Common Brushtail
Common BrushtailCommon BrushtailCommon BrushtailCommon Brushtail

Common Brushtail

Trichosurus vulpecula

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Wilsons Promontory National Park
60 Verified records at Wilsons Promontory National Park
February Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's active at dawn and dusk

The common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula, from the Greek for "furry tailed" and the Latin for "little fox", previously in the genus Phalangista) is a nocturnal, semiarboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, native to Australia and invasive in New Zealand, and the second-largest of the Australasian possums. Like most possums, the common brushtail possum is nocturnal. It is mainly a folivore, but has been known to eat small mammals such as rats. In most Australian habitats, eucalyptus leaves are a significant part of the diet, but rarely the sole item eaten. Its tail is prehensile and naked on its lower underside. The four colour variations are silver-grey, brown, black, and gold. Wikipedia →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Common Brushtail sighting in Wilsons Promontory National Park, based on 60 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Wilsons Promontory National Park

Mountain Brushtail Possum
LC Endemic

Mountain Brushtail Possum

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Trichosurus cunninghami

Insufficient data
Common Wombat
LC Endemic

Common Wombat

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Vombatus ursinus

80–90% · Very likely
Swamp Wallaby
LC Endemic

Swamp Wallaby

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Wallabia bicolor

70–80% · Very likely
Eastern Grey Kangaroo
LC Endemic

Eastern Grey Kangaroo

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Macropus giganteus

50–60% · Likely
Koala
VU Endemic

Koala

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phascolarctos cinereus

20–30% · Possible
Common Ringtail Possum
LC Endemic

Common Ringtail Possum

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Pseudocheirus peregrinus

10–20% · With luck
Eastern Pygmy Possum
LC

Eastern Pygmy Possum

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Cercartetus nanus

Insufficient data
Feather-tailed Glider
LC Endemic

Feather-tailed Glider

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Acrobates pygmaeus

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

30–40
Jan
50–60
Feb
30–40
Mar
40–50
Apr
50–60
May
30–40
Jun
30–40
Jul
40–50
Aug
30–40
Sep
30–40
Oct
30–40
Nov
20–30
Dec

🌅 When They're Spotted

Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)

🌅Crepuscular
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
50–60%
2 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
40–50%
3 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
40–50%
4 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
40–50%
5 Aoraki Mount Cook National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
30–40%
6 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
7 Tongariro National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
30–40%
8 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
9 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
10 Arthur's Pass National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
30–40%
11 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
20–30%
12 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
13 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
14 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
15 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
10–20%
16 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
17 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
18 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
19 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
10–20%
20 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
21 Nitmiluk National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
22 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
23 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Brushtail in Wilsons Promontory National Park?

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Common Brushtail sighting in Wilsons Promontory National Park, based on 60 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Brushtail in Wilsons Promontory National Park?

February has the highest sighting rate for Common Brushtail in Wilsons Promontory National Park in our monthly data.

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