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Dedicated to Keeping New Zealand Cleaner and Greener!
Possum Facts and Figures
There are over 70 million unwanted possums in New Zealand today. That's almost 20 possums per person!
The further south in NZ, the colder - and the thicker and browner the possum fur
North Island Possum - Grey South Island Possum - Brown
Imported from Australia in 1837 for the fur trade, possums have NO natural predators in NZ (Snakes etc) - neither are our trees designed to 'repel' them through poison leaves or barbed branches as they are in Australia.
Possums
are Marsupials (they carry their young in a pouch). The 'joeys' are born
prematurely and therefore must spend the next four months in th
e mother's pouch.
Possums are nocturnal - sleeping during the day in dry holes or places, and
spending the night awake - mostly eating our native vegetation! They live for
five to six years. Male possums are called Jacks, and females are called Jills.
A group of possums is called a Passel.
The possum is perhaps best known for faking death as a means of defence when attacked - 'playing possum'. They are capable of falling over on their side, mouth open in a death-like grin with saliva running out, from which state they cannot be roused until the danger is passed.
Possums are a national pest, and destroying our native vegetation and wild life, they carry disease and need to be controlled humanely - not through slow poisoning with 1080 or cyanide!
Each and every night in
NZ - 70 million possums chomp their way through about 20,000 tonnes of
vegetation - that's equal to about the same weight as 190 million Big Macs!
In one night 20 possums will eat 6 kilograms of vegetation
In one week 20 possums will eat 42 kilograms of vegetation
In one month 20 possums will eat 180 kilograms of vegetation
In one year 20 possums will eat over two tonnes of vegetation
In New Zealand it is punishable by law to keep a possum as a pet! In Australia, it is punishable by law to kill one!Links: