Possum fur goes into the lucrative high-end possum/merino blend clothing trade. Possum trapping helps wildlife management by culling an introduced pest.
With a dedicated approach in areas where possums thrive, just two trappers working several lines over two weeks can kills as many as 2,000 of the nocturnal creatures.
Possum Fur
The possum, native to Australia, has very low micron fur which is ideal for making warm clothing. Each fine fur strand is hollow and it is this feature which makes possum fur an excellent insulator. No other fur is superior.
It takes approximately 22 possums to yield a kilo of fur. The fur is harvested using a motorised rubber ‘sanding’ belt. Each possum is manipulated on the belt until the fur is stripped. Usually mixed with merino sheep’s wool, possum fur is used in the lucrative high-end clothing trade to produce fashion garments as well as socks and gloves.
Trapping Possums
Trappers will tempt the possums for two nights with plentiful, delicious food. One trapper uses a bait made by mixing a strong apple base with flour, curry powder, and used fast-food cooking oil. Once the possum has had a good feed, he marks the nearby trees with his nose, now oily from the bait, to tell other possums that free food in plenty is close.
By the the third night, the possum is coming back to the baiting area because he learns quickly, and like humans, loves more of a good thing. But this time the food is laced with cyanide. The cyanide immediately slows the heart rate and the bait doesn’t even make it to the possum’s stomach. He falls where he stands and the next morning, the trappers pick up their cull.
Possum Habits and Effect on Environment
Because these animals utilise the same paths, rarely developing a new one, an observant trapper has a relatively easy job. Possums eat certain foods at specific times of year when the seasons ripen. It’s claimed that NZ has around 30 million possums, who each night eat around 9,000 tonnes of vegetation, a devastating onslaught for the natural environment. In Australia they have natural enemies but in NZ they reproduce unchecked.
At the current price of $95 per kg, possum trapping has become commercially more than viable. Though well-trapped regions are seeing a drop in possum numbers, there is no fear yet that the fur trade will die for lack of animals to supply it. Possums start to breed at approximately 12 months. It is not unusual to observe a pregnant female carrying a six-week-old joey in her pouch as well as having a six-month old youngster clinging to her back.
Trappers derive good income from their activity and perform a simultaneous culling service, while the clothing industry produces from their harvest, the warmest clothing on the planet.
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Bioforce
Daily Organics
Theresa Sjoquist
Theresa Sjoquist
