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As beggars go, he was charming and persistent. Looked me straight in the eye and blocked my path, his face imploring, tiny hands tugging at my trouser leg.
The encounter wasn't with a skinny street urchin in a dusty Chennai street. It was in Hyde Park in Sydney.
It was a possum. And a plump one at that.
I made the mistake of handing the creature a piece of my bread roll. Figuring I was an easy mark, it was there to accost me at the same spot for several evenings until I changed my route.
Watching from a distance a few nights later, I saw the same possum perform its routine in the same spot for another person. Delighted with the unexpected wildlife encounter in the middle of a bustling city, the new mark handed something over. The marsupial had the humans well trained.
Some years later, the same mistake was made with a king parrot which appeared on the veranda. Beguiled by its boldness, I offered a handful of trail mix, which it readily took from my hand. Within minutes a whole flock had fluttered down to perch on the railing, demanding a share of the spoils.
There's no denying the thrill as they squabbled amongst themselves and landed on my head and hand expecting more. But there was also a niggling concern. Could this interaction actually be doing these beautiful birds harm? Some quick investigation revealed it could.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service warns against feeding native animals. Not only can you feed them unsuitable food that will make them sick but becoming a regular source of sustenance can also make them lazy. When they learn to depend on humans for sustenance, they can forget how to forage for their natural diet. This is a problem in holiday hotspots in particular.
"This can result in some animals starving despite being surrounded by edible bushland during low season when humans aren't around," its website warns.
Also, animals in the wild have terrible table manners. When the food is no longer forthcoming, they can become aggressive. Just like that cute possum in Hyde Park.
Those little hands tugging at the trouser leg might seem adorable at first but when they become too insistent - when a scratch or a bite follow - they quickly turn menacing.
And there's growing evidence of another reason to keep your distance from possums. A surge in flesh-eating Buruli ulcer infections in Victoria has been linked to possums. The Medical Journal of Australia suggested in September last year that possums - a significant percentage of which were found to have traces of the disease in their poo - be vaccinated via baits against the disease.
"If effective in reducing BU disease in possums, it should hopefully simultaneously reduce the occurrence in humans. Furthermore, it would benefit possums, as BU can lead to death, and this would be a safe intervention that could reduce both morbidity and mortality in possums," the article suggested.
As the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service urges, we should keep wildlife wild.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Are you visited by wildlife where you live? Have you been tempted to feed possums and parrots? Should humans keep their distance from native animals? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- A "staggering" $39 million was allegedly laundered by a Chinese criminal gang in just one month in 2022 and police believe they've arrested four of the men responsible. Police said the men laundered $39,527,935 in illicit cash collections and remittance funds to people in China using a "sophisticated network of criminal associates in Melbourne" between July and August 2022.
- The nation's doctors have urged the government to ban online adverts for "junk food" like burgers, fries and sugary drinks. The Australian Medical Association said that this would "put the health of children ahead of the profits of harmful industries".
- China has abolished heavy tariffs against Australian wine in another significant step towards improved diplomatic relations and trade ties. The Chinese government agreed to review the wine tariffs five months ago and has since gradually unwound the trade barriers.
THEY SAID IT: "I feel like I'm nothing without wildlife. They are the stars. I feel awkward without them." - Bindi Irwin
YOU SAID IT: Garry suggested that interest in the paranormal and love for ghost stories spikes during times of great uncertainty and upheaval.
"I have tried to attend a seance," writes Jim. "My brother and some friends used to have them. It never worked when I was there, even on the other side of the room. Am I radiating cynicism? Jamming the spirit's communications?"
Lorraine writes: "I do believe in ghosts and, yes, I have seen one. My parents had not long before built a brand new home, so no murders in this house. One night when I was about 15 I was in bed reading when a female apparition stood at the end of my bed. I wasn't afraid. She stayed for a few seconds then left. I believe it was my guardian angel."
"My lifelong friend (also a Garry) was Head of a 17th century converted small "castle" in Stoke by Clare, Suffolk, in the very late 1970s at a private school," writes Old Donald. He recalls going downstairs to the toilet in the middle of the night. "I will swear I was not alone. I saw nothing and there was no threat: I was not frightened. But she was there. I knew beyond all question that I was in the presence of a lady on those stairs. Garry later confirmed that he had seen her several times while sitting up late marking and preparing his work at the other end of a long hallway."
Terry, who doesn't believe in ghosts, writes: "When we had our honeymoon on Norfolk Island we wandered through the cemetery. There were weird feelings. We then lived there for two years. There is most definitely some paranormal things happening there. I know of someone who woke up during the night with a man standing at the end of his bed. Later on he spoke to the house owner and mentioned the experience. 'Oh that's just old Jim. He died in that bed. Don't worry, he's harmless.'"
"My mother went to Venice shortly after World War II and stayed in the same hotel she'd stayed at many times before. Same room, writes David, who doesn't believe in ghosts but accepts paranormal events do happen. "The next day she went to reception and asked for a change of room. And asked if anything odd had happened in that room she occupied. She was told that the Gestapo had taken over the hotel during the war and certain rooms had been used to interrogate suspects. Hers was one of them. I don't know if being Jewish made her more susceptible but she felt an evil presence."
Four decades in the media, working in print and television. Formerly editor of the South Coast Register and Milton Ulladulla Times. Based on the South Coast of NSW.
Four decades in the media, working in print and television. Formerly editor of the South Coast Register and Milton Ulladulla Times. Based on the South Coast of NSW.
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