There are two types of possums in urban areas - the Common Ringtail Possum and the Common Brushtail Possum.
The Common Brushtail Possum is about the same size as a cat. It has large pointed ears, grey fur and a bushy black tail.
The Common Ringtail Possumis much smaller, about half the size of a cat. Ringtail possums have round ears, a grey back with rusty sides and a curled tail with a white tip.
Possums are native wildlife. All native wildlife is protected under the Wildlife Act 1975 and the relocation of possums is prohibited.
What should I do if I've found a possum in a park or public place that is injured or needs assistance?
If you find any injured native wildlife please contact Wildlife Victoria free on 13 000 94535 or visit their website.
Wildlife Victoria’s rescue workers are volunteers and will attend to all injured animal cases as soon as possible.
The more quickly the animal is treated by a veterinarian, the higher the likelihood for their survival and release to their natural habitat.
For this reason, Wildlife Victoria also provide excellent animal management advice and often ask for you to safely transport the injured animal to a veterinarian where circumstances allow.
Possums on private property
Possums can sometimes create a nuisance for residents for a variety of reasons – such as noises in the roof, damage to gardens or plants, droppings on paved areas and causing dogs to bark.
Possums may be trapped, but only to remove them from a roof. They must be released on the same property within 50 metres of the capture site. Licensed wildlife controllers are also authorised to trap possums but they will not relocate them to another site.
Common Ringtail Possums remain fully protected and may not be trapped.
If you would like a possum removed from your property, contact the Department of Environment and Primary Industry Customer Service Centre on 136 186 for a list of licensed possum controllers.
The DEPI website has further information on possums.
Back to top