & is now used in the production of winter clothing, as also very warm to wear .... possum fur is even knitted up into jerseys & is way more expensive than even the finest merino wool. It is sad when the balance of nature gets out of kiltre, causing human interference.
Comments on this photo
Think I would sooner have the squirrels Dwyllis,them possums look quite nasty to me,how big are they Dwyllis & do they bite ?
9 Nov, 2011
can you eat possum?
9 Nov, 2011
I`m sure you could make a tasty treat out of one sticki ha!ha!
9 Nov, 2011
just thought it might help the problem??!!
9 Nov, 2011
Not sure about eating possum, as I'm a vegetarian LOL. I haven't ever seen it on a menu anywhere, or in a supermarket. Kev ... they can be very nasty when threatened. Size-wise, they would be around the same as a medium-sized cat, or perhaps a little smaller, when fully grown. They mainly live in the bush, or the countryside, up trees, but will come into private gardens sometimes. Occasionally, people will find a very young one & will keep it as a pet, though I don't know anyone who has done that. The rare albino possum is quite lovely.
9 Nov, 2011
There really strange Dwyllis,to me there something you would expect to see at halloween or on a supernatural movie,I think there heads look a bit like a bat.
Thanks for info Dwyllis.
9 Nov, 2011
Poor possum lol. In NZ they are considered to be 'The Enemy' & the Govt is out to totally eradicate them .... but then I suspect if they ever became an endangered species due to all the hunting & poisoning of them, there will be a big outcry to save them. I personally don't have anything against them. A lot of them end up dead on the road, as they don't move very quickly. I remember when I was living in England over a decade ago, that people were saying the grey squirrel is a pest & was killing off all the lovely red squirrels. Nature really is about 'survival of the fitest' isn't it?
9 Nov, 2011
Are they nocturnal, Dwyllis?
14 Nov, 2011
Yes David, they are nocturnal. I sometimes see them scampering across the road when I come off duty at 11pm & am driving home.
15 Nov, 2011
Many Thanks for the reply, Dwyllis. Had seen Possums in the USA during a holiday, and always after dark, and same in Australia. Coincidentally, I am often walking down to my work carpark about that time, and get to enjoy Badgers foraging around. Still to get some pics, though. :-)
18 Nov, 2011
How amazing to see badgers in the wild, David. That must be just the biggest thrill ... or would be for me. I have only seen photos of them.
23 Nov, 2011
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30 Dec, 2011
I wonder how soon we'll be seeing our clothes made of possum fur!
9 Nov, 2011