Possums and Predators of The Australian Wilderness | Full Documentary

The land of Oz. A country that spans an entire continent. A place of extremes. But across its expanse there is one family who have managed to succeed in every environment on offer. Possums live anywhere from the deepest of rainforests to the suburbs of Sydney. Wherever you go you find a bewildering variety of these furry residents. Some are miniature. Others are big bullies. From specialist sap eaters to flying hunters. Together they have conquered the continent to take their place as the most charismatic family in Australia. Not until the sun sets over the Australian bush does the forest truly come alive. At night is when some of Australia's most diverse and dynamic personalities begin to emerge. The brushtail possum is the most well-known and the most daring of all. But there are many lesser-known characters to this story like the gentle Herbert River Ringtail or the tiny but resilient Mountain Pygmy. Connected by an ancient family tree, possums come in all shapes and sizes. Across the continent in total there are 26 family members. But it is the newest additions which have developed the most extraordinary abilities. Sugar gliders are about the size of a tennis ball but in one leap can cover half a football field. They're so tiny they can launch from thin twigs at the top of the trees. Powerful hind legs give thrust. A furry membrane stretched between the wrist and ankle provides lift and their tail and slight movements in their outstretched hands and feet help steer. It's a highly efficient way of navigating the three-dimensional world of the canopy and an evolutionary leap also taken by the squirrel in other parts of the world. This young male is on the search for tree sap, a food rich in sugars. He follows the same path every night using his superb eyesight to negotiate the twists and turns. He must move quickly because competition is always hot on his heels. Sugar gliders live in close-knit groups and cuddle together while they sleep but when it comes to the night it's every sugar glider for himself. This time it's just a brief tiff between siblings. With their daily dose of sugar it's time to move on to second course. This one requires more stealth. Insects provide much-needed protein the glider can't get from sap. It's a well-balanced diet that keeps him going all night and has fueled the spread of his extended family across eastern Australia and into neighbouring Papua New Guinea. However sugar gliders and indeed all possums did not begin their story here. Life began for this dynasty a long time ago in a land far far away. It is possible to catch a glimpse of these early beginnings in North America. This is one of the most ancient mammals on the planet, an unusual character called the opossum. Similar to the Australian possum she's a marsupial. Her young are born tiny and enter her pouch where they suckle on milk as they grow. Only after a few months do they finally emerge like these young joeys. Both the opossum and extended possum family raised their young in this way because they all evolved from the same ancient marsupial once found in South America. But their ancestors split from this shared evolutionary chain some 65 million years ago and while the ancestor of the possums made their way to Australia the forefather of the opossum instead headed north. Since then the opossum remained remarkably unchanged and that largely has to do with its diet. In America opossums are often considered to be pests because they will eat anything from fruit to birds, mice, insects and left out trash. As humans have expanded into their habitat they have taken to dumpster diving and pigging out on junk food. It pays not to be picky with what you eat. Opossums are now the only marsupial in the world still expanding their territory heading north across America and into Canada. However bad food choices can get these scrappy omnivores into trouble. They have a keen sense of smell and can sniff out a meal from miles away. Even when it's hidden in a suburban backyard poaching dog food is not the wisest decision but an opossum can never turn down a quick meal. So far so good. A small bump in the road for this plucky survivor still on the march after millions of years. After their evolutionary split with the opossum the ancestors of Australia's marsupials made their way overland from the Americas to Australia at a time when the continents were still connected. When they arrived the land was covered in dense jungle and may still have been home to dinosaurs. Pockets of that ancient past remain as do prehistoric relics like the cassowary standing at two meters tall and armed with talons longer than a Tyrannosaurus rex. Like all birds it is a direct descendant of the dinosaurs. With such monsters prowling on the ground many opossums sought the safety of the treetops and made their homes here. Today one of the oldest members of the opossum family can still be found here like the green ringtail. As its name implies its fur has an unusual olive tinge perfect for camouflage in the canopy. It feeds on leaves amongst the rainforest trees and is rather slow going. A