The Spotted Cuscus Proves That Slow and Steady Wins the Canopy

With their thick fur, long tails, and big, curious eyes, cuscuses are charming forest creatures. They may look slightly comical, but they move through the trees with slow, deliberate grace. Just like the clever cuscus featured in this YouTube video, these fascinating animals show that being effective doesn’t always require speed or flashiness. In fact, you could say they have truly mastered the art of ‘hanging around.’

Getting to Know the Cuscus

Cuscuses are nicknamed “marsupial monkeys” because they resemble monkeys or lemurs. However, they are actually marsupials, more closely related to possums. These adorable creatures are quite small, reaching about the size of a housecat, typically 12 to 25 inches long and weighing 3 to 13 pounds. Like monkeys, they have long, prehensile tails—usually 10 to 24 inches in length—with bare tips that provide a better grip and help them climb effortlessly through the trees.

There are several species of cuscus, but the animal featured in the YouTube video is the spotted cuscus (Spilocuscus maculatus). Males are easily recognized by their brownish-red fur and white spotted patterns. Females, in contrast, are usually gray, white, or brown and do not have spots.

Where Do Cuscuses Live?

Spotted cuscuses can be found in New Guinea, the Cape York Peninsula in northern Australia, and some of the surrounding islands. They are arboreal, which means they spend most of their lives in trees. They live in various types of forests, including rainforests, hardwood forests, eucalyptus forests, and mangroves. Their diet mainly consists of leaves and fruit, though occasionally they may catch a lizard or bird. Because their diet is low in energy, cuscuses have a slow metabolism and move slowly.

Because they move slowly and are nocturnal, they are surprisingly good at staying out of sight. In addition, cuscuses use large palm fronds as cover while napping in the tree canopy. They tuck these large leaves around their small bodies like a vibrant green blanket, which helps them stay hidden from predators while they rest.

The Prehensile Power of the Cuscus’ Tail

Cuscuses are quite the acrobats of the forest canopy. They are incredibly skilled climbers thanks to their flexible toes, strong claws, and long, prehensile tails. Their tails are covered in thick fur for most of their length, but the very end is bare, which helps the cuscus get an even better grip. The underside of their tails also has rough bumps called papillae. Their tails are prehensile, meaning they can grasp objects and function like an extra limb. Sometimes, like in the YouTube video, they even hang completely upside down from a branch, held securely by the impressive grip and flexibility of their tail.