A rare common brushtail possum has gone viral on social media, thanks to her uncanny resemblance to a popularPokemon character.
The baby orphan possum was recently brought into a Melbourne vet clinic and has since been nicknamed Pikachu for her similarity to the famous animated rodent-like creature.
‘We recently had a very special possum brought in to the clinic,’ Boronia Veterinary Clinic And Animal Hospital posted on its Facebook page.
This adorable golden brushtail possum (pictured) is rare and unlikely to be returned to the wild
The possum has a striking resemblance to the popular Pokemon character Pikachu (pictured)
‘The golden colour occurs due to a mutation which causes a low level of the pigment melanin which gives them their normal colour. They are so rare in the wild as although their bright colour makes them look special to us, they also stand out to predators! Luckily for this baby brushtail, she’s gone to carers to be raised and then will end up in a wildlife sanctuary so she can live a long happy life.’
The photo of the adorable marsupial has since attracted more than 1300 shares and sparked hundreds of comments on Facebook.
‘Pretty sure that’s a Pokemon,’ someone commented.
Another added: ‘What a very special and gorgeous little creature.’
The possum (pictured wearing a photoshopped Santa hat), who is dubbed Pikachu and is currently been well looked after by a wildlife carer
The possum’s fame has extended to social media platform Reddit in recent days.
‘Why does Australia get all the cool animals?,’ one posted.
Another added: ‘Attention all Pokemon gamers. Go to Australia and stay there.’
There are four colour variations of the common brushtail possum- silver-grey, brown, black and golden, which is the rarest type.
A photo of the possum has gone viral on social media thanks to her resemblance to Pikachu
Golden brushtail possums are uncommon in the wild as their appearance makes them easy prey for predators.
Boronia Veterinary Clinic And Animal Hospital vet Stephen Reinisch told Fairfax Media the possum was found lying on the ground by a member of the public in reasonably good health and is believed to be five-months-old.
The possum spent a night at the clinic and is now being looked after by a wildlife carer, who will decide on her future.
The photo of the adorable marsupial has since attracted more than 1300 shares and sparked hundreds of comments on Facebook
‘If she becomes [a little] more out there and a bit feisty she might be released, but if she stays anxious she will remain in long-term care,’ Dr Reinisch said.
Golden brushtail possums are mostly found in small pockets in Tasmania where there are fewer wild predators but others are known to live on Melbourne’s outskirts.
‘When I lived in Bayswater north (in Melbourne’s east), we had a female young adult golden possum living in out backyard. I wonder if this was one of her babies,’ one woman posted on Facebook.
Many people saw the possum’s striking similarity to the popular Pokemon character
Wildlife Victoria Caroline Dazey told Fairfax Media: ‘We do get calls about them, there are little pockets of them in Victoria and we try to keep their location secret to keep them safe.’
The rare possum has also been spotted in New Zealand.
The rare possum was found lying on the ground and was presented to Boronia Veterinary Clinic And Animal Hospital (pictured) in Melbourne’s eastern outskirts