A tiger is not exactly high on the list of things you’d like to cuddle up next to at night.

It’s why a baby brushtail possum who somehow survived a night inside a tiger enclosure at the National Zoo & Aquarium is being called the luckiest possum in Canberra.

The male joey, now named Summa, was rescued on Monday morning after a zookeeper noticed something unusual inside the tiger enclosure – a small animal being played with by the eight-year-old Sumatran tiger Mya.

Against the odds, the joey escaped with only minor injuries and is expected to make a full recovery.

An unusual call-out

ACT Wildlife volunteers were called to the zoo early on Monday (2 February) after zoo staff spotted the tiger playing with something in its enclosure on CCTV.

“Meet the luckiest possum in Canberra,” volunteer Corin Pennock posted to Facebook.

“A zookeeper observed the tiger playing with something small and called it into the den. Upon entering the enclosure, the keeper discovered the joey.”

The joey was taken straight to a vet.

“Cat injuries are considered emergencies, regardless of the cat’s size,” Ms Pennock said.

But even though he was likely with the tiger for hours, the joey was in surprisingly good condition.

“To everyone’s surprise, the baby possum was found to be relatively unharmed, with only a minor wound requiring stitches in its leg and a small puncture wound.”

The joey was given antibiotics to prevent infection and pain relief for its injuries, and Ms Pennock said he’ll need physiotherapy to strengthen his leg and “possibly therapy to cope with the experience”.

How did a possum get in there?

ACT Wildlife president Yana del Valle said how the joey ended up with the tiger remains a mystery.

“We have no evidence of mum bearing near or around, so we have no idea how he got into the enclosure,” she told Region.

“He may have climbed in under the canopy, or maybe mum dropped him while she was going across the canopy – we just don’t know.”

Either way, the tiger thought she’d been given a new toy.

“The tiger did play with the little joey in a … cat way, as a toy,” she said.

“Unfortunately, tigers have got claws, like cats, and he did get puncture wounds, but they’re superficial.”

Ms del Valle said the joey was likely inside the enclosure overnight.

“We suspect probably a little while overnight, because he was dehydrated,” she said.

But she praised the zoo’s response.

“The zookeeper quite quickly recognised that that’s an unusual item in the enclosure and called the cat in,” she said.

“They’re amazing how they can train the animals to go into their dens. The reaction was quite good and efficient.”

Not a common occurrence

National Zoo animal care manager Sophie Dentrinos said native animals like birds and possums occasionally wander into zoo enclosures, but rarely into Mya’s.

“We do have brushtail possums that reside here at the zoo and, unfortunately, make their way into some animal enclosures,” she said.

“But it’s pretty infrequent,” she said.

Ms Dentrinos said the zoo had installed nest boxes around the property to encourage possums to stay out of enclosures.

“Our policy is to set up some nest boxes in the areas they’re known to frequent so they’re staying in the gardens, rather than feeling the need to make a residence for themselves in an enclosure.”

Ms. del Valle added that ACT Wildlife is called to the zoo “every now and then,” but this is the first case “we’ve ever had in the tiger enclosure”.

What’s next for Summa?

Ms del Valle said because the joey weighed just 330 grams, he’ll remain in care for several months – until he’s at least two kilograms.

“We were more worried about his shock and stress,” she said.

“But he’s now with a carer. He’s really perked up … and he’s going to make a full recovery.”

Summa will then be released close to the zoo.

“Not, obviously, in the zoo – but we’ll look for a good habitat nearby. With possums, you can’t really relocate them more than 50 metres away from the original place where you found them.”

Fingers crossed he’s learned his lesson.