Only two months into our Australian experience, and our first US visitor, Kate, came to see us! What’s the first thing I convince her to do? To visit a park, at night, to see POSSOMS! I have converted from a Northern Virginian suburb girl to full on Melbournian city girl; it was only right that I finally get to see the most popular Australian city dwelling marsupial, Trichosurus vulpecula, or the Common Brushtailed Possum. I had some small reservations, unbeknownst to Corey and Kate, about what these possums really looked like. Anyone who has seen possums in the US knows that they look nothing short of R.O.U.S. – rats of unusual size. My inner animal enthusiast, however, would not let me pass an opportunity to see animals in the wild.
The sky was pitch black as we stepped onto the path leading into Treasury Park. A few lamps illuminated the path, but most of the lawn was covered in darkness. We quickly spotted two…no five!…maybe even twelve cuddly, bushy tailed creatures dotted across the lawn! I slowly approached one, and without any hesitations, he (or maybe it was a she) came towards me in a very curious “do you have food” type of manner. Kate and I got a little nervous as two possums suddenly let out a hiss, and jumped up on one another in what seemed like a territorial defense move.
“It’s okay, rabies doesn’t exist in Australia,” I stated proudly. “But if one of them thinks you’re a tree, and scratch the heck out of you trying to climb up your leg that’s a whole other story!”
We did not get to stay very long in the park to pet a possum (although an Australian co-workers of mine have told me it is quite safe). Sadly, our visit was cut short by Corey’s commitment to a 10:30pm (8:30am US Eastern time) conference call.
The sky was pitch black as we stepped onto the path leading into Treasury Park. A few lamps illuminated the path, but most of the lawn was covered in darkness. We quickly spotted two…no five!…maybe even twelve cuddly, bushy tailed creatures dotted across the lawn! I slowly approached one, and without any hesitations, he (or maybe it was a she) came towards me in a very curious “do you have food” type of manner. Kate and I got a little nervous as two possums suddenly let out a hiss, and jumped up on one another in what seemed like a territorial defense move.
“It’s okay, rabies doesn’t exist in Australia,” I stated proudly. “But if one of them thinks you’re a tree, and scratch the heck out of you trying to climb up your leg that’s a whole other story!”
We did not get to stay very long in the park to pet a possum (although an Australian co-workers of mine have told me it is quite safe). Sadly, our visit was cut short by Corey’s commitment to a 10:30pm (8:30am US Eastern time) conference call.
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