thick tail acts as a fifth limb for moving about. Although it's nocturnal it doesn't build a nest so during the day it can be found out in the open curled up in the nook of a branch. To see the rest of the jungle's residents however one must wait for the cover of darkness. The Herbert River ringtail emerges in the moonlight. Like all opossums he has huge eyes good for seeing in the dark. He's a careful climber and has opposable toes for superior grip. Like the green ringtail he uses a prehensile tail for balance. All opossums probably once had such agile tails but as they continued to change and evolve some lost that ability. A brushtail opossum spends a lot of his time on the forest floor. His thick bushy tail isn't as dexterous as other opossums but down here such skills are not required. His diet has expanded beyond leaves to shoots, mushrooms, snails and bird eggs. Sometimes he will even hunt small animals. So he is a lot faster moving than the gentle leaf eaters of the jungle. Each brushtail has its own home range and as notoriously cantankerous animals they tend to keep to themselves. Nevertheless they can track the movements of their neighbours because they leave secret messages for one another throughout the forest. Scent glands located behind a reddish patch on their chest are rubbed on the trees. Any brushtail can know who else has passed this way without ever making contact. However not all animals know how to read the signs. Like this paddy melon who has wandered into trouble unawares. A shy nocturnal wallaby it's been caught red-handed feasting on some dead leaves in the opossum's patch. Not an item on the brushtail's menu but that hardly matters. Rebuffed. Although it's only the size of a small cat the paddy melon is no pushover and it wants those dead leaves. But brushtails are not known for their patience. Brushtails are certainly bossy and ill-tempered and they are one of Australia's most widespread marsupials. Self-confidence and a varied diet is a winning combination. Others in the family have developed more specialised tastes. The striped possum has a penchant for grubs and spends the night prizing away bark to get at them. Helping him in his quest is a remarkable set of powers. First strong jaws armed with sharp incisor teeth gouged through bark and wood. Secondly a reinforced skull helps withstand the incredible force required to get the job done. An adaptation also seen in the woodpecker bird in other parts of the world. For the really tricky spots the striped possum pulls out a third and final secret weapon. An elongated fourth finger. Good for prizing insects out of those hard to reach places. His long digit can also be used to tap the wood testing to see if any insects are inside. High in fat they are worth putting in the extra effort. Although this insect lover also supplements his diet with fruit and honey nothing is tastier than a juicy grub. The bizarre looking cuscus is also believed to be a hunter. Little is known about this rare species. They have only ever been observed eating fruit and leaves. Yet their sharp pointed teeth and long canines suggest birds and small mammals could also be on the menu. We know so little about the cuscus because the dense rainforest where they make their home has all but vanished. 15 million years ago as Australia drifted north most of the continent dried out and transformed into open bushland. One living thing was not only able to survive but to thrive in these new tougher conditions. The eucalypt tree. This miraculous plant now dominates three quarters of all Australian forests. Its leaves are thick and leathery and do not easily wilt. Perfect for withstanding hot and dry conditions. The eucalypt is also evergreen allowing growth all year round. These new forests were less dense and over time gaps between the trees grew. Australia's many colourful birds took quickly to the new habitat able to fly easily from tree to tree. However possums had to figure out how to cover the distance. Their solution was nothing short of groundbreaking. They took to the air and evolved a gliding membrane to do so like this squirrel glider. They are the only marsupials on the planet to have developed aerial abilities and these new airborne possums flourished in the new world created by the eucalypt safe from dangers on the forest floor. However there was still competition up in the canopy as the yellow-bellied glider knows all too well. One of the largest of the gliding possums she uses her remarkable skill to jet through the forest in search of sap. The lifeblood of the eucalypt tree. Like insect hunting possums in the tropics the glider has a reinforced skull and incisor teeth necessary tools to get its sap buried under the tree's tough bark. Yellow-bellied gliders are incredibly fussy about which trees they feed from. Once they find the perfect eucalypt they'll return to it again and again. It's a lot of hard work for a rather miserable diet. Sap is low in nutrition and she must feed all night to get her fill. The sap is also corrosive and quickly wears down her teeth. To add insult to injury freeloaders move in to take advantage of the newly opened sap site. Sugar