The Sulawesi bear cuscus, also known as the Sulawesi bear phalanger (Ailurops ursinus), is a species of arboreal marsupial in the family Phalangeridae that is endemic to Sulawesi and nearby islands in Indonesia. It lives in tropical moist lowland forest at elevations up to and is diurnal, folivorous and often found in pairs. A. ursinus is threatened by hunting, collection for the pet trade and deforestation.

When approached, their automatic reaction is to wrap their tail around a nearby branch and switch from tripedal and bipedal posture with their foreleg raised. While doing these movements, they're constantly making short, harsh sounds.

Sulawesi bear cuscus

Bear cuscuses can feed on the young leaves of up to 31 different species of plants varying from trees, lianas, and mistletoes. Feeding only amounts to about 5% of their daily activity, compared to about 63% spent on resting.

Sulawesi bear cuscus

Gallery

References

Possums

Mammals of Sulawesi

Mammals described in 1824

Taxonomy articles created by Polbot

Sulawesi bear cuscus