| Also known as: | Broom's pygmy-possum, burramys, mountain pygmy possum |
|---|---|
| French: | Souris-opossum De Burramys, Souris-opossum Des Montagnes |
| Spanish: | Lirón Marsupial |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Diprotodontia |
| Family | Burramyidae |
| Genus | Burramys (1) |
| Size | Head-body length: 10 - 13 cm (2) Tail length: 13 - 16 cm (2) |
| Weight | 30 - 60 g (2) |
Classified as Critically Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List (1).
The largest of the pygmy-possums, the mountain pygmy-possum was only known from fossil records until it was discovered in the Australian Alps in 1966. This small marsupial has fine dense fur, which is grey on the back and a creamy colour underneath. Males develop a more fawn-orange coat during the breeding season. The tail is prehensile and, at up to 16 centimetres, is longer than the body (2) (3).
Inhabits mountain summits at elevations of between 1,500 and 2,228 metres, where there are rock screes and boulderfields. This species is usually associated with mountain plum-pine (Podocarpus lawrencei) heathland and adjacent alpine communities, and is the only Australian mammal confined to alpine environments (1) (2).
Unlike most possums, the mountain pygmy-possum is mainly terrestrial, although it is also an adept climber. Living at high altitude, the mountain pygmy-possum hibernates
Females occupy overlapping home ranges, whereas most males disperse from the natal range and are more nomadic. Breeding coincides with snow melt and the entry of Bogong moths into the boulderfields, usually during September to November. The female mountain pygmy-possum gives birth to up to eight young, although only four survive to be carried in the pouch. Born at an immature stage of development, after a gestation period of 13 to 16 days, the young make their way to the pouch and attach to one of four teats, leaving the pouch after around three weeks to stay in a nest constructed from grasses and moss. The young are weaned by around nine weeks, but the female normally has only one litter a year due to the need to store up fat for winter hibernation (1) (2) (3) (4). The mountain pygmy-possum can live for as long as 12 years (3) (4).
Due to the restrictions of its habitat requirements, the mountain pygmy-possum has suffered from the development of the ski industry in the Australian Alps. A further threat comes from habitat loss caused by increased temperatures and decreasing snow cover as a result of global warming, while predation by the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cats is also a problem (1) (2) (3) (4). Bushfires in 2003 damaged large areas of habitat (2), and the mountain pygmy-possum’s main prey, the Bogong moth, also faces a number of threats, including pesticide use in its breeding grounds (2) (3). The mountain pygmy-possum occupies just a tiny area, estimated at less than seven square kilometres, and its populations are highly fragmented, putting it at particular risk (1) (4).
The entire range of the mountain pygmy-possum occurs within protected areas, although important parts of these are in ski-resort lease areas. Management plans for the species have been put in place in Victoria and New South Wales, and a national recovery plan is currently being prepared (1). A range of conservation measures have been recommended for this small possum, including protection and restoration of the remaining habitat, population and habitat monitoring, predator control, measures to protect the possums in ski resorts, further research, and captive breeding programmes (1) (3) (4).
To find out more about the mountain pygmy-possum see:
Authenticated (04/03/10) by Dr Linda Broome, Senior Threatened Species Officer, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water, NSW.
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/
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© Dr. Linda Broome
Dr. Linda Broome
Senior Threatened Species Officer
Threatened Species Unit
Southern Directorate
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
PO Box 2115
Queanbayan
NSW
2620
Australia
Tel: +61 (2) 6229 7113
Fax: +61 (2) 6229 7001
linda.broome@environment.nsw.gov.au
http://www.aias.org.au/directory/broome.html
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