Striped Possum: The Far North Queensland Guide
Striped Possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata), also sometimes known as Torresian Striped Possum to separate from the recently split Arfak Striped Possum, are easily one of Australia’s most striking and sought-after mammals. Large, boldly patterned in black-and-white stripes, with a gorgeous blackish fluffy tail (with a white tip), a big charismatic face with a pink nose, it’s pretty easy to see why. Compared to many of Australia’s other possums, it’s by far one of the most striking, particularly within a group of largely brown, grey and rufousy coloured animals. They are also the only Australian representative of the genus Dactylopsila, famous for their extraordinarily elongated fourth finger, which they use to extract beetle larvae from deep inside timber.
For mammalwatchers, Striped Possum are often one of the major targets on a trip to Far North Queensland and for some reason, have a very mixed reputation when it comes to observability. Some people swear they're as difficult as they come, while others insist they're a walk in the park. In my experience, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. If you avoid the ridiculously easy viewing at Chambers Rainforest Lodge (mentioned below) and instead follow a few simple techniques in the right habitat, they can actually be quite reliable. On the other hand, if you're simply wandering through the seemingly endless Mabi Forest or tropical rainforest of Far North Queensland without a plan, they can quickly become a bit of a nightmare (I know a birder who missed this species eight times before giving up and going to Chambers).
Before getting into the finer details, I've found there are a few general approaches that can be very helpful when searching for this species. First up, the best part is that they're pretty reliable all year round. Unlike many rainforest mammals, they seem happy to go about their business regardless of the weather. I've watched them feeding happily in pouring tropical rain during the wet season, and just as actively on very windy nights when the branches are swaying overhead. They seem remarkably tolerant of poor conditions, so your chances of success are generally high.
Overall, I’d rate this animal:
3/5 for observability
3/5 for photography
If you’re using a torch or headlamp, Striped Possum give off bright and obvious eyeshine that can be detected from a far distance (trusting you have a clear view). I’d rate these animals around 4/5 for eyeshine brightness. As with most nocturnal wildlife, a headlamp with a nice wide beam is ideal for scanning large areas of forest. It doesn't need to be incredibly bright, just a clean white light that lets you pick up eyeshine well ahead of you.
If the animal is feeding (or tapping away at rotting wood), more often than not it will just sit there, completely unconcerned about a few weird humans with torches. My recommendation is that once you pick up eyeshine, switch off your wide-beam headlamp and use a handheld red-light torch while approaching. Once you're within photography range, gradually blend in your white light and allow the possum a few moments to adjust before switching off the red light and starting to snap away. Normally, Stripeys are found doing their thing around mid-canopy level, but keep in mind they can be anywhere from almost ground level right up into the highest reaches of some incredibly tall old-growth rainforest.
Even “mid-canopy” can still be more than 10 metres above the forest floor, so flash is mostly useless. Instead, if you have an animal sitting nice and still, switch to manual mode, open your aperture as wide as possible, slow your shutter speed and start with Auto ISO. Once you've taken a few record shots, gradually lower your shutter speed as far as you can comfortably handhold (many experienced photographers can get down to around 1/60 or even 1/30 of a second), then begin manually reducing your ISO to improve image quality. A bright torch can also make a noticeable difference. As this species mostly “sits still” looking at you, you can usually get some good results with this technique.
If the animal is actively feeding or working its way through a tree, you're better off using Auto ISO, a wide-open aperture (again), and increasing your shutter speed a little (around 1/250 is usually a good starting point). Don’t go too fast or you’ll get absolutely nothing. Bumping up the shutter will result in shots that are either completely black or so noisy they look like they were taken underwater.
Stripey’s will often stop and start as they zip through the canopy, dashing around in its typical fashion, so wait for those little pauses in movement before taking your shots. Don't worry about trying to photograph it while it's moving (as it’s basically pointless), those brief moments of stillness give you the best opportunity to lock focus and get a sharp image. Once they really get going, there's no point trying to keep up. They can absolutely rocket through the trees, clearing large gaps between branches.
If you’ve found your one and only Stripey for the night (and it just won’t sit still), I’ve found that "psshing" will sometimes make them pause or look around (much like with Krefft's Glider, Leadbeater's Possum and other small mammals). This is far from fool proof, but worth a try if you’re desperate.
If a Striped Possum is feeding, you'll often hear it before you see it. They are surprisingly noisy as they bite, gnaw and tear into the trunks of natives. They particularly like rotting trees, a good spot for finding wood-boring beetle larvae, which is a major part of their diets. Once they've opened the trunk, they'll probe around inside with their elongated fourth finger (like other trioks), hooking out larvae from within the wood. It’s a very cool behaviour to watch. Generally, they're much noisier than most other arboreal marsupials when moving through the canopy. Compared to the much quieter Green Ringtail, Lemuroid Ringtail and Herbert River Ringtail Possum, Stripeys seem to have far less regard for being discreet. You’ll almost always pick up their crashing, rustling and scrambling as they dash between the trees.
Specifically, one of the best ways I've found to track them down is by listening for their distinctive knocking. It sounds exactly like a child in kindergarten tapping a wooden block with a soft mallet. Listen for clear, hollow knocks that ring through the forest, usually spaced a few uneven seconds apart. Once you learn the sound, you'll never mistake it for anything else. If you hear this, you've almost certainly found a Stripey, and better still,you've found one that's committed to a tree trunk. That's about as good as it gets, as they're usually far less likely to move off and often provide excellent viewing and photography opportunities.
Try to keep an eye on where you're walking. Not only is there plenty of stuff you could accidentally step on (from Cane Toads to Northern Death Adders), but Stripeys will sometimes bolt if you suddenly step on a particularly crunchy patch of leaf litter or snap a stick. In general, this is a good rule for most mammalwatching, as I’ve seen so many good species leg it when someone has accidentally crushed a piece of bracken or something.
Finally, keep in mind that Stripeys are much larger than most people expect. Most people often imagine a Krefft's or Sugar Glider-sized animal, when in reality they're more than twice the size. If I had to compare them to something, I'd say think of a slightly smaller Yellow-bellied Glider, especially in the way they grip tree trunks and move around the forest (very glider like, maybe a nod to their Family Petauridae roots). With their larger size in mind, don't feel like you need to peer behind every leaf. It’s not a pygmy possum, it’s going to be big and obvious; you’re not going to miss it.
Like most mammalwatching, a thermal works well for finding them. As they’re big and often out on exposed branches, a thermal makes them easy to detect. Their entire body gives off a strong heat signature, so much so that fluffy tail stands out clearly against the cooler forest background. That said, this is absolutely not a species you need a thermal for, so don't stress if you haven't invested in the gear. A decent headlamp, a good pair of ears and a bit of patience will usually serve you just as well.
Range-wise, Striped Possum have a fairly broad distribution across Far North Queensland, occurring from around Paluma north to the tip of Cape York (give or take), with most records concentrated in wetter forests closer to the coast. They are most strongly associated with tropical rainforest, Mabi Forest and adjacent wet sclerophyll and woodland habitats, although they'll often forage along rainforest edges and in more open country where suitable feeding trees are present. They occur from near sea level right through to the upland rainforests of the Atherton Tablelands, making them one of the more widespread rainforest mammals in the region.
If you're doing a recce during the day, try to keep an eye out for Bumpy Satinash (Syzygium cormiflorum), one of Stripeys' favourite trees. They'll happily chew both the flowers and fruit, making it a great place to check after dark. Better still, it's a super easy tree to identify, even for wildlife people who are self-confessed morons when it comes to plants. As a side note, Bumpy Satinash is also fantastic for the epically hard Long-tailed Pygmy Possum, as well as very various bast, countless rainforest insects and heaps of moths. Winner winner.
In Cairns, the famous spot is the Cairns Botanic Gardens, particularly in the Flecker Botanic Garden section, where there is an extensive boardwalk through a forest of Pandanus solms-laubachii, Scrub Breadfruit (Benstonea monticola) and a variety of palms and paperbarks. Start of the walk is off Collins Avenue, or you can park and walk up from Greenslopes Avenue to this spot (-16.90112550493391, 145.75113470679446). Keep in mind there is a popular bug macro photo tour that runs here and often bothers all of the Red-necked Crake, Rufous Owl, Queensland Barred Bandicoot and other goodies, so you may have to be patient.
Another good local spot here is Kuranda, along the Black Mountain Road. I usually drive down to around here (-16.800929111718492, 145.638288310488), park near the creek and start walking from north here. I sometimes spotlight a bit further up near the cleared section going south (-16.78594095648816, 145.62704240206315), but I’ve never recorded them here.
On the Tablelands, the two most well-known spots are both ecolodges, Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge and Chambers Rainforest Lodge. At Kingfisher, just wander around the garden using some of the techniques mentioned above and hopefully you’ll bump into one or two. If you give it a good shot and don’t succeed, hop in the car and drive down the road to Abattoir Swamp. There is a Stripey that lives in the main woodland/pseudo-rainforest habitat in the car park. Sometimes you can see him poking his nose out of his hollow during the day. That said, keep in mind that this species uses multiple den hollows, so stagwatching is a real risk if you don’t know exactly which hollow they’ve chosen to use the night you happen to be their waiting and watching. For hollows, if you’re in thicker rainforest, this species will also burrow into the centre of epiphytes (particularly Basked Fern (Drynaria rigidula) and Stag Horn Fern (Platycerium superbum).
On the Tablelands, the two best-known sites are the excellent Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge and Chambers Rainforest Lodge. At Kingfisher, simply wander around the gardens using some of the techniques mentioned above and, with a bit of luck, you'll bump into one or two. If you don't have any success, hop in the car and head a few minutes down the road to Abattoir Swamp. There is a well-known Stripey that regularly uses the woodland/pseudo-rainforest around the main car park. During the day, it's not uncommon to see it poking its nose out of a hollow during the day.
That said, keep in mind that Stripeys regularly use multiple den sites, so stagwatching a single hollow can be a risky strategy. In denser rainforest, they also frequently shelter inside large epiphytes, particularly Basket Fern (Drynaria rigidula) and Staghorn Fern (Platycerium superbum), where they can disappear remarkably well.
