Orangutan At Perth Zoo Evicts An Unwanted Possum From Its Treehouse By Launching It Off The Platform

At an Australian zoo, an orangutan shocked onlookers by forcefully removing a possum that had intruded into its territory, effectively "launching" the creature from the top of its enclosure.

Reddit/user/j___---h

A widely circulated video captures the moment the possum is sent flying through the air, disappearing from sight after being propelled from a tall metal tower within Perth Zoo, located on Australia's western coast. 

In the background, several individuals can be heard screaming in shock, with one person exclaiming, "Oh, my God!"

Following the incident, the primate emerges from its enclosure, seemingly checking the area to see where the possum that was thrown into the air had landed.

Reddit/user/j___---h

When asked about what happened to the unfortunate marsupial, a Perth Zoo official told Yahoo! News Australia: “I would presume it did not survive the fall. Obviously the loss of any living creature saddens us, but also nature playing out.”

The individual who posted the video of the possum being thrown by the orangutan on Reddit has revealed details about what happened before the dramatic toss.

According to them, initially, the orangutan was seen "tossing the possum around on the ground."

Following that, the massive orangutan pursued the significantly smaller animal up a pole and resorted to "prodding it with a stick," as stated by the Reddit user.

According to the Reddit user, the possum eventually ended up in a different enclosure that was home to two other orangutans.

The zoo official, in response, attempted to minimize the incident, explaining to the news outlet that although the zoo has a pest control program in place, "sometimes local wildlife manage to sneak in," prompting the animals to take matters into their own hands.

“The orangutan habitat is an outside environment, and possums, who also live at height, just like the orangutans, have been known to inhabit the above-ground territories,” the official explained.

“Whilst every effort is made to catch and remove them, the sheer height provides some challenges and sometimes the orangutans evict the odd possum themselves.”

Reactions to the viral video have been diverse, as Reddit commenters have expressed varying opinions.

Some have praised the orangutan, viewing its actions in a positive light, while others have sympathized with the unfortunate possum, showing support for it instead.

“I know tenants are having a hard time paying the rent … but this eviction is a bit rough,” wrote one internet wit, while another opined that the violent eviction “was personal.”

A third posted: “Bloody hell, that was like an Olympics level discus throw.”

Someone else, however, spared a thought for the small, furry mammal, writing: “aww poor possum.”

The common brushtail possum is a protected species in Australia, facing habitat loss over the years, despite their impressive ability to adapt and thrive in urban settings.

Meanwhile, orangutans have continued to reinforce their reputation as unconventional zoo inhabitants, particularly after an incident last year when one of them was discovered smoking in its enclosure.