Watch this adorable brushtail possum cleaning himself—it's just about the cutest thing I've seen all week. I love everything I'm seeing—including his little pink pointy nose, grabby paws, and enormous ears.
The New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment provides some information about brushtailed possums, the most "abundant, widely distributed and frequently encountered of all Australian marsupials." They go on to describe the cute creatures:
Brush-tailed possums are about as big as domestic cats and have a pointed snout, pink nose, long whiskers and large ears. They also have sharp claws, which they use to climb trees and comb their fur.
Brush-tailed possums vary considerably in size and colour. In Tasmania, they tend to be black or grey and have adapted to the cold climate by becoming much larger and furrier than brush-tailed possums on the mainland. In Queensland, however, the animals are more copper-coloured and tend to be smaller than elsewhere.
The brush-tailed possum is the most widely distributed possum in Australia. It can be found in forests and woodlands all along the east coast and also lives in inland areas along tree-lined rivers and creeks. Possums are nocturnal animals and are active at night; they usually spend the day sleeping.
Raisin lives at the Kangaloola Wildlife Shelter in Yackandandah, Victoria, Australia. The shelter, which operates a 24/7 emergency rescue service, has taken in injured, sick, and orphaned Australian wildlife for more than 30 years. After rehabilitating the animals, they are released into the wild (whenever possible). The shelter's website provides more information about the shelter:
Kangaloola Wildlife Shelter was started by Glenda Elliott (and her husband Ron) more than 30 years ago. Glenda and Ron have put everything they own into the shelter and property over the years. Kangaloola provides a 24 x 7 x 365 rescue service and handles 250-350 animals per annum. . .
Kangaloola Wildlife Shelter services a large area of North East Victoria. We are a registered charity and not for profit association. Kangaloola is one of the largest wildlife shelters in Victoria.
To see more of their rescued animals, check out their website or their Instagram or Facebook sites.
