when possums go bump in the night

You’re falling asleep when suddenly, there’s a bump, a thump, and a high-pitched scream. But never fear, if your house makes these noises, you probably don’t have ghosts, but a family of common fur-tailed marsupials. These include “groans, growls, hisses, hisses, clicks and crackles, many of which will not sound like horror movie soundtracks”. Although often associated with dusty habitats and often considered arboreal, these adaptable creatures are also very attractive to human homes.

The biggest hidden housemate?

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Despite being about the same size as domestic cats, these nocturnal marsupials frequently nest in niches in walls and ceilings. In fact, a study of urban Tasmanian marsupials found that 87% of their visits to burrows involved buildings (mostly older homes), while 45% of the visits to burrows were related to buildings. visit to the roof cave. as they run across the ceiling. A Sydney study found that up to 67 per cent of people whose cottages were visited by marsupials heard marsupial activity on or in recesses in the roof, while 58 per cent reported marsupials. pocket lives in these spaces. A young marsupial discovers the pineapple, through its mother. Peter Firminger / Flickr, CC BY

Owned in the city

At the time of their appearance in Europe, common palm-tailed marsupials were abundant throughout mainland Australia and Tasmania. However, intense hunting for the burgeoning fur trade in the 19th and early 20th centuries led to a dramatic decline in marsupial populations. Since the end of hunting, habitat degradation and fragmentation, fires and predatory foxes have put additional pressure on marsupial populations. On the contrary, they seem to be flourishing in our cities. The common palm-tailed marsupial is a territorial creature, sleeping alone during the day in nests in tree holes, rocks or logs. Thickets are often in limited supply in the bush and marsupials will compete for nesting positions, sometimes fighting to the death. In contrast, suburbs offer a lot of potential nesting spaces. In fact, urban marsupials prefer to live in man-made structures, even when hollow trees are available. A single home can be a home for many marsupials to live together, although arguments between roommates can become acrimonious. Abundant food and wide palates mean humans and marsupials were made for each other. Peter Firminger / Flickr, CC BY Another reason palm-tailed marsupials have adapted so successfully to our cities is their generalized diet. Unlike eucalyptus species such as koalas, palm-tailed marsupials eat the leaves, flowers, and fruits of a variety of native and exotic plants, as well as eucalyptus leaves. They also sometimes eat insects and bird eggs. Many gardeners! In a study in eucalyptus forests in northern Queensland, Jane and her colleagues showed that female marsupials with access to the best amount of protein in their home range were more likely to reproduce. more than twice, instead of just once per year. are generally a poor source of protein and this is likely to limit marsupial populations in natural bushland. However, with the abundance of high-quality food sources and the numerous burrows in urban environments, it is not surprising that common brush-tailed marsupials seem to thrive there. .

A marsupial on the roof!

People who share a home with marsupials describe hearing them pacing around in the recesses of the roof. Emma’s research heard people talk about the “beat, thump, thump” of marsupials passing across the ceiling. Others describe being startled awake at dawn to the sounds of knocking and bumping, and feeling that someone is inside the house. Some people admit to thinking their house is haunted, a feeling triggered by noises at night emanating from hidden spaces. Hello, owner. play4smee / Flickr, CC BY-N Many people enjoy living with marsupials, as they feel like it connects them to a time before Australia was urbanized. Some also value a personal relationship with marsupials, becoming familiar with the individuals that live in their gardens – even naming them and showing them to visitors. They complain about the noise and damage marsupials can cause. Damage to ceiling cavities, urine stains and ceiling odors have been reported, and some people have experienced dead marsupials in the ceiling. These rotting corpses can have a strong odor and are extremely difficult to find. This is evidence of the complex relationship we have with the native animals that live in our homes. We love their wildness, but are also challenged by how they make our homes a little less human and a little closer to nature.

Live well with common combed marsupials

Despite the fact that some people have little interest in sharing a home with marsupials, they are still protected under wildlife operations by most states in Australia. While these laws vary, they generally require residents to obtain a permit before trapping or moving a marsupial. Go to the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) for a permit to trap it. The marsupials must be humanely trapped and released back to the site where they were found within 150 meters of where they were captured. Note, however: marsupials that move outside of their home range often die. The OEH suggests that people live with marsupials who share their gardens, explaining that “if you encourage a marsupial around and claim your yard as its territory, then marsupials will not be allowed to occupy the residence”. The OEH also recommends installing nesting boxes in the canopy of trees away from home to prevent marsupials from nesting in roofs and making repairs to seal holes after marsupials are removed. Australia. This means we need to learn to live well together. Are you a researcher with an idea for the “hidden housemates” story? Contact.