gliders probably developed their aerodynamic membrane the same time as their yellow-bellied cousin but they don't have the strong teeth required to tap to the core of a tree. This one steals a drink until the larger female loses her patience. However the yellow-bellied glider can't keep watch over the sap site 24 hours a day. When dawn breaks the possums head for bed as the day shift clocks on. Birds and insects fly in for a tasty treat. The brilliantly coloured rainbow lorikeet usually feeds on flowers and But with the hard work already done it settles in to lick up the spoils. He is the daytime guard and will chase away other birds to defend the site. On its way to its nest a tiny feathertail glider pauses to watch the procession. Weighing just 12 grams she's the world's smallest gliding mammal yet in the air she can glide an incredible 300 times her body length. Something akin to a human jumping across 10 olympic pools in one go. Her fringed tail acts as a rudder but right now it's too risky for a takeoff. Daybreak is one of the most dangerous times for possums. However the bold brushtail is not one to follow the rules. Its range extends down into these temperate forests where winter is approaching. It's crucial to put on weight before the leaner and this male is determined to spend as much time as possible out foraging. He lacks the gliding ability of some of his cousins so makes his way across the forest floor drawing some unwanted attention. Like all possums he has forward-facing eyes critical for judging distances up in the treetops but this means he also has a blind spot. A disadvantage the powerful owl is able to exploit. One of Australia's largest and most graceful predators. Usually she is a night hunter but at this time of year she and her mate have a fledgling chick to feed and possums are a favourite item on the menu. For all its daring the brushtail is an important prey animal for large hunters as are many other possums. Indeed the extended possum family is so varied in size and the range of habitats they occupy. Together they play a vital role in the food chain across Australia and have made their mark on almost every ecosystem. The common ringtail possum is almost as widespread as the brushtail. Unlike their omnivorous cousin however ringtails are vegetarians. They will eat flowers and fruits but their favourite food is the leaves of the eucalyptus tree. It's a diet which puts them in direct competition with one of Australia's most famous marsupials. Also a tree dweller it is mainly active at night. The koala. It feeds exclusively on eucalyptus leaves and doesn't appreciate the ringtail cutting in on its turf. So the two have become arch enemies. While to humans koalas are cute and cuddly to a ringtail possum they are a dangerous foe armed with sharp claws and a bad temper. To avoid conflict both sides stick to their own patches. The koala's territory can be incredibly small. Some can live alone for long periods in just a few trees. The ringtail possum has a larger range and knows to give the koala a wide berth. Nearby a juvenile sugar glider doesn't have the same street smarts. He's one year old. Mature enough to leave his mother's protection and strike out on his own but still young enough to run into trouble. Sugar gliders are naturally curious creatures but this is an investigation that could end badly. Many young gliders don't make it through their first year alive. This time it's just a warning. The young sugar glider has learned a valuable lesson which could see him through the next few dangerous months. The forest can be a difficult place for a young possum to get by which is why some members of the family have moved to far-off outposts. The snowy mountains. It's not an Australia most people are familiar with. Lethally cold and buffeted by gale force winds. It's a hostile alien world for most possums. Yet one special species has made its home here. The mountain pygmy possum. Seldom seen they're very rare with fewer than 3,000 believed to exist. They were once thought to be extinct. However this small marsupial is rather tough and after its rediscovery 50 years ago the details of how they survive have started to be revealed. Life above the snow line has shaped their behavior and body in remarkable ways. Winter has arrived and food is desperately short. Instead of foraging in the canopy the mountain pygmy spends its time amongst the boulders hunting as many insects as possible. It must double its weight with this high protein diet in preparation for the deep freeze. For when the snow begins to fall the mountain pygmy possum goes into hibernation. His heart rate slows down and body temperature plummets to just above freezing. In this near dead state he has the longest hibernation of any marsupial. It's the only way to survive in a land covered by snow seven months of the year. A remarkable demonstration of the resilience of possums. From the brutal cold to the arid interior of Australia. Here temperatures can soar to over 50 degrees. It's a place of hard baked earth where even the sturdy eucalypt tree withers and dies. This is the domain of the red kangaroo. Able to travel hundreds of