Two baby gliding possums were displayed to the public at a zoo in the Urals on Sunday. It was an unusual event as the pair are twins – and possums rarely give birth to more than one cub.
The tiny pair were born a month ago to parents Napoleon and
Josephine – who are, even more unusually, raising their children
together at Yekaterinburg Zoo, in the capital of Russia’s Urals
Federal District.
Now that the “quarantine” period has passed, the female and male
cubs must live outside of their mother’s pouch as they are too
big, and there is no longer enough space for them. They can no
longer fit together, even though sugar gliders normally spend two
months inside the mother’s pouch.
The tiny twins can still fit on the palms of the hands of zoo
employees, but at full length they will grow to some 17
centimeters.
Gliding possums to not usually live in pairs as the father can
act aggressively toward the children. However, so far Napoleon
has not bitten the little ones and does not appear afraid of
them.
“In general, they are an exemplary family,” zoo employee
Christina Vdovina told Rossiyskaya Gazeta, describing their
behavior as “strange.”
The twins do not yet have names. However, Vdovina says that it is
desirable they will have a “pair” name, as is the case with their
mother and father.
Although it is necessary for some staff at the zoo to have
contact with the animals, the public are not permitted to handle
the tiny animals.
Sugar gliders are native to Australia, and can also be found on
islands such as Tasmania and Papua New Guinea. They are nocturnal
creatures whose natural habitat is among the trees.
In captivity the animals can live up to 12 years.