OPOSSUM SEASON

Grey River Argus, 10 August 1937, Page 7

OPOSSUM SEASON

AUCKLAND SKINS. AUCKLAND, August 8. Wet weather this year has interfered with the opossum trapping season in Auckland. Last year over 10,000 opossums were trapped in the Auckland province, the Dominion total being in the vicinity of 200,000. The present season, which opened on June 14, did not commence very successfully, many of the skins being early caught, light in fur and badly marked.

In spite of this reserve, however, it is anticipated that between 18,000 and 19,000 skins will be sold, 8000 having already been received. This is 500 in excess of the number received at the same date last year. Overseas markets for opossum furs have recently been depressed, the demand from the Continent, which was formerly an important buyer of New Zealand skins, showing no signs of an early revival. At a sale held in Dunedin, the clearing centre for the Dominion, «:n July 16, prices were rather lower than anticipated, partly owing to the mild weather in some parts retarding the growth of winter fur. i In the Auckland province two varieties of opossums are found. The lighter coloured animals inhabit an area roughly bounded by Puhoi and the Waitakere Ranges on the north and by the Clevedon on the south. Their furs are blue and grey. The dark coloured opossums, which have brown and black furs, are found at Kar.angahake, Rotorua and Waikaremoana. Although trappers have been active for many years, in most areas opossums are increasing in numbers.