What Is Our Attraction?

[elm1976]

Well, we do get them hopping across the road in the national capital! Seriously!

-- Radagast

They get collected by cars all the time, which is sad really, so many are hit. Its worst when they are in groups, a bit scary really, three or four jumping out in front of you at once, just all the more reason to pay attention when driving. It doesn't help being a bush city, they are everywhere, but its also really nice having them there just to be able to look across the paddock and see them lying under the trees at sunrise and dusk.

 

[Bevlina]

Have you ever seen ther giant reds in the outback after they've been hit by a road train?
Oh phew...the smell!!!

 

[lil_one]

ewwwww... Bevlina... that's SO gross!!!! Yuk..........

 

[Bevlina]

he-he-he....part of our attraction lil...!!!

 

[mamaneenie]

The reds in the outback are huge. When we were in Mildura we saw some, and I thought they were big. But someone pointed out that the ones further inland are absolutely huge and would rip your head off.


About the roos in Canberra, they are nice but it is sad because I have seen some even on the outskirts of the city (when we were living in Turner) Apparently they were looking for water because they were hanging around the storm water drains.

 

[Bevlina]

Yes, I think it's sad. But, they hang around the rivers here & many of those are dry now.
There's a bit in some though. Up in Mildura they hang around the Murray & off streams.
There isn't much trouble with them in the fruit though. It's when they start competing with the sheep for food that the farmer gets really cross.
They'll also hang around the bushfire dams. I love them myself!! I had a Big Grey in the backyard one night. Scared the willies out of all & sundry.
I think people are just attracted to the way we interact Mama.

 

[Bevlina]

ewwwww... Bevlina... that's SO gross!!!! Yuk..........

he-he-he-he....

 

[Miss Mayberry]

Um...the chipmunks here smell. Does that count?

 

[Bevlina]

We have possums here in Oz Actress...they are gorgeous. But you can smell them too.

 

[Miss Mayberry]

~sniffs~

 

[Blessed-one]

i've never seen a live possum in the streets, though i've heard a lot about them.
my bro saw one..

the ones in the zoo don't count..

 

[Bevlina]

One often pops into my roof to say G'day!

 

[chris42]

Yeah it's interesting going to other european countries, and they can straight away tell our accent. Australians stick out in the crowd

 

[Bevlina]

Yep! And, our accent is a tough one to lose too! So are our easy going friendly ways.

 

[Icystwolf]

Possums....I heard they're freaky at night...they make really horrible animal growls that scare people...or something like that.....

Well anyways, I'd probably won't mind having one for brunch...lol...my dad went out to hunt possums when I was small, in Tassie, got one, made a soup out of it...and it was grose...

I'm sure I find some way of cooking it....and I'm sure they'll be people eating it, to take revenge of the neighbours upstairs..lol....even feed them the bones....

Ok I've gone too far!

 

[Miss Mayberry]

I didn't know you can eat possum. Ick!

 

[Wolflily]

Good afternoon everyone! (morning down under?)

I'm kinda laughing at the way this thread is called "What's our attraction?" and the conversation is about ROADKILL. Yikes! I don't think that's the attraction. At least, not for me!

I can't imagine a roo jumping in front of my car. I guess it's like the deer here in New England. Lots of damage to your vehicle, not to mention your own self, if you hit a good sized one. Oh, this is sad. I don't want to talk about dead or dying animals anymore...

Are your possums the same as our possums? They are cute in their own way, and relatively harmless. I've raised baby ones when the moms were killed. Oh here we go again, sorry about that.

Not to go too far off the subject (I must be part Aussie, hee hee) but I would imagine certain native animals to you are like squirrels to us - you see them so much they aren't unique after awhile. When I went to Cancun, Mexico, these huge iguanas ate out of my hand like the squirrels do in Boston Common and I had to laugh at the comparison. To the Mexicans, having lizards lounging around on your porch is an everyday occurance, but you'd never see that up north!

There are coyotes that live in the woods behind my house that like to sing along with me and my dog Cody at night in the summer. That's kind of a trip!

Anyway, back to you Aussies...
you're fascinating because you're so fun and sweet and friendly and hilarious! And cute, too!

 

[Miss Mayberry]

Are your possums the same as our possums?

Side Note: (In Australia, there is the Australian Possum. In America, there is the American Possum. Makes sense, doesn't it? As for looks, the Australian Possum can be seen here: http://www.australia-immigration.org/possum.jpe.jpg. The American Possum is here: http://www.baranger.as/family/animals/possum.jpg )



'Nother Side Note: (I can't believe I just researched possums. )

 

[chris42]

It's interesting being Australian, when I went to NZ, that Australian possums are a pest over there, and they are making possums into all sorts of fur products, quite destressing actually. And over there they say swerve to hit a possum rather than swerve to miss one.

 

[mamaneenie]

I had a friend who does pest control. He was saying the American possum is much bigger and nastier than our sweet little thing. In the states apparently the possums (or opossum is it?) are much bigger, more the size of a large feral cat.