Native Australian animals are increasingly making their homes in human dwellings, according to new research published in People and Nature. The study, which analysed a decade of wildlife rescue reports, found that animals are seeking out buildings as their natural habitats disappear.
Brushtail and ringtail possums were found to make up half of all cases of animals in buildings, followed by microbats and bare-nosed wombats. The study included 2,400 instances of animals using buildings as habitat, with most found in roof spaces, walls, garages, and under houses. Some animals were discovered in more unusual locations such as letterboxes or air conditioning systems, and approximately 10% were found in indoor rooms, including bedrooms and kitchens.
Bethany Kiss, a University of Melbourne architect and lead author of the study, stated that these incidents are common, with native wildlife using almost every part of a house imaginable. Wildlife Victoria, which provided data for the study, reported cases such as juvenile sugar gliders found in a kitchen and an echidna pulling items off pantry shelves.
Ericka Tudhope, a rehabilitation specialist from Microbats of Melbourne, noted that bats living in roofs is common and generally not a concern, as they can help control insect populations and rarely cause damage. In New South Wales, the Wires rescue service observed that animals often seek shelter during cold or extreme weather, including a recent instance of a koala found sitting on a bed.