In a bizarre and amusing incident, a living Australian brushtail possum was discovered hiding among plush toy animals on a display shelf at an airport gift shop in Tasmania. The unexpected visitor was spotted by a browsing passenger at the departure terminal shop in Hobart Airport on Wednesday, creating a surreal scene that left staff initially incredulous.
Wildlife Among the Plush Toys
The possum was found nestled among cuddly toy kangaroos, with its big brown eyes moving and peering out from the display. Airport retail manager Liam Bloomfield confirmed the incident on Thursday, describing how the passenger reported the unusual sighting to a staff member.
"A passenger reported it to one of the staff members on shift who couldn't quite believe what she was hearing," Bloomfield said. "She then called the airport management and said we've got a possum in the store."
Surreal Surroundings
The possum had positioned itself in the kangaroo section of the display, surrounded by various Australian native animal toys. Above it were bilbies—marsupials with rabbit-like long ears—and dingoes, Australia's native dog species. Beside it were Tasmanian devils, the growling carnivores that inspired the feisty Warner Bros. cartoon character Taz.
Bloomfield speculated humorously about what might have attracted the possum to the toy shelf. "I'm imagining it saw some of the plush animals that were for sale on the shelf and it decided to make its home with those. It wanted to blend in," he joked.
Swift Response and Safe Removal
A staff member managed to capture video footage of the possum on her phone before the animal grew wary of the increasing attention and left the shop. Airport personnel were then able to safely remove the possum from the airport without causing it any harm.
Several mysteries remain about the incident:
- How the possum entered the store
- How long it had been there before being discovered
- What specifically drew it to the toy display
Bloomfield noted that it was unlikely to have been placed there as a prank, as someone would have needed to put the possum through X-ray screening to get it into the secure departure terminal area.
The incident highlights the occasional unexpected encounters between wildlife and human environments in Australia, even in highly controlled spaces like airport terminals. The possum's brief tenure as an unofficial shop display item provided a memorable moment for passengers and staff alike before its safe return to its natural habitat.
