Movements and Habits of Brushtail Possums (Trichosurus vulpecula Kerr) in an Urban Area

Abstract

Brushtail possums were studied in an urban area of Launceston, Tasmania, with 23 individuals being radio- tracked over a 12-month period. These animals used a total of 80 different day sites mainly in or under buildings. Convex-polygon home-range areas averaged 10·9 ha for males and 2·0 ha for females, with average nightly movements of 411 and 315 m, respectively. Births occurred in all months of the year, with a major peak between January and May and a smaller one between August and October. Nine of the 23 individuals were killed and another two injured on roads by cars. It was concluded that total-removal trapping of urban possum populations is not feasible.