MOUNTAIN PYGMY-POSSUM



This is a picture of the mountain pygmy-possum. Scientific name: Burramys parvus.






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Introduction

Habitat

Behavioral Adaptations

Functional Adaptations

Structural Adaptations

General Information

Picture Of Possums

Bibliography

Acknowledgements


Introduction:

My animal is the Mountain Pygmy-possum, scientific name is Burramys parvus.
It can be found in alpine and subalpine regions in Victoria and New South Wales. It has Dense fine fur and a long thin scaly tail with short hairs.


This shows the distribution of the mountain pygmy possum.


Habitat:

The total extent of the mountain pygmy-possum habitat is less than 10 square kilometers and the total population may be no more than 2600 adults. So the population is rapidly
decreasing.
The habitat has to have a accumulation of boulders, which have formed below mountain peaks and in gullies.


Behavioral Adaptations:

Because the Pygmy-Possum lives at high altitudes the weather can become extremely cold, with heavy snowfalls. Due to this the Pygmy-Possum will roll into a ball when food gets scarce or the temperatures get cold. It will then hibernate. Adult females enter hibernation as early a February at Mount Higgenbotham but as late as April in New South Wales. Younger males are active for an extra one or two months.
The hibernation lasts for up to seven months in adults and five to six months in younger possums.


Functional Adaptations:

The young are born between late October and early November (in Victoria and up to a month later in New South Wales), this is just after snow melt. The time that the young are conceived and then given birth is about 13-16 days. A good functional adaptation is that the young grow extremely fast due to the short alpine summers. Meaning they don't have long before it starts to get cold or food starts to get scarce. They will live in the pouch for around 30 days, then there is a nestling period of 30-35 days, meaning during those 30-35 days they are still to young to leave and become independent. Then they go off and breed in the following spring. They will reach their full adult weight by the end of their second summer.
During hibernation the possums body temperature will stay at about 2 degrees Celsius for about 20 day periods, in between these periods the body temperature will reach normal temperature for about a whole or less than one day.


Structural Adaptations:

None of Note!!!!!! (or that I could find)


General Information:

The mountain Pygmy - possum is the only Australian mammal that only lives in alpine and subalpine areas, where it snows continuously for around six months. This is the only marsupial know to undergo such long periods of hibernation.
The Bogong Moth (Agrotis infusa) is its main food in Victoria.
They have been around for 12+ years, that is the longest lived small mammal known. Attempt have been made to help the possums travel across alpine plains in Kosciusko National Park with greater safety. Three underground crossings are being made. This is due to a joint venture between the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Tunnels very similar to these have been successfully made in Victoria, where a Pygmy Possum 'tunnel of love' was constructed to aid the access of the males to the females at MT Hotham ski resort. Two tunnels are also operating successfully at MT Blue Cow.





A dodgy picture of Mountain Pygmy-Possums.


Bibliography:



Acknowledgements:

I would like to thank http:\\www.nre.vic.gov.au/plntanml/native/actstats/content/as02.htm for the use of their pictures!


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