Book a Hotel!
Find the perfect place to stay during your visit to Edinburgh and the Zoo!
How you can help
The natural world needs our help...and we need yours! Please consider making a donation to support our conservation, education and research work, both within our parks and across the world.
| Common Name: | Ground Cuscus | Family: | Phalangeridae |
| Latin Name: | Phalanger gymnotis | Diet: | Frugivore |
| Type: | Mammal | Habitat: | Tropical Rainforests |
| Native To: | Australasia | Social Unit: | Solitary |
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least concern |
Ground Cuscus at Edinburgh Zoo
We have two ground cuscus (Phalanger gymnotis) within our collection at Edinburgh Zoo. we have a male called Bruce, he was born in 2006 and a female called Aru, she was born in 2009.
Where can they be found
They can be found in our small monkey house, Magic Forest.
Ground Cuscus in the Wild
Ground cuscus are slow moving, nocturnal frugivores (fruit eating). Adults typically weigh between 2.5 -3kg. They have opposable thumbs on their hind feet, a prehensile tail and a bifurcation between the second and third front digits. This helps them to move easier within the trees and to feed in a suspensory position. A a marsupial they have a front opening pouch with four mammae. One of the most obvious features of the ground cuscus is their very prominant naked ears. In the wild they live in underground burrows and this makes them an easy target for hunters with dogs. Excessive hunting has led to reduced populations in the wild and it is classified as least concern by the IUCN.
Adopt a Ground Cuscus A great way to support RZSS – buy it for yourself or as a gift for the animal lover in your life!
View our other animal profiles: