Dactylopsila trivirgata
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
The striped possum or common striped possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata) is a member of the marsupial family Petauridae. It is found mainly in New Guinea. The species is black with three white stripes running head to tail, and its head has white stripes that form a 'Y' shape. It is closely related to the sugar glider, and is similar in appearance.
The striped possum was first described by John Edward Gray in 1858 from a specimen sent from the Aru Islands (in Indonesia) to the British Museum by Alfred Russel Wallace. Gray gave the species the name Dactylopsila trivirgata in 1858, the name the species retains today. The illustration that appeared alongside the first description was produced by Joseph Wolf.
The striped possum is most commonly found in New Guinea as well as several other small islands in the area (including the Solomon Islands). It also lives in Queensland, Australia, in rainforests and eucalypt woodland along the east coast of Cape York Peninsula and as far south as Townsville, but is uncommon and rarely seen in Australia.
This possum looks like a black and white squirrel. It is solitary, mostly nocturnal, arboreal, and builds... Wikipedia →
Recording0:19
Australia · 2026
© bullant8 · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 2 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Striped Possum sighting in Raja Ampat on a given day, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 13 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Striped Possum in Raja Ampat on a given day, against under 5% in January–February, April and September, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Striped Possum sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Striped Possum sightings, Raja Ampat has the highest daily chance: about 30%. Next come Daintree National Park (Australia, about 30%).
Same order: Diprotodontia
The closest relatives of the Striped Possum that you can see in Raja Ampat (order Diprotodontia, Kangaroos, Possums, Wombats, and Allies) are Waigeou Cuscus (about 70%), Northern Common Cuscus (about 40%) and Common Spotted Cuscus (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Striped Possum is recorded against all the mammals logged in Raja Ampat (18 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
