Possums facing solar panel threat as temperatures rise

Despite their benefits for the environment, solar panels have been identified as a threat to critically endangered western ringtail possums. According to FAWNA president Suzanne Strapp, the possums create nests underneath the panels and sleep overnight until temperatures rise, causing the animals to become dehydrated and flee across roofs, which heat up to 60C on hot days, burning their paws. The burns can be as severe as second-degree and mean the animal can’t eat, climb or even walk. “Over the last three years we’ve seen an emerging problem for the western ringtail possums that’s come largely from the uptake of solar panels,” Ms Strapp said. “Now we love the idea that people are using more solar panels but we’ve discovered that the western ringtail possums are enjoying it as a place to live safely. “It’s awful for us to see these animals suffering, and because it’s also a man-made problem, they’re burning themselves on hot Colorbond and tile roofs so it’s really up to the community to be looking at solutions so that these animals aren’t put in that position.” It is very unusual for possums to be out during the day, and Ms Strapp said the quicker an animal in distress could be reported to a wildlife emergency service such as FAWNA, the better chance it had of survival. Ms Strapp said her organisation had seen a rapid increase in possums suffering burns as the summers got hotter, and she feared the predicted harsh summer would only make things worse. She proposes making trees on properties more appealing for possums by building dreys and having a more widespread adoption of anti-nesting measures such as a mesh or plastic barriers to stop animals getting underneath solar panels. “There’s talk of different options, perhaps using the (bushfire attack level)-rated gutter guard that is available so that it can be used in high fire-risk areas,” Ms Strapp said. “We encourage people to put homemade dreys in the trees. “It’s not hard to do. If you go on the FAWNA website you can have a look on how to make them. “They’re a good thing to do at home with the kids, and hanging some dreys in the backyard to encourage them to sleep there instead of on the roof.” With rising numbers of animals being treated, FAWNA and vet services were struggling to keep up, Ms Strapp said. FAWNA is trying to upgrade its facilities to include a site office to care for injured wildlife. After securing a four-month lease, it was discovered it would cost $3500 to transport the building, and to buy it would be $45,000. This has spurred the organisation to seek funding to buy the building, but it has been a struggle. After going out to multiple companies, she has secured a $5000 fund from Rio Tinto to transport the building, and a GoFundMe page has raised $10,000 so far from the community towards buying the site.