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Honey Possum: Tarsipedidae

Honey Possums And People

Honey possums have little direct relation to humans, although they do help to spread flowers along the coast because of their pollen diet. Despite their nocturnal lifestyle, which makes them hard to find, honey possums are also popular with ecotourists. Ecotourists are people who want to observe nature without disturbing it.

EVOLVING ALIKE

Even though monkeys and honey possums are not related, and they are so different in size, they share many characteristics. For example, honey possums have long tails, which they use for grabbing and balancing on branches like monkeys. Both monkeys and honey possums have toes that are good for grasping and climbing. When two animals are not related by evolution but develop similar characteristics, scientists call this "convergent evolution." Since both monkeys and honey possums needed to be able to climb efficiently, they have evolved similar features to help them.

Additional topics

Animal Life ResourceMammalsHoney Possum: Tarsipedidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Honey Possums And People - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, CONSERVATION STATUS