Further south at Chambers Rainforest Lodge, Striped Possum are easily seen at the lodge's famous nightly feeders. I cover this in more detail here, but if Stripeys are your dream mammal, staying at Chambers is an absolute no-brainer.
Around Cooktown, I have seen Striped Possum a lot and this area seems to have the highest density of this species. Honestly, they have become a notable point of frustration when searching for the much more difficult Bennett’s Tree Kangaroo. Most nights spotlighting along various roads and good habitat around Shipton Flats will result 5-10 Striped Possum give or take. The famous Mungumby Lodge also has several Striped Possum that seem relatively common and easy to see (as Hamish or Isabella for recent spots). Last two times I’ve been there, there’s been a Striped Possum down the road near the bend (-15.704557558220813, 145.25132321756368).
If you're staying in Cooktown itself, try the Botanic Gardens or Mount Cook, both have given me plenty of good Stripey encounters over the years. Mount Cook is also the only place I've recorded Rufous Owl around Cooktown, so it's well worth a visit if that's another species you're hoping to find. Just keep in mind that there are plenty of Northern Death Adder here, so watch where you're putting your feet after dark, particularly if you wander off the tracks.
In the Daintree (north of the Daintree River), I've also seen plenty of Stripeys in good habitat throughout the region. Try around the Madja Boardwalk and, honestly more or less anywhere around Cape Tribulation with decent rainforest. Edge forest is good here.
If you're staying on the southern side of the Daintree River (perhaps around Daintree Village or Wonga Beach), there's also a nice patch of isolated rainforest along Cape Tribulation Road that's always worth a poke around. I normally park here (-16.269490444924664, 145.39186179777906) and wander the forest or just do the edge. It's consistently solid for mammal watching in general. Not that I’ve had success (yet) but I found this spot after a local said there was a family of Bennetts Tree Kangaroo using it, so that’s always worth checking.
For those trapped in the tourist-infested hellhole of Port Douglas, don't despair as Wonga Beach is only a short drive away. I've seen Stripeys every time I've stayed at Daintree Rainforest Retreat and it's become one of my favourite local spots. There's also some excellent spotlighting along the edges of Mowbray National Park. Follow the Mossman–Mount Molloy Road, then turn onto Cassowary Road (approximately -16.501167921254837, 145.3924545391554). The narrow forest corridors through here seem to support plenty of Stripeys and are generally excellent for mammal watching (both Northern Brown and Queensland Barred Bandicoot are everywhere). I'd recommend doing a recce during the day first, as there are a few houses tucked away through the area and the roads can be a bit of a maze after dark.
Back around Atherton, both Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine (at Crater Lakes National Park) are your best spots. Other famous spots such as Curtain Fig Tree, Malanda and Wongabel State Forest are all good too. Other people have recommended Mount Hypipamee to me for Striped Possum on several occasions, but in over 80 nights of spotlighting I have only recorded this species twice here (both times on satinash when waiting for Long-tailed Pygmy Possum). If you’re staying in Atherton itself, try Halloran’s Hill Conservation Park or the forest near Sylvia Creek (park at -17.272084645198, 145.4661979229872 which is located off Rifle Range Road. I normally walk north around Sylvia Creek Road, but continuing along Rifle Range towards the Mountain Bike Path can be good too).
If you're travelling further south around Townsville and Ingham, I've recorded Stripeys along the road through Girringun National Park (on the way to Mount Claro in search of the Mount Claro Rock Wallaby). The habitat throughout here is excellent and also a great place to search for Northern Greater Glider, particularly where the wetter forests begin transitioning into the drier woodlands towards the Mount Fox side of the range.
Stripeys also occur throughout Paluma. I haven't personally recorded them there, but iNaturalist has a handful of records from suitable habitat, suggesting they're reasonably widespread through the area.
If you're staying around Ingham (perhaps while searching for Mahogany Gliders), I once based myself at Forrest Beach and had a very productive night spotlighting through the coastal woodland around Allingham Beach and along Cassady Beach Road, recording Striped Possum at both locations.
Further up the coast, if you're staying around Mission Beach, you're spoilt for choice. The main walk through Djiru National Park is a good place to start, but honestly, almost any spotlighting through suitable habitat around Wongaling Beach, South Mission Beach or the Licuala Day Use Area should give you a decent chance of finding Striped Possum.
Around Etty Bay (true Southern Cassowary country), I've never really found a consistently good spot for Striped Possum. If you're desperate, I'd probably try Bob Moyle Park at Polly Creek, Coquette Point Road, or some of those wonderfully tempting roads-to-nowhere through Ella Bay National Park. The habitat certainly looks the part, and there are various miscellaneous records from the area, so I suspect it's more a matter of persistence than location.
Overall, Striped Possum are one of those mammals that become dramatically easier once you "click" with them. Learn the knocking, look for the right habitat, keep your ears open and don't rush through the forest. Do that, and I think you'll find they're nowhere near as difficult as their reputation suggests. Better still, they're one of Australia's most awesome rainforest mammals and an absolute joy to spend time watching. Good luck!
