Comments

Our blog, currently, has had 726 pageviews, and we would like to thank everyone who looks past the term 'vermin' and sees a living, breathing, feeling animal. Your attitude helps! But so far we have only had a few comments. We would really like to know what you think of our blog and our reason for being, or if you have any ideas that could help possums. If you have anything to say, please comment.

Thank you,
Miki Bluethorn

Mutilation of possums

IMPORTANT! LOOK AT THIS BEFORE READING!: Some of the following information is shocking. We recommend that parents read before letting their children see this. If you are a child, please let your parent/s read this before you.:

Today, while we were looking at The Age website, we found an article describing some horrific incidents in which possums have been treated with severe cruelty, for no reason other than being possums. Many people see possums as pests, but that is no good excuse for some of the things we heard about. The article, 'Possum mutilation on the rise: RSPCA', which was written by Alexandra Bolkas, was published on the 17th of October. Possums have been found in the Knox region with no paws or tails, apparantly caused by fishing wire traps, which tear paws and tails off when the possums try to escape. There have also been many possums poisoned with rat poison, and have needed treatment. Rheya Linden, an Animal Active campaigner, said that possums had also been deliberately hurt at Carlton North's Curtain Square park. She said that

       “Over the past two years we've come across possums trapped and burnt alive in wheelie bins and this year we found a possum stabbed to death with the knife left in it.”

All our information came from: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/animals/possum-mutilation-on-rise-rspca-20121017-27pv5.html#ixzz29uHIo3Qv 

If you are interested in the issue then please read the article yourself, as there is other information that was not used in the post.

Sincerely,

Miki Bluethorn

Zoos Victoria's breeding programs

Humans have taken over most of Australia, leaving very little room for native animals like possums. Because of this, both the Mountain Pygmy possum and Leadbeater's possum are in danger of becoming extinct... Twice. Luckily, Zoos Victoria has breeding programs for both of these species at Healesville Sanctuary, to make sure that if they do become extinct in the wild (which is unfortunately quite possible) there will still be hope for them. They have made a commitment to ensuring that no more Victorian vertebrate (with a back-bone) species become extinct, and luckily the Leadbeater's and Mountain pygmy possum are included. If you want to help, you can donate to their breeding programs. Hopefully they are a success! 

Possum shows compassion

We were at the Curtain Square park yesterday, and were talking to our friend Rheya Linden. We were talking about the possums, and were told an amazing story. A few nights ago, when Rheya was visiting the possums, she noticed that one of the possums, who was pregnant, seemed to be keeping a small animal warm. At first she thought that it had given birth, but then she realised that it was a baby magpie! It had been left all alone by it's parents, and the possum had been keeping it warm. She took the little magpie home, and the next day it was reuntied with it's parents at the park. It is important to remember that it's not only humans who can show compassion.

Sincerely,
Miki Bluethorn

Threatened Species Day!

Friday the 7th of September was National Threatened Species Day (here in Australia)! It is on the 7th of September every year because that is the date of the death of the last know Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger). It remembers a very sad day, but is also a reminder to look after our current wildlife, to make sure that future generations still have the amazing, unique animals that we have today. Of course, I'm going to link this to possums. The Mountain Pygmy Possum and Leadbeater's Possum are two beautiful, shy Victorian species that future generations may not be able to see, will not be able to unless we are careful. Threatened Species Day is a good reminder that we are losing animals that not everyone even knows exists. Did you do anything for Threatened Species Day? If you did, or would have liked to, you can leave a coment if you like, someone else might be inspired by your idea, and maybe even try it.

Miki Bluethorn

  

Do you have a dog?

Do you have dogs? Do you take them out for walks in the evening or at night? And do you live near possums? If the answer to all three questions is yes, then please keep this in mind: Dogs can seriously injure possums, and other wildlife as well. If you take your dogs through a park with possums while the possums are awake then please keep them on a leash. This one, simple action can save the lives of native animals.

Lost and found

Eric Wilkinson was 22 years old and the assistant of the curator of fossils at the Melbourne Museum on the 3rd of April 1961. He was on his first field trip when he made an amazing rediscovery: Leadbeater's possum. The possum had been thought to be extinct for 50 years, and now there was photographic evidence that they still existed. Definintely a fantastic descovery.