We went out to do our first Bar BQ of the season and found this guy curled up in the corner behind the propane gas tank. He looks more menacing than he acted, as he just kind of hunkered down and didn't move. I couldn't get a good shot because of the BarBQ, the gas tank, and various hoses so, I took this while leaning over the top, and then decided, in order not to stress him out too much, to go inside and let him leave at his own speed which, it turned out, was very slow and cautious.
@k9photo I did wonder about that, he seemed to be so slow moving when he decided to leave. I know that they eat a lot of things that other animals can't, due to their strong immune systems, but maybe he found something that didn't agree with him? I also know that they are supposed to be nocturnal but I've seen this one around our yard at dusk, several times, over the last few months.
@phil_sandford I believe it is a possum. I've seen one around my yard previously. https://365project.org/gardencat/this-and-that/2022-02-01
This one is paler in colour, maybe a younger one ? Previously when I attempted to get close they moved away quickly, this one didn't. I'm not sure if he is unwell, or felt cornered because he was in fact in a corner with my husband and I in between him and escape. maybe he was 'playing possum'?
Hey Joanne,
Just a reply on the koala behaviour of Hugo and Bullet. We need to be careful not to humanise wild animal behaviour. Hugo is not being a bully in any way. Since Jordan died, there has been no alpha in this area, and therefore no females over this part of the property either.
Bullet is not an alpha, and Hugo is beginning to establish a stable colony again. These 'fights' are not black and white with Hugo saying Bullet has to get out. These are the way hierarchical structure is established and maintained so that a stable colony can begin to flourish again.
So it's a win really!
@koalagardens Good point, nature often seems harsh in the way it selects the 'winners' and 'losers' in the lottery to determine who gets to perpetuate the species. The sad thing for me ,right now, however is that I'm not sure I am 'humanizing' the wild animal behaviour as, more and more, it seems to me that human behaviour is very much like animal behaviour with the aggressive human alphas almost always winning and beating down the less aggressive other members of the species.
I felt hope for a while, several years ago, when I read about this troop of baboons
but since then everything I have seen or heard about both animal and human societies has caused me to believe that, in the long run, "Might is Right", is the ruling motto of all species.
March 28th, 2022
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https://365project.org/gardencat/this-and-that/2022-02-01
This one is paler in colour, maybe a younger one ? Previously when I attempted to get close they moved away quickly, this one didn't. I'm not sure if he is unwell, or felt cornered because he was in fact in a corner with my husband and I in between him and escape. maybe he was 'playing possum'?
I did find this on the internet and the possum here is acting a lot like the one in the picture above did.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CbScgnclNQ
Just a reply on the koala behaviour of Hugo and Bullet. We need to be careful not to humanise wild animal behaviour. Hugo is not being a bully in any way. Since Jordan died, there has been no alpha in this area, and therefore no females over this part of the property either.
Bullet is not an alpha, and Hugo is beginning to establish a stable colony again. These 'fights' are not black and white with Hugo saying Bullet has to get out. These are the way hierarchical structure is established and maintained so that a stable colony can begin to flourish again.
So it's a win really!
I felt hope for a while, several years ago, when I read about this troop of baboons
https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/13/science/no-time-for-bullies-baboons-retool-their-culture.html
but since then everything I have seen or heard about both animal and human societies has caused me to believe that, in the long run, "Might is Right", is the ruling motto of all species.