Fauna – Possum
Possums are a suborder of 70 tree-living marsupial species native to Australia and the Indonesian islands of New Guinea and Sulawesi. While their names are similar and both are marsupials, possums and opossums are different creatures.
IN THE BLACK of night, Australia’s 27 species of possum and glider scamper across our roofs, dart along branches in secluded rainforests or peer tentatively from tiny hidey-holes.
Hissing, growling or completely silent, they perform a circus act of acrobatic feats, the larger gliders spreading their gliding membranes to travel more than 100 m at a single jump.
Some gliders have even been recorded doing a U-turn in mid-air.
With large eyes to capture more of the light at night, they’ve adapted to watch for owls, quolls and pythons, but their biggest threat – humankind – has increasingly encroached on their territory, destroying old-growth forest and its sheltering, century-old treehollow
sanctuaries.
Furry, cuddly and sometimes curious, possums and gliders are among Australia’s best-loved residents and a fascinating feature of night-life in the bush.
FOE- Parthenium Weed.
- Originally from the Americas, Parthenium Weed (Parthenium hysterophorus), a Weed of National Significance, is an annual fast growing toxic aggressive herb to 1.5 -2 m tall, and capbale of germinating and setting seed in 4 weeks.
- It favours cracking clay soil, and is currently widespread in Queensland, also found in NSW, NT, and WA, and could spread to all other States and Teritorries.
- Parthenium Weed is toxic to people, and can causes respiratory problems and severe dermatitis.
- Also toxic to animals cauing dermatitis, skin lesions, and mouth ulcers.
- Generally unpallibale to livestock but if consumed in great quantities could result in death. Smaller amounts taints meat and milk.
- Parthenium Weed is a prolific setter of seed, an average-sized plant producing about 15,000 seed; with a significant portion of buried seed remaining viable for six or more years.
- It invades grazing land and summer cropping areas as well as disturbed native vegetation, its aggressiveness partly due to an allelopathic effect on other plants.
- Control is by the use herbicides and manual techniques.
