The scientists working for the Australian Wildlife Conservancy recently found something interesting. In the North Head Sanctuary, they looked in animal nest boxes to see if anything was inside. They found a tiny creature smaller than a pinky finger in one of the boxes. The fact that the animal only weighed 7 grams surprised the scientists.
The eastern pygmy possum is one of the smallest possums in the world. The fact that this baby eastern pygmy possum was found was good news because it showed that the number of possums at the sanctuary was growing. This meant that more of them would be there.
One of the researchers, Dr Viyanna Leo, said, “It’s always a nice surprise to find a mother at home with young ones when we check the nest boxes.” It seems that the eastern pygmy possums seen in the sanctuary are a group that has been brought back. So, finding new babies is a sign that the animals are happy to be breeding and making more of themselves.
The Australian Wildlife Conservancy aims to improve Australia’s ecosystem by bringing back native mammal species to this area. The eastern pygmy possums are mostly nocturnal and don’t come out much during the day. They are very small and don’t show up very often. The researchers can hold the sleepy animals while doing routine checks when it gets cold.
“You can often take them out of their nest boxes and let them sleep in your hand,” Dr Leo said. The eastern pygmy baby will live with his mother in the nest box for a while until he is old enough to live independently. The number of possums is growing daily, which signifies that this little guy will have a good life. Remember to look at the cute pictures of this little creature. His soulful eyes will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.