Tiny Pygmy Possums, Feared Wiped Out By Bushfires, Found In Australia

Thomas Nelson
December 15, 2020
Animals, Nature, News
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The rediscovery of tiny pygmy possums in southern Australia gives conservationists hope that the tiny marsupial avoided extinction at the hands of 2020’s severe bushfire season. Fires in Australia destroyed 200,000 hectares of habitat vital for countless species, including the pygmy possum.

Tiny pygmy possums found

The tiny pygmy possum, Latin name C. lepidus, was already rare and difficult to find before 2020’s bushfires, having only ever been observed 113 times officially. Finding that some pygmy possums survived is encouraging news for Pat Hodgens, who works for the Kangaroo Island Land for Wildlife NGO.

“The summer bushfires burnt through much of [the] habitat that species had, but we were certainly hopeful that we would find them,” Hodgens told ABC News Australia.

He added: “It’s very important now because it is kind of like the last refuge for a lot of these species that really rely on very old long, unburned vegetation.”

The NGO surveyed a total of 20 sites in mid-November and found 200 animals from more than 20 species, some of which are endangered. Pygmy possums were found alongside bush-tailed possums, eastern banjo frogs, and southern brown bandicoots.

There are five species of pygmy possums found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. Tiny pygmy possums have a limited territorial range, living only in Tasmania and parts of Victoria, Australia. Prior to 2020’s bushfire season, they were considered to be of least concern by the IUCN redlist. Their name is fitting as adult pygmy possums weigh approximately 7 grams.

2020-21 bushfire season

Experts believe that the 2020-21 bushfire season in Australia will not be as severe as the 2019-20 season, which is good news for Australia’s wildlife. However, some parts of Queensland and North West Australia are experiencing “above normal” fire potential.

During the 2019-2020 bushfire season, at least 25 people perished and the massive Gospers Mountain fire set the record for the largest bushfire in Australia.