green ringtail possumimage credit: itsawildlife.com.au
green ringtail possumimage credit: zimbio.com
green ringtail possumimage credit: pbase.com

green ringtail possumimage credit: wildphotos4u
green ringtail possumimage credit: pbase.com
Habtat: northern Australia
Status: Least concerned

hairless green ringtail possumThis arboreal cutie is the Green Ringtail Possum (Pseudochirops archeri) and it’s the only member of its genus that is found in Australia. Not even in all of Australia – only a tiny area of northeastern Queensland, between Paluma and Mount Windsor Tableland.This creature gets its name from its signature “green” fur which actually just appears green. It’s really more of an olive grey, sprinkled throughout with strands of silver, yellow, and black hairs which when combined look green to the naked eye.

So what happens if a Green Ringtail Possum doesn’t have it’s green fur? Is it really still a Green Ringtail Possum?

Take a look at this picture and you be the judge:

image credit: wherelightmeetsdark.com 

This poor little possum was rescued by Wildlife carers in Sydney, Australia and they just couldn’t understand the lack of fur. The only reason they could come up with is that it lost it all because it was really, REALLY scared! I wonder what exactly was so scary for him??Don’t worry though, because after the carers took him in, the once frightened possum started gaining weight and growing his fur back.

I just love a happy ending, don’t you?