Spotted Cuscus, Havin' a 'Nana

A sweet little snacker in Papua New Guinea

Say hello to the spotted cuscus, a shy tree-dwelling marsupial native to New Guinea, the northmost tip of Queensland, Australia and a few of the small islands in between. This cutie is about the size of a domestic cat, and has gripping feet with opposable digits and a prehensile tail that facilitate its arboreal lifestyle. These features are also handy for holding on when a passerby has a banana that they wish to share.

Spotted cuscus are omnivores, favoring plant leaves and fruit but also occasionally feeding on flowers, small animals or eggs. They feed and hunt at night and during the day they sleep on platforms that they create for themselves in tree branches. But they are not super-speedy, their leisurely pace leading people to sometimes mistake them for sloths. The spotted cuscus is a solitary and territorial creature, competing males defending their territories aggressively. Breeding happens year-round with non-monogamous pairings. Gestation time is about 13 days and then babies will spend 6 to 7 months in their mom’s forward-facing pouch. Females spotted cuscus have four nipples in their pouch and can support up to three infants but they rarely give birth to more than two at a time. They live about 11 years.

Spotted cuscus are nocturnal and shy, typically avoiding humans, so the guy that shot this video was excited to have the opportunity to take some footage of the little fella. At least I think it’s a fella: males have spotted fur, while females do not. In both males and females, fur coloration ranges from grey to dark brown to more reddish tones. Both males and females can have mostly-white or buff coloration too.

Source is below.

mickwagey

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Wikipedia: Common spotted cuscus