Lemuroid Ringtail Possum
Hemibelideus lemuroides
Australia's Threatened Species Category
Endangered
Listed since: 06/02/2026
IUCN's Threatened Species Category
Near Threatened
Listed since: 15/06/2015
Population trend: Stable
Other names:
Priority Species? No
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
Lemuroid ringtail possums are regionally endemic to the Wet Tropics bioregion in Queensland, where most of their distribution is within the Australian Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. They are a medium-sized mammal with chocolate-brown fur with a light brown-creamy underbelly. Lemuroid ringtail possums are distinguished from other ringtail possums by their forward-facing eyes, short snout, small ears, slightly bushy tail and bright golden eyeshine; and their habit of jumping noisily between trees.
Threats
The Lemuroid ringtail possum is the most specialised of the ringtail possums and has been shown to be highly vulnerable and most sensitive to habitat fragmentation and logging. The lemuroid ringtail possum’s population size has undergone a severe decline in the last decade, with an estimated mean net population loss of 68% since 2011 primarily thought to be from extreme temperatures (heat waves) and secondarily, increasing mean temperature. Physiological studies on green ringtail possums in the Australian Wet Tropics have highlighted their inability to cope with extreme heatwaves, with temperatures above 30°C for more than 5 hours becoming biologically limiting for this upland species.
Quollity Conservation Hub's Vulnerability Score:
57
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.