May 4, 2014
PYGMY POSSUMS!
Infraclass: Marsupialia --> Order: Diprotodontia --> Family: Burramyidae
Okay everyone, get excited, because pygmy possums are bloody cute, and there are only five living species! They grow to sizes of 5-12 cm, and weigh between 10 and 60 grams. Adorable.
These little critters have a prehensile tail. They're mostly nocturnal, and are omnivorous.
The photos above (credited to the Victorian DEPI) show the Mountain Pygmy Possum, which is critically endangered, and the only Australian mammal to be restricted to an alpine environment. It was originally believed extinct, until a living individual was found in 1966.