The Mountain Pygmy-possum
Populations of endangered Mountain Pygmy-possums in Kosciuszko National Park are on the rise.
Office of Environment and Heritage Senior Threatened Species Officer, Dr Linda Broome, says the end of the most recent drought, combined with vigilant fox and cat control, have most likely contributed to the increase.
'More Mountain Pygmy-possums have been trapped at most of the monitoring sites at the southern end of Kosciuszko National Park this season than during any of the 25 years I have been surveying there,' Dr Broome said.
'The Mountain Pygmy-possums we're catching this year are in top condition, some of the fattest I've seen.
Dr Broome said that during the drought from 1999 to 2009 the Mountain Pygmy-possum populations declined by about 43 per cent.
Declines have been most severe around the ski resorts, likely due to the high concentration of feral predators in those areas.
Mountain Pygmy-possums are a small and defenseless native species with no defence beyond trying to hide from these introduced predators.
Mountain Pygmy-possums, or Burramys parvus, are unique marsupials because they occur only at subalpine and alpine locations above the snowline and they hibernate under snow.
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