Animal Diaries Archive

Meet Pip

21 September 2007

You may have heard of our beautiful newest member of the mammal's team, Pip. Pip came to us about 8 months ago, she is a common brush tail Possum, but she is from Tasmania, so you might notice she doesn't look like the ones found locally around here. She is much darker, almost black, and enormous, weighing in at a whooping 4.7kg! She is like a big cuddly toy.

She is about 8 years now and has lived with a family nearly her whole life. Pip has taken on the challenge of going outside quite well. Climbing up trees, walking through creeks, and sniffing through mulch litter. These are just some of her daily activities, but she also enjoys being in her enclosure where she is often munching on her browse, her favourite being swamp mahogany, and Lilli Pilli tip.

With her gorgeous nature, and her beautiful looks it hasn't taken long for her to be ready for her first guest experience, giving our Mountain brush tail 'Hope' a holiday. Pip successfully completed her first experience in early August with a young girl called Becky from England. We took Pip and Becky down to the creek area, where Pip and Becky had huge cuddles, and photos. Pip was given her favourite treat which is sweet potato, and corn on the cob, then Pip let us know that it was time for a walk. Little Becky went for a long walk along the shuttle track, Pip was a star and with a face like that how couldn't she be.

Next time your at Australia Zoo make sure you book early for the possum experience, as there is limited spaces daily and who knows you may get a chance to meet gorgeous Pip, or get to hang with our sweet little Hope.