The cutest little pygmy possum has been discovered on Kangaroo Island and my heart simply cannot take it.
It’s the first time this beautiful precious possum has been seen since its habitat was mostly destroyed in bushfires that burnt half the island, according to the ABC.
Conservation organisation Kangaroo Island Land for Wildlife found the little guy earlier this week, and posted the find on their Facebook page.
The group are currently focussing on a large recovery effort in the wake of the summer bushfires, and have recovered many other little furry critters like the little pygmy possums not-too-distant cousin, the Western Pygmy Possum.
The little pygmy possum is apparently the smallest possum in the world, and they are extremely rare. So we must protect these little precious bebes at all cost.
“There’s only really been 113 formal records of the species [ever on Kangaroo Island],” fauna ecologist Pat Hodgens told the ABC.
“So certainly not very common and, obviously, the summer bushfires burnt through much of that habitat that species had, but we were certainly hopeful that we would find them.”
Little pygmy possums can be found in Tasmania and of course, Kangaroo Island. But can sometimes be found in South Australia and Victoria. So that means I may have a chance of finding one of these gorgeous things in Vic! OMG.
It’s important for researchers to figure out what species are left after the bushfires, so they can be protected ahead of this summer’s bushfire season.
“It’s very important now because it is kind of like the last refuge for a lot of these species that really rely on very old long, unburned vegetation,” Hodgens said.
So far more than 20 different species have been found on the island, like the bibrons toadlet, a southern brown bandicoot and a tammar wallaby.
But there are still some rare species that haven’t been found yet.
So let’s hope they find some more friends for our beloved little pygmy possum.
