This Months Pest..... ( kinda) the Oppossum
There are more than 60 different species of opossum, which are
often called possums. The most notable is the Virginia opossum or
common opossum—the only marsupial (pouched mammal) found in the
United States and Canada. A female opossum gives birth to helpless
young as tiny as honeybees. Babies immediately crawl into the
mother's pouch, where they continue to develop. As they get larger,
they will go in and out of the pouch and sometimes ride on the
mother's back as she hunts for food. Opossums may give birth to as
many as 20 babies in a litter, but fewer than half of them survive.
Some never even make it as far as the pouch. Opossums are
scavengers, and they often visit human homes or settlements to raid
garbage cans, dumpsters, and other containers. They are attracted
to carrion and can often be spotted near roadkill. Opossums also
eat grass, nuts, and fruit. They will hunt mice, birds, insects,
worms, snakes, and even chickens. These animals are most famous for
"playing possum." When threatened by dogs, foxes, or bobcats,
opossums sometimes flop onto their sides and lie on the ground with
their eyes closed or staring fixedly into space. They extend their
tongues and generally appear to be dead. This ploy may put a
predator off its guard and allow the opossum an opportunity to make
its escape. Opossums are excellent tree climbers and spend much of
their time aloft. They are aided in this by sharp claws, which dig
into bark, and by a long prehensile (gripping) tail that can be
used as an extra limb. Opossums nest in tree holes or in dens made
by other animals. These animals are widespread and are sometimes
hunted as food, particularly in the southern United States. Type:
Mammal Diet: Omnivore Size: Length from nose to tail, 2.5 ft (76
cm) Weight: 8.8 to 13.2 lb (4 to 6 kg) Group name: Passel Size
relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man: Courtesy of National Geographic.com
