Coming home tonight saw that possum again. As luck would have it, I also had my camera. Some people regard possums as pests (especially Kiwis, but that’s another story) as they can wreak havoc to peoples gardens in suburban areas, but under Australian law they are protected due to them being native Australian fauna. Anyway, this one seemed quite happy to pose for a photo. Even the flash didn’t faze him.

I believe this is a brushtail possum, one of the most common types in Australia. Their numbers are kept in check by snakes I’m told, in particular the carpet python which happens to be one of the non-venomous Australian snakes as it’s a constrictor. 

For the second time since I’ve been here, I’ve come home after dark and seen a possum scrambling up the tree outside the house. This time it stopped and stared at me for several seconds before climbing the tree. Pity I didn’t have the camera. By the time I’d have fetched it it would have been out of sight anyway. Next time I hope to have the camera on me…