Endangered possums find refuge in back gardens in western Australia

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A western ringtail possum resting in a weeping peppermint tree in Busselton, Western Australia

Steven David Miller / naturepl.com

In western Australian residential neighborhoods, critically endangered marsupials have made themselves at home in private gardens. These urban environments act as a much-needed refuge, as their habitats have been reduced by human activity and natural predators.

Western ringtail possums (Pseudocheirus occidentalis) are nocturnal, cat-sized creatures that live in trees and shrubs and eat leaves and fruit. They once ranged over much of south-western Australia, but habitat loss and predation by invasive red foxes have dramatically reduced their range to three …

source: newscientist.com