polebara

Polebara is a genus of small, nocturnal marsupials native to Australia. These creatures are also commonly known as honey possums or nectar-feeding possums due to their specialized diet. Polebara are characterized by their long, slender snouts, prehensile tails, and brush-tipped tongues, which are perfectly adapted for extracting nectar and pollen from flowers. They are among the smallest of all known marsupials, typically measuring around 5-10 centimeters in body length, with a tail of similar length.

The diet of Polebara consists primarily of nectar and pollen from a wide variety of flowering plants, making them important pollinators. They supplement their diet with small insects and other invertebrates. Their activity is mainly nocturnal, spending their days sleeping in tree hollows, dense foliage, or nests constructed from shredded bark and leaves.

Polebara are generally solitary animals, coming together mainly for breeding. Females typically give birth to one or two young, which are carried in a pouch. The genus Polebara includes only one recognized species, the Western Pygmy Possum (Cercartetus concinnus), though there has been some debate and reclassification of related species in the past. Their conservation status varies depending on the specific population and region, with habitat loss and introduced predators posing threats to their survival.