About. An emerging threat is the reduction in the possum's key food source over spring, the Bogong Moth. The pygmy possums are a family of small possums that together form the marsupial family Burramyidae. The first discovery of this species was from fossils discovered in 1895 – believed extinct; it wasn’t until 1966 that a living mountain pygmy possum was found, at a ski lodge in Victoria, Australia. pygmy possums includes 2 children: Burramys (Mountain Pygmy Possums) Cercartetus (pygmy possums) see more cc-by-3.0 What is EOL? The EOL Forum; The mountain pygmy possum is the largest of the pygmy possums, and the only Australian mammal restricted to alpine habitat. Its tail is … It is also the only Australian mammal adapted to live exclusively in the alpine zone. Threats to pygmy possums. Pygmy Possums (Burramyidae) There are five species of pygmy possums in Australia, which all live in the southern and eastern parts of the country. Pygmy possum species include the Eastern, Western, Little, Long-tailed and Mountain Pygmy Possums. If the pygmy possum was able to live at lower altitudes, it would have migrated there naturally, he said. Mountain Pygmy Possums don’t live in trees, these rocks are home, fields of boulders packed with Bogong Moths - the possum’s main source of food. Climate change, the loss of habitat and predators, mainly feral cats and foxes, are all severe threats to the Mountain Pygmy-possum. Feral cats, foxes and dogs have increased this predation pressure. Pygmy possums live to approximately five years in the wild. Female mountain pygmy possums can live for up to 12 years, while males have a lifespan closer to just five years. They eat nectar and insects, and are known to torpor (in some species even hibernate) during winter due to cold weather and shortage of food. What's New? Mountain pygmy possums have been observed running over the backs of one another without disturbing each other. Known occurrences, collected specimens and observations of pygmy possums. The Mountain Pygmy Possum is the only marsupial in the world known to store food and hibernate for extended periods. Home Blogs Creatura Blog The western pygmy possum is the cutest Australian animal. Many possum species live in Australia (other species are notable in Papua New Guinea, Sulawesi, New Zealand, and China), and so the types of possums that will be discussed in this section are those found in this geographical location. Owls, Tasmanian Devils, dingoes, quolls, goannas and snakes all eat pygmy possums. Despite of being excellent climbers, these possums are primarily terrestrial, spending most of their time on the ground, as opposed to most possums. ... Like all pygmy possums, the western pygmy possum is great at entering mini hibernating periods called torpor. Four of the species are endemic to Australia, with one species also co-occurring in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. ... her topics celebrate how alien yet relatable so many of the creatures that live amongst us can be. By using the correct lifting and carrying technique or by the use of mechanical aids where accessible, you can reduce the risk of …