Common Brushtail
Common BrushtailCommon BrushtailCommon BrushtailCommon Brushtail

Common Brushtail

Trichosurus vulpecula

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Springbrook National Park
10 Verified records at Springbrook National Park
April Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's active at dawn and dusk

The common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula, from the Greek for "furry tailed" and the Latin for "little fox", previously in the genus Phalangista) is a nocturnal, semiarboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, native to Australia and invasive in New Zealand, and the second-largest of the Australasian possums. Like most possums, the common brushtail possum is nocturnal. It is mainly a folivore, but has been known to eat small mammals such as rats. In most Australian habitats, eucalyptus leaves are a significant part of the diet, but rarely the sole item eaten. Its tail is prehensile and naked on its lower underside. The four colour variations are silver-grey, brown, black, and gold. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Brushtail sighting in Springbrook National Park, based on 10 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Springbrook National Park

Short-eared Possum
LC Endemic

Short-eared Possum

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Trichosurus caninus

30–40% · Possible
Red-legged Pademelon
LC

Red-legged Pademelon

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Thylogale stigmatica

70–80% · Very likely
Red-necked Pademelon
LC Endemic

Red-necked Pademelon

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Thylogale thetis

40–50% · Likely
Koala
VU Endemic

Koala

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phascolarctos cinereus

30–40% · Possible
Swamp Wallaby
LC Endemic

Swamp Wallaby

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Wallabia bicolor

20–30% · Possible
Long-nosed Potoroo
NT Endemic

Long-nosed Potoroo

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Potorous tridactylus

20–30% · Possible
Red-necked Wallaby
LC Endemic

Red-necked Wallaby

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Notamacropus rufogriseus

20–30% · Possible
Common Ringtail Possum
LC Endemic

Common Ringtail Possum

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Pseudocheirus peregrinus

10–20% · With luck
Sugar Glider
LC Endemic

Sugar Glider

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Petaurus breviceps

Insufficient data
Eastern Pygmy Possum
LC

Eastern Pygmy Possum

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Cercartetus nanus

Insufficient data
Greater Glider
EN Endemic

Greater Glider

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Petauroides volans

<5% · Rare
Whiptail Wallaby
LC Endemic

Whiptail Wallaby

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Notamacropus parryi

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
10–20
Mar
20–30
Apr
10–20
May
10–20
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
10–20
Sep
10–20
Oct
10–20
Nov
5–10
Dec

🌅 When They're Spotted

Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)

🌅Crepuscular
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
50–60%
2 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
40–50%
3 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
40–50%
4 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
40–50%
5 Aoraki Mount Cook National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
30–40%
6 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
7 Tongariro National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
30–40%
8 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
9 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
10 Arthur's Pass National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
30–40%
11 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
20–30%
12 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
13 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
14 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
15 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
10–20%
16 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
17 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
18 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
19 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
10–20%
20 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
21 Nitmiluk National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
22 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
23 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Brushtail in Springbrook National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Brushtail sighting in Springbrook National Park, based on 10 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Brushtail in Springbrook National Park?

April has the highest sighting rate for Common Brushtail in Springbrook National Park in our monthly data.

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