ZOOS VICTORIA'S 2O PRIORITY SPECIES LEADBEATER'S POSSUM

ZOOS VICTORIA’S 2O PRIORITY SPECIES
LEADBEATER’S POSSUM
Gymnobelideus leadbeateri
Endangered
The Leadbeater’s Possum is a priority
for Zoos Victoria. We are securing
founders for a captive population,
setting up special enclosures and
developing techniques to breed this
species in captivity. We are also working
to determine how we can successfully
reintroduce captive-bred possums into
the wild, and creating opportunities to
share the story of this enchanting little
forest fairy to the community.

Zoos Victoria is committed to Fighting Extinction
We are working to ensure that no Victorian terrestrial vertebrate
species goes extinct on our watch.
Once thought to be extinct,
Leadbeater’s Possum was
rediscovered in 1961 and became
Victoria’s faunal emblem. This
species, endemic to Victoria, is
increasingly under threat. Zoos
Victoria’s Healesville Sanctuary is
currently the only institution in the
world caring for the Leadbeater’s
Possum. Zoos Victoria is working
to change the fate of threatened
species and is committed to
Fighting Extinction – we will ensure
that no more Victorian terrestrial
vertebrate species become extinct.
Zoos Victoria’s efforts to save
Leadbeater’s Possum is symbolic of
our commitment to protecting our
local fauna.
KEY PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
+ Collect founders
+ Monitor wild populations
+ Develop strategic partnerships to
enhance habitat conditions
+ Develop reintroduction techniques
+ Establish a successful insurance
population to support wild reintroductions
in 2015
+ Raise community awareness of the
Leadbeater’s Possum and support for
its conservation.
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
+ New enclosures have been built at
Healesville Sanctuary to house the
Leadbeater’s Possum
+ A pair of Leadbeater’s Possums have
been secured and are settling in well at
Healesville Sanctuary.
SPECIES AT RISK
The Leadbeater’s Possum is one of Victoria’s
faunal emblems. Crucial to the survival of
this species is the availability of old growth
trees with hollows that provide dens for
possums during the day. Leadbeater’s
Possums usually live in small family groups
comprising a single breeding pair and their
young. Pairs breed twice a year with just 1-2
young per litter. There are three main threats
to the survival of the Leadbeater’s Possum:
+ Loss of hollow-bearing trees:
Leadbeater’s Possum can be picky with
their dens, some only find hollows fit for
their dens once they are over 200 years
old! The number of old trees with suitable
hollows has decreased dramatically
due to wildlife and logging, resulting in
inadequate places for animals to seek
refuge during the day
+ Wildfire: Fires can burn through large
areas of the montane ash forests which
are home to the Leadbeater’s Possum.
The 2009 Black Saturday bushfire burnt
45% of high-quality habitat mapped for
the possum
+ Loss of suitable habitat: Changes in fire
patterns and habitat conditions mean that
there is less suitable habitat available for
Leadbeater’s Possums. This has placed the
possum at an increased risk of extinction.
Zoos Victoria is committed to securing
viable, self-sustaining populations of
Leadbeater’s Possum in the wild.
PROGRAM PARTNERS
Parks Victoria
www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
Department of Sustainability
and Environment
www.dse.vic.gov.au
Friends of the Leadbeater’s Possum
www.leadbeaters.org.au
IMAGES
Front: Leadbeaters Possum is Victoria’s
faunal emblem. Photo: © Jean-Paul
Ferrero, Auscape.
Below top: Zoos Victoria is working to save
this little forest fairy. Photo: Dan Harley.
Below bottom: Photograph taken during
surveys for Leadbeater’s Possum in 2011
using remote cameras. Photo: Dan Harley.
FIND OUT MORE
www.zoo.org.au/conservation
Zoos Victoria is a not-for-profit, zoo based conservation organisation.
We are Fighting Extinction through our local and global conservation programs,
research projects and community conservation campaigns. For more information
on this or any other Zoos Victoria project, visit www.zoo.org.au/conservation
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