Can we see the forest for the trees? Ongoing challenges in the conservation of Victoria’s enigmatic Leadbeater’s possum
Abstract
The most important single recovery action for Leadbeater’s possum has occurred – the end of native forest logging in Victoria. And yet the future of this small, enigmatic possum is far from secure. The reduced abundance of hollow-bearing trees, bushfires and climate change all present challenges ahead. Camera traps have greatly increased our ability to reliably detect the species, and extensive surveys conducted since the Black Saturday fires in 2009 indicate populations have recovered well in some parts of the Central Highlands. The great vulnerability of the species is to successive large fires within a short interval (≤50 years), as could occur during the next century with climate change.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Species Distribution and Climate Change
Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
Biological Control of Invasive Species
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria
- Publisher
- CSIRO Publishing
- Volume
- 138
- Issue
- 1
- Publication date
- 23 January 2026
- Language
- EN