Sydney Wildlife WorldNovember 12, 2009
Sydney Wildlife World’s two rare golden brushtail possums are proud to announce the birth of their first joey, Foster. The male and female pair arrived at the Wildlife World earlier this year and keepers are thrilled that they’ve already had breeding success.
They’re one of Australia’s largest arboreal (tree-dwelling) marsupial herbivores and are simply spectacular, with a bright coat of dazzling gold. They are hypomelanistic; meaning they have little melanin in their skin, in fact the only place they have it is in their eyes which is why these animals have black eyes as opposed to true albino animals; who have pink eyes.
When Foster was born he was only the size of a jellybean, he spent four months growing inside the pouch and at around four months of age first started peering outside. Now at six months he has outgrown mums pouch and spends most of his time on her back.
Sydney Wildlife World’s Nocturnal keeper, Kate Blount, says “Foster is a real card, already getting up to mischief and exploring the exhibit as fast as his little legs will carry him. We’re very proud of this birth. It’s testament to our animals well being. Once a juvenile, Foster will become part of a wider breeding program to help ensure the survival and raise awareness of these incredible animals.” Did you know? • Brushtails are the size of a domestic cat with a pointed face, long oval ears, pink nose and bushy tail • The Tasmanian Brushtail has three main colour variations; silver grey, black and gold • Pure golden possums are the result of a genetic mutation and are rarely seen in the wild because they are conspicuous to predators • Their natural and preferred habitat is forest, where they nest in tree hollow • They feed mainly on leaves of trees and shrubs and enjoy succulent herbs, grasses and garden plants; they occasionally scavenge meat • The brushtail possum communicates by sound and scent; ferocious screeches and guttural growls are used • They have a hand-like back foot for grasping and a strong flexible tail for curling around branches • Like many of our native animals human and domestic animals threaten this species
With school holidays just around the corner now is a great time to start planning a trip to Sydney to see Foster, the Possum joey at Sydney Wildlife World in Darling Harbour, plus all the other fantatstic attractions that Sydney has to offer. If you need accommodation for your stay then Metro Hotels has two apartment properties ideally located directly opposite Sydney Wildlife World and Darling Harbour. Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour and Metro Apartments on King offer ideal family accommodation right in the heart of the city and close to all major attractions. To book your accommodation contact Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour and Metro Apartments on King directly. For more information on seeing Foster and all the other animals at Sydney Wildlife World contact them directly on 02 8251 7884.
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