Rescued Australian possums being cared for at West Lothian zoo

This certainly isn't an animal you'd expect to see in the wild everyday.

Six possums - an animal native to Australia - have been rescued after being found outside a supermarket.

They were found abandoned in a cardboard box, but thankfully weren't in a poor condition and are said to be "recovering well".

The group have been given a new temporary home at Five Sisters Zoo in West Lothian.

It's thought the animals were most likely exotic pets that someone could no longer care for.

If you look closely at this image of the sugar glider in the wild you can see it's extra layer of skin between it's front and back legs, almost like 'wings'

This particular species of possum are called sugar gliders.

This name refers to the animal's choice of eating sweet nectar, and its ability to glide through the air, like a flying squirrel.

They are omnivorous which means they eat plants and animals. They are also nocturnal - sleeping during the day and being most active at night.

A spokeswoman for the zoo said that as they are a tropical species "being left to fend for themselves in the harsh Scottish winter in the middle of February did not give them the best chance of survival".

After being rescued the possums have been put in a 30-day quarantine, to make sure they are safe and healthy before being allowed to mix with other animals.

This is far from the first time the zoo has stepped in to help animals like these.

Gary Curran from the Zoo said: "Helping in cases like this is very much how Five Sisters Zoo was started back in 2005."

Over the years it's taken in rescued animals, including bears and lions which had been found in travelling circuses, roadside restaurants, and even warzones.

Gary said his team will continue to assess the health of the possums throughout their 30-day quarantine period.

You might even get the chance to see them in the future, as the zoo is hopeful that once they can be moved into a new habitat, visitors can come and say hello.