Common Ringtail Possum

The common ringtail possum is one of Australia’s most widespread and endearing marsupials, instantly recognisable by its soft grey fur, reddish-brown flanks, and distinctive white-tipped tail. Unlike its larger cousin, the brushtail possum, the ringtail is smaller, more social, and prefers the cover of dense foliage rather than urban rooftops. It’s called a “ringtail” because of its long, prehensile tail, which it uses much like a fifth limb for gripping branches and carrying nesting material.

These nocturnal herbivores are excellent climbers and spend most of their lives in trees, rarely descending to the ground. They’re particularly fond of eucalyptus leaves, which make up a large portion of their diet, although they’ll also consume flowers, fruit, and even bark. Their complex stomach allows them to digest tough plant material efficiently, and like many herbivorous marsupials, they practice coprophagy, re-ingesting their own droppings to extract additional nutrients.

One of the more fascinating traits of the common ringtail possum is its social structure. Unlike many other possum species, they often live in small family groups. A breeding pair and their young will share a nest, called a drey, which is made from woven leaves and twigs and usually tucked high into the branches of shrubs or trees. These nests offer both shelter and protection from predators.

Ringtail possums are most active at night, emerging from their dreys at dusk to forage. Their agility in the treetops is remarkable, and their quiet, cautious movements help them avoid detection from owls, snakes, and other predators. When threatened, they’ll freeze or emit a harsh rasping call to warn others nearby.

Found along the eastern and southern coasts of Australia, from Queensland to South Australia and Tasmania, the common ringtail possum plays an important ecological role in seed dispersal and maintaining plant diversity. Despite urban development, they have adapted well to suburban gardens and parks, as long as suitable vegetation is available.

Did You Know?

Ringtail possums have specialised scent glands on their chest and mouth that they use to mark branches and other members of their family group, kind of like leaving little “sticky notes” all over the treetops!