Homeowner shares photo of backyard's adorable 'new tenant': 'He looks great'

A backyard birdhouse turned into a new home for one marsupial. 

A homeowner in Australia was pleasantly surprised to see a curious critter making itself at home in their backyard. They shared an adorable photo on Reddit and described the animal as "our new tenant."

The picture shows a little ringtail possum peeking out of a large birdhouse. There are different species of ringtail possum. But if this is a western ringtail possum, native to Western Australia, they are considered critically endangered, and housing the critter is doing a great service for the species. 

It's a beautiful sight, and animal visits like these aren't uncommon for homeowners with native plant lawns. 

While traditional grass lawns are ecological dead zones, native lawns and gardens provide shelter, food, and other resources for local wildlife. Homeowners can also install wildlife-friendly decorations, like birdhouses and birdbaths, to boost biodiversity in their backyard. 

One woman found a baby deer resting in the grass of her rewilded yard. Another homeowner found a family of foxes playing in their foliage-filled garden.

Aside from cute animal sightings, native lawns also offer homeowners financial benefits.

Traditional grass lawns require a lot of maintenance — mowing, weeding, watering, and more. Native lawns, on the other hand, are adapted to thrive in their zones and require little routine maintenance once established.

Upgrading to a natural lawn can save homeowners hundreds of hours and over $1,000 a year in maintenance, according to The Plant Native. 

You don't need a complete backyard makeover to enjoy the benefits of rewilding your lawn. It can be as simple as switching to a native groundcover, like clover or buffalo, or planting a garden filled with pollinator-friendly wildflowers. 

Which of these savings plans for rooftop solar panels would be most appealing for you? Save $1,000 this year 💸 Save less this year but $20k in 10 years 💰 Save less in 10 years but $80k in 20 years 🤑 Couldn't pay me to go solar 😒 Click your choice to see results and earn rewards to spend on home upgrades.

Commenters congratulated the homeowner on their adorable new resident. 

"Little cutie!" one user said.

"Lucky you, he looks great," another Redditor wrote.

"Rent is bottle brushes, eucalyptus leaves and some fruits," a third commenter joked.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.