Just found this article on the web : Western pygmy possum Burramyidae - Australian Geographic Does anyone know if it has been kept ( or even bred ) in captivity ?
It is almost certain to have been kept in captivity and possibly bred, but never in a sustained way. Unfortunately even the eastern pygmy possum has disappeared from captivity, (we quite possibly had the last one, and only ever had one). The only pygmy possum now in captivity is the mountain pygmy possum. The preference for small possums in Aussie zoos these days are feathertail gliders.
Richard Weigl's book 'Longevity of Mammals in Captivity' records a member of this species living at Perth Zoo from 1999 to 2001.
Definitely kept at Perth at least from around when the Nocturnal house was built. As was mentioned unless there is a self-sustaining captive population then the small marsupials tend to disappear pretty quickly. Pity.
Actually... -Eastern Pygmy Possum is apparently held at Australian Walkabout Wildlife Park (just one). -Western Pygmy Possum is definitely held at Cleland Wildlife Park - because I saw one there two weeks ago! I actually thought it was a feathertail to start with, it could almost climb the glass and was rather manic! Awful photo of it below.
