Striped Possum Habitat

A marsupial, the striped possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata) is found in parts of northeastern Queensland, Australia, and New Guinea. A nocturnal animal, it spends its days sleeping in the lofty canopies of trees in woodlands and rain forests. During the night, the striped possum forages for insects, fruits and honey.

  1. Appearance

    • The striped possum's body is approximately 10 inches in length. The animal's tail is usually slightly longer than the animal's body. It sports long black and white stripes. It has long, slender fingers and toes which help it climb with ease through tree limbs. One finger of each hand appears longer when compared with the rest. It uses the extra long finger to tap on the wood of trees while it looks for the main staple of its diet, wood-boring grubs.

    Sightings

    • This possum can be seen in Australia along trails at the Crater National Park, the Malanda Falls Environmental Park and the Chambers Wildlife Rainforest Lodge, where the animal enjoys living in the curtain fig tree. Spotting the striped possum in its wild habitat can be difficult. Arboreal by nature, the striped possum rarely descends to the ground. It moves rapidly through the trees and is shy. During the day, it blends in with its surroundings in its well-camouflaged nest. The animal's habitat is more widespread in Papua, New Guinea. It enjoys living in lowland regions of vine forests, riparian woodlands and monsoon lands, says the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. It prefers rain forests located below 1,000 feet in elevation.

    Mating and Offspring

    • Mating occurs from February to August in Australia and from January to October in New Guinea. The female gives birth to one to two infants. The babies stay within her pouch until fully furred and old enough to safely cling to her fur. The babies ride on her back while she makes her way through her habitat in search of food. The striped possum emits a unpleasant body odor to discourage potential predators. The possum spends its sleeping hours lounging in a leafy nest it constructs high in a tree.

    Hunting and Lifestyle

    • While tapping on the wood, the striped possum listens closely with its acute hearing for the sound of a wood-boring grub moving within the tree's flesh. When it detects a sound it quickly rips through the tree's bark with its elongated incisor teeth to get the grub. Females and juveniles usually live together in the tree's canopies, but the male appears solitary. The animals communicate with each other through a series of calls and shrieks. Since it's an endangered animal, sightings are rare.