Bear Cuscus

Typically found in the upper canopy of undisturbed tropical forests, the Bear Cuscus has a short face and tiny, furry ears. Its prehensile, partially hairless tail comprises half of its total body length and is used for balance in conjunction with its feet. It appears in a variety of colors depending on its geographic location and age. This species gives birth once or twice per year and its offspring develop further in its pouch.

With a diet that consists primarily of young leaves, the Bear Cuscus spends most of its day resting in order to digest the cellulose. It is also known to eat unripe fruits, flowers and buds thereby restricting the reproductive potential of these plant species. This arboreal marsupial is mainly found in Sulawesi and the bordering islands of Indonesia. It is hypothesized that the isolation of this species to Sulawesi accounts for the animal’s morphological divergence from the rest of the nocturnal marsupials family.