New Zealand Possum Curse or Blessing?
Introduced Australian Brush Tailed Possum

Brush Tailed Opossum

Brushtail Opossum

Bed Spread

Toy Bear

The marsupials are offspring from an Australian brush tailed possum. In 1837 they were first brought into New Zealand, from Australia. They were thought to be used to establish the foundation of possum fur industry.

The original attempt failed. Possums were let loose across the country, and although they look cute alone, together they stand a massive threat to New Zealand’s biodiversity. Obliterating with their appetite on young leaves most of New Zealand’s trees including rata, totara, titoki, kowhai, kohekohe and pohutukawa.

Native birds are in constant battle with possums and are now struggling to survive. Due to the fact that possums eat berries and insects that birds need to survive. Their menu even includes chicks and bird eggs. This is a very big hazard. Since possums have no predators except for cars, Kiwis have gone to extreme to measures, to insure that these pesky animals don’t spread.

New Zealand wide set traps, and a paid bounty are examples to get them removed from the country but none of that seemed to work. So soon after due to Kiwi ingenuity they tried to re-establish the possum industry, making mixed fibres of possum fur and merino wool. In the fur industry possum fur products are unique to NZ.

Surprisingly anti-fur protesters said okay to New Zealand possum fur being used for things like, hats, socks,gloves, scarves, shawls, and capes ect. Possibly because they, like the rest of NZ, think cute brush tailed possums in New Zealand are pests. Possum fur is mixed with marino wool, they call it merinomink. Possum gloves are very popular with yachties along with golfers. These mixed fibres are of high quality providing warmth and durability and makes them great for all children, men, and ladies winter clothing. It takes about 18 possums just to make one kilo of fur so there will be a lot of them to go around.

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