Phalangeridae (Cuscuses and Brush-tailed Possums)

Species in this group

VU Endemic

Spilocuscus papuensis

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

VU Endemic

Ailurops ursinus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

LC Endemic

Trichosurus vulpecula

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

LC Endemic

Trichosurus caninus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

LC

Phalanger orientalis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

LC

Spilocuscus maculatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Daily sighting probability by month

Probability-weighted average across the group's species

~40%

Jan

~40%

Feb

~40%

Mar

~40%

Apr

~40%

May

~40%

Jun

~40%

Jul

~40%

Aug

~40%

Sep

~40%

Oct

~30%

Nov

~30%

Dec

When they're spotted

When the group's species are recorded (aggregated)

Where to see Cuscuses and Brush-tailed Possums

Warmer areas are where this group is recorded most often. Shaded: the known ranges of its 15 species, darker where more of them overlap (Mammal Diversity Database, Marsh et al. 2022). Our parks Our cities In captivity: 19 zoos & centres

Parks Ranked

#	Park	Country	Species	Daily sighting probability
1	Raja Ampat	🇮🇩 Indonesia	3 of 6	~80%
	Waigeou Cuscus			~70%
	Northern Common Cuscus			~40%
	Common Spotted Cuscus			~10%
2	Tangkoko Nature Reserve	🇮🇩 Indonesia	1 of 6	~60%
	Sulawesi Bear Cuscus			~60%
3	Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~60%
	Common Brushtail			~60%
4	Lamington National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	2 of 6	~50%
	Short-eared Possum			~50%
	Common Brushtail			~10%
5	Springbrook National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	2 of 6	~50%
	Short-eared Possum			~40%
	Common Brushtail			~10%
6	Aoraki Mount Cook National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1 of 6	~40%
	Common Brushtail			~40%
7	Egmont National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1 of 6	~40%
	Common Brushtail			~40%
8	Maria Island National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~40%
	Common Brushtail			~40%
9	Wilsons Promontory National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~40%
	Common Brushtail			~40%
10	Booderee National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~40%
	Common Brushtail			~40%
11	Flinders Ranges National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~40%
	Common Brushtail			~40%
12	Freycinet National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~40%
	Common Brushtail			~40%
13	Kosciuszko National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~30%
	Common Brushtail			~30%
14	Arthur's Pass National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1 of 6	~30%
	Common Brushtail			~30%
15	Flinders Chase	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~30%
	Common Brushtail			~30%
16	Rakiura National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1 of 6	~30%
	Common Brushtail			~30%
17	Blue Mountains National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~30%
	Common Brushtail			~30%
18	Hattah-Kulkyne National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~20%
	Common Brushtail			~20%
19	Royal National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~20%
	Common Brushtail			~20%
20	Great Otway National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~20%
	Common Brushtail			~20%
21	Grampians National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~20%
	Common Brushtail			~20%
22	Kakadu National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~20%
	Common Brushtail			~20%
23	Fiordland National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1 of 6	~10%
	Common Brushtail			~10%
24	Abel Tasman National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1 of 6	~10%
	Common Brushtail			~10%

Cities Ranked

#	City	Country	Species	Daily sighting probability
1	Brisbane	🇦🇺 Australia	2 of 6	~50%
	Common Brushtail			~40%
	Short-eared Possum			~10%
2	Hobart	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~30%
	Common Brushtail			~30%
3	Melbourne	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~30%
	Common Brushtail			~30%
4	Auckland	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1 of 6	~20%
	Common Brushtail			~20%
5	Sydney	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~20%
	Common Brushtail			~20%
6	Perth	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 6	~10%
	Common Brushtail			~10%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Pairi Daiza	🇧🇪 Belgium	In captivity
2	Australia Zoo	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
3	Tama Zoological Park	🇯🇵 Japan	In captivity
4	Memphis Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
5	Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
6	Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
7	Gembira Loka Zoo	🇮🇩 Indonesia	In captivity
8	Perth Zoo	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
9	Krakow Zoo	🇵🇱 Poland	In captivity
10	Adelaide Zoo	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
11	Willowbank Wildlife Reserve	🇳🇿 New Zealand	In captivity
12	Paradise Valley Springs	🇳🇿 New Zealand	In captivity
13	Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
14	Kiwi Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	In captivity
15	Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
16	Caversham Wildlife Park	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
17	Port Moresby Nature Park	🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea	In captivity
18	Ranger Red’s Zoo & Conservation Park	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity
19	Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas	🇦🇺 Australia	In captivity

Show all 19 Show fewer

Cuscuses and Brush-tailed Possums

Species in this group

Waigeou Cuscus

Sulawesi Bear Cuscus

Common Brushtail

Short-eared Possum

Northern Common Cuscus

Common Spotted Cuscus

Daily sighting probability by month

When they're spotted

Where to see Cuscuses and Brush-tailed Possums

Parks Ranked

Cities Ranked

Zoos & Centres Where Found