Bushcare Helps Possum Joeys

CARING FOR OUR CREATURES

Penrith City Council’s Bushcare team have celebrated an exciting first — partnering with a local wildlife carer to return four ringtail possum joeys to the wild.

The possum joeys in their temporary rescue home

Photo courtesy of the PCC Bushcare Team

Separated from their mothers, the possums required hand raising and arrived weighing only 80-90 grams each. They were released in late December 2021 after six months of rehabilitation, at a healthy 400-450 grams. Council’s Bushcare team selected a suitable bushland reserve as the perfect location for their new home.

The bushland reserve provides distance from homes and roads, has plenty of bushy trees for possum movement above the ground and is not home to any Powerful Owls who feed on possums.

Inside a possum drey

Photo courtesy of the PCC Bushcare Team

DID YOU KNOW THAT DURING THE DAY, THE POSSUMS WILL SLEEP IN THEIR SOCCER BALL-SIZED NEST (CALLED A “DREY”) WHICH IS LOCATED SEVERAL METRES HIGH IN DENSE FOLIAGE? SOMETIMES, THERE’LL BE MORE THAN ONE POSSUM INSIDE THE DREY SLEEPING!

Penrith Mayor, Councillor Tricia Hitchin praised the release of the possums into Penrith’s bushland.

“Penrith City Council is grateful to be able to provide a safe new home for the joeys in one of Penrith’s bushland reserves, and our team has done a great job in monitoring the reserve and ensuring it is the right location,” she said.

Moving the possums to a new location also introduces the possibility of the possums mating with other possums with different genetics, resulting in a healthier population.

WANT YOUR OWN UP-CLOSE WILDLIFE ENCOUNTER?

Photo courtesy of PCC Bushcare Team

Join over 200 Bushcare volunteers who work at over 11 different sites throughout Penrith protecting natural bushland. Visit penrith.city/bushland to find out about joining Bushcare today! To keep up to date with the latest animal news subscribe to the Bushcare Bulletin at penrith.city/bushcarebulletin