Living Peacefully with Possums

Seeing Things Differently

Living with wildlife harmoniously requires a change of perspective. Rather than seeing them as the enemy who eats ‘our’ food, ‘our’ pasture, ‘our’ trees, we should see wild animals as creatures with whom we share the planet, as co-inhabitors whose right to go about their business we respect.

Humans are taking increasing amounts of natural habitat away from native species, clearing it and polluting it. It is this destruction that has been responsible for many extinctions and serious species declines throughout the world, even of animals once thought common. It is time the tide turned and some understanding is reached by humans that other species have a right to their natural habitat and food sources, and their own piece of the earth to live on.

Destroying a few individual animals will rarely solve a damage problem. At best, killing of animals provides only a short-term solution and is very labour intensive . If we start to see native non-human animals as deserving of the right to live their lives without constant interference and fear of persecution from the human animal, then we start to seek alternatives to killing them in order to protect our crops and livelihoods from their impact.

Making a decision to use non-lethal methods of wildlife control is an ethical, moral and economic decision. Non-lethal methods, such as fencing, show respect for wildlife and allow wild species to reach a population balance in their natural environment, enabling them to live their lives in peace. It can also make good economic sense!

It is illegal to trap and relocate possums out of their home territory. Possums often starve to death if placed far from home. Possum territories are generally all occupied at any given point in time, along with all the available nest sites. A new possum coming into an area will face strong opposition from the possums already holding that territory. Try some of the suggestions below to create a better relationship between you and the neighbourhood possums.

Fencing Out Possums

Although expensive to set up, good fencing can pay for itself within a season or two for producers of vegetables and fruits, whether it be the home grower, or a commercial producer. Possums can climb readily but can only jump about 1m verically. To keep possums out, build fences to about 1.5m high made from material that possums cannot climb, such as vertical roofing iron, or butted timber vertical palings (no gaps or overlapping). Add a 33cm wide tin section at least 80cm abover the ground on the corners of timber fences. For existing fences, add a section to the top of the fence made with floppy wire netting (chicken wire) leaning outwards to prevent possums climbing over. For rural situations, a fence of 900mm high heavy duty wire netting can be topped with floppy wire netting to effectively exclude possums.

The lower portions of fences need to be checked regularly, and all gaps filled - if there is a gap, they will find it! Fences that are properly constructed and maintained, will keep browsing animals out. Fencing should be put in place before crops or fruit trees are planted.

Individual Tree guards

If it is not practicle to fence an entire area, try using tree guards. For natives the plastic sheath type, kept in place with three sturdy stakes, is usually enough. For young fruit trees surround the individual trees with a sturdy mesh at least 900mm high, and a diameter of approximately 600mm. For established trees, you can wrap a piece of tin around the tree to stop possums climbing, this way their claws can't get a grip. The tin should be at least 33cm in width - you will see samples of these on power poles.

Possum in the Roof?

If there is a possum in the roof, it may be that there are no suitable tree hollows nearby. Build or buy it a nesting box and fix it to a tree, then when the possum is out of your roof, exclude it so that it can’t get back in to your roof. Detailed information on how to go about this is available on the DPIPWE website: Living with Brushtail Possums. To stop possums getting into your roof trim overhanging branches, or if the possum is accessing your roof via a powerline, talk to Aurora about putting a circular guard on the line than will stop the possum climbing over it and onto your roof. Just make sure that the possums are out before doing this or you will end up with possums trapped in the roof!

Questions?

Call or email us for more advice on your particular situation.