Leadbeater's Possum
Gymnobelideus leadbeateri
Australia's Threatened Species Category
Critically Endangered
Listed since: 2/05/2015
IUCN's Threatened Species Category
Critically Endangered
Listed since: 22/04/2014
Population trend: Decreasing
Other names: None
Priority Species? Yes
The Australian government's Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032 selected over 100 priority species derive from consultation with threatened species experts and the wider community. While all species are important, focusing on a limited number of species can help target effort and resources so that outcomes can be achieved, measured and shared.
Description
Leadbeater's Possum is a small, nocturnal, arboreal (tree living) possum and is endemic to Victoria and is the state's animal emblem. They live in small groups up to 12 individuals with one breeding pair, and shelter in tree hollows during the day. They feed on carbohydrate-rich plant and insect secretions (e.g. sap) and invertebrates.
Threats
Tree hollows are a critical resource for the Leadbeater's Possum and do not occur on burned sites, including those subject to low and moderate severity fires, clear-fell logged or regenerated forest where hollow-bearing trees are largely absent. Therefore, the main threat is the collapse of hollow-bearing trees and competition with other species over the remaining hollows, land clearing, logging and extensive wildfires.
Quollity Conservation Hub's Vulnerability Score:
46
To help compare the relative vulnerability of different species, we have developed a scoring system based on biological and ecological characteristics that influence a species' ability to survive and recover from environmental change and natural disasters.
The framework is adapted from assessment methods used by conservation experts following the Black Summer bushfires to help identify species most in need of conservation action, research, and recovery funding.
Each species is assessed using a range of factors, including its conservation status, lifespan, reproductive rate, habitat and dietary requirements, ability to disperse or recover after fire, and the number and severity of threats it faces.
In general, the higher a species' score, the greater its overall vulnerability and risk of decline or extinction.
Like all conservation assessments, this scoring system is limited by the information currently available. Many threatened species remain poorly studied and receive limited research funding, meaning some assessments rely on the best available scientific knowledge or information from closely related species. As new research becomes available, scores may be updated to reflect our improved understanding.