THE OPOSSUM

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 35, 13 February 1929, Page 8

THE OPOSSUM

DOES IT DAMAGE OUR BIRD AND FORESTS? SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY. Interesting correspondence in reference to the opossum was before the committee of the Stratford Acclimatisation! Society last night. PROFESSOR KIRK’S WOKIT. The secretary of the New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies Association wrote as follows; I am instructed by the preside*! tfo inorm you that the is in touch with the Department of Internal Affairs with reference to the holding of a scientific inquiry into the question of the damage (if any) done to the forests or the native birds by the opossum. Professor H. B. Kirk, of Victoria University College, has arranged to make a further report on the subject and is supplied with a certain number of opossums each month for examination. He is making a scientific inquiry and will continue to do so for twelve months. The Department is also arranging for a scientific man in the Department oF Agriculture to make an inquiry in. the South Island- The pesident has informed, the Department that the Societies will render any assistance within their powers, as they welcome the fullest scientific inquiry on the subject.

N.S.W. EXPERIENCE.

Enclosed was the following letter Mr. A. S. Le Socuf, director of the Taronga Zoological Park, Sydney: Being very interested in the matter of forest fur production and also in the preservation of our birds, I will he happy to advise on the opossum question as far as experience has been gained in this State. We have no evidence of the opossum being carnivorous or eating birds’ {eggs. The fact that many of our forests are well stocked with opossums of two species and several' kinds of flying phalangers and yet are full of birds would indicate that no harm results in this direction. The statement that they do harm by “competing with the birds, for the food crop” means, I .take it, the berries that ripen in the autumn. These, however, are only available for a few weeks in the year and would make no appreciable difference to the birds throughout the year. Professor Kirk’s report indicates that opossum principally feeds on the leaves of certain vines and trees. If these leaves are also the food of a number of useful bird\ this competition might bo a. matter of moment. Opossums with us, seem to follow up the flowering trees, and probably eat the flowers of the eucalyptus, but these arei born in such abundance that no harm is done. No animals or birds but opossums are destroy ed in our method of snaring. A matter that must have some beai v ing on the number of opossums in your forests is the fact that they have no enemies and so would ho more numerous than they are here. In Australia the Powerful Owl, the monitor lizard or goana and carpet snakes take toll, and probably take 10 or 15 per cent, of the total number annually.