[HPFGU-OTChatter] re: Possum and Olympics

[Shaun Hately]

On 12 Jul 2005 at 1:57, Catlady (Rita Prince Winston) wrote:

> Storm wrote in 
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPFGU-OTChatter/message/27941 :
> 
> << Organised to take the possum to the vet tomorrow >>
> 
> Possum? Short for opossum? The only native marsupial in North America?
> What's it doing in New Zealand?

Possums are a variety of marsupial native to Australia.

They were originally named by people who were only familiar with the 
North American opossum, hence the similarity in the names.

The Brush Tailed Possum was introduced into New Zealand from 
Australia in 1837 to start a fur industry, and there are around 70 
million brushtails in New Zealand today, where they are generally 
regarded as a pest.

Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia