Australian homeowners are increasingly finding wild animals inside their houses, including koalas on beds and possums under kitchen sinks. A new study shows that native animals are moving into human buildings because their natural forest habitats and tree hollows are disappearing.
Researchers analysed ten years of wildlife rescue records, covering 2,400 cases of animals using houses as shelter. Brushtail and ringtail possums accounted for half of all reported cases, followed by small bats known as microbats and bare-nosed wombats. Most animals chose roof spaces, wall cavities, or garages, but about 10% entered indoor living spaces like kitchens and bedrooms.
Rescue organizations have responded to several unusual calls. In one recent case, a homeowner found seven young sugar gliders hiding inside a cupboard under her kitchen sink. In another instance, a koala ran down a hallway and sat calmly on a bedroom bed before rescuers arrived.
Bethany Kiss, the lead author of the study from the University of Melbourne, explained that wildlife is searching for substitute shelter as natural options decline. She suggested that architects should work closely with ecologists to build animal-friendly housing, adding features like possum boxes or special nesting shelves so humans and wildlife can safely coexist.