kilometers a day in search of scant food and water it is built for this barren world and surprisingly so too is the honey possum. About the size of a golf ball they are the smallest of all possums found on the fringes of the desert in western Australia. Being so tiny has its advantages. You don't require as much food or water. An important trait in a place where both are in short supply. The honey possum gets all it needs from the flowers it feeds on. It targets a combination of nectar and pollen and has a long slender snout and a highly specialized tongue to do so. Usually it only forages at night but in winter it comes out in the sunlight to eat as much as possible. There is no time to lose. Honey possums only live for about a year and in that time they must reproduce and rear the next generation. It is an exhausting schedule. Other members of the possum family have made their homes in the most out of reach places. The towering mountain ash trees of southern Australia are the largest flowering plant in the world. Standing at up to 99 meters tall they're about the size of Big Ben's tower in London. Second in height only to the giant redwoods of California. Hiding in these behemoths are one of the most rare Australian animals. The endangered Leadbeater's possum. Living in family groups of up to eight individuals they nest in the hollows of large trees up to 30 meters off the ground. At night they emerge from their lofty castles to feed on sap and insects. About the size of a sugar glider they are the most agile of all the possums. However their way of life is now under threat. Feral cats kill countless possums and the problem is growing. These new invaders penetrate the forests on man-made highways using the road network to move into new habitats. Cats are also more effective at hunting in open areas. So logging of the giant ash tree helps these predators spread as well as reducing nesting sites for the Leadbeater's possum. No member of the possum family has become extinct since Europeans arrived in Australia. However the Leadbeater's could become the first to disappear. In the last 6,000 years humans have changed our planet like never before and Australia is no exception to the rule. This maze of concrete and buildings seems no place for a wild animal but even here fortune favours the bold. So it is of no surprise that as night descends it is the plucky brushtail possum who takes centre stage. Suburban gardens watered year-round offer a possum supermarket of convenient tasty food. Far more nutritious than a diet of eucalyptus leaves however they don't just stick to gardens. Brushtails have earned a reputation for sticking their nose in everywhere it's not wanted. They are the masters of things that go bump in the night. Conditions in the city are so good there are now more brushtails living here than in the wild and other animals have followed them into this new urban jungle. Powerful owls have taken up residence in cities across the east coast of Australia drawn in by the abundance of prey. Once classed as endangered their urban population has boomed. Australia also has more pythons than any other continent. Its cities have so much greenery the snakes can operate mostly unseen sliding from tree to tree in search of prey. This carpet python is on the trail of a brushtail possum hiding out in a nearby house. Rooftop cavities serve as excellent nesting sites for brushtails but these hidey holes are not a well-kept secret. The heat sensing ability of a but the snake can track a possum by scent alone all the way to its den. It seems like game over but the brushtail is a survivor, a remarkably tough animal. Possums are some of Australia's oldest residents and yet they still continue to surprise. In the far northern reaches of the a land of monsoonal wetlands and rugged escarpments play host to an array of wildlife. Here a new glider species is believed to have been discovered, one which has pushed our understanding of what it means to be a possum. The northern savannah glider was mistaken for centuries as a type of sugar glider but genetic analysis in recent years has indicated it is a unique species and one we know very little about. This male is wearing a radio collar so scientists can track his movements and what he is about to do has never been captured before. After feeding on nectar from a flowering eucalypt tree he heads down to the forest floor. In this zone he is more vulnerable to predators yet there is a good reason for his descent. Just within reach are long strands of grass tipped with nutritious flower buds. The savannah glider is the only possum known to eat grass. Whether this is the first evidence of gliding possums returning to the ground after millennia in the treetops is unclear but this unexpected behaviour proves once again that possums as a family are some of the most adaptable animals on the planet. Whether they live as leaf eaters or insect hunters, able to glide or resist freezing conditions, possums started out as some of Australia's most ancient animals and have managed to survive in almost every corner of the continent. They truly are one of Australia's most remarkable animal dynasties.