Cuscus, << KUHS kuhs, >> is a possum that lives on the northern tip of Australia and in New Guinea and nearby islands. It grows about 2 feet (61 centimeters) long, not including the tail. Cuscuses have large eyes, tiny ears, and woolly fur. The fur may be entirely brown, gray, or white, or it may be spotted or striped. The rear part of the tail is hairless and has scales.
Cuscuses move slowly and are most active at night. They live in trees and eat chiefly fruits and leaves. Cuscuses are marsupials. Female marsupials give birth to tiny, poorly developed offspring. Like most marsupials, young cuscuses are carried in a pouch on the mother’s belly until they develop more completely.
