Opossum
The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), or "opossum" as it is commonly known, is a native mammal in the CSRA. Many people are familiar with opossums, but there are several aspects of the opossum with which people are unfamiliar.
The opossum is about the size of a house cat with adult males weighing an average of 5.5 pounds and adult females an average of 4.0 pounds. They have long, dense body fur that is usually a grayish white color, although some opossums in the southeastern U.S. are darker. An opossums face is white with a pointed snout and whiskers. An adult opossum has 50 teeth, quite a lot, and is not afraid to bare them when scared or angry (hence the phrase "grinning like a opossum"). Its tail is about a foot long and has very little hair on it. The tail is prehensile which means it is can be used to grasp onto objects such as tree limbs.
Opossums are fairly widespread in continental North America. Opossums are not constrained to any specific habitat type, thus they are found in many different areas from cities and towns to rural areas. However, across their range they appear to be most numerous in wooded areas adjacent to water bodies such as creeks, rivers, and lakes. Opossums are not territorial animals, but do maintain seasonal home ranges (the area typically traversed by an animal over a given time).
Unique among North American mammals, opossums belong to the mammalian subclass known as marsupials. Breeding occurs in mid-winter, and tiny (0.1 inch) young are born after a brief gestation period of 12 days. Remarkably, the young climb into a pouch located on the females abdomen. In the pouch, female opossums suckle and shelter their newborn young for almost 70 days. Being fed milk in the warm cozy environment of the pouch, the young fully develop. The young are completely weaned at about 100 days after entering their mothers pouch. Average litter size is seven and adult female opossums have an average of two litters each year.
Opossums are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plant and animal substances. They eat hard and soft mast: acorns, berries, and other fruits. Opossums consume insects and other arthropods, as well as bird eggs, bird nestlings, and small mammals. They have even been known to kill and eat venomous snakes (opossums are remarkably immune to snake venom). Carrion (dead animals), garbage, and even young of their own species round out an opossums diet.
Many people have heard of opossums "playing dead". This unusual behavior is thought to have evolved as a defense mechanism against predators that seek out live prey. By lying still and feigning death in the face of perceived danger, perhaps the opossum is banking on being passed by rather than eaten.
The tracks of the opossum show similarities to the human hand with the thumb often turned forward.
The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), or "opossum" as it is commonly known, is a native mammal in the CSRA. Many people are familiar with opossums, but there are several aspects of the opossum with which people are unfamiliar.
The opossum is about the size of a house cat with adult males weighing an average of 5.5 pounds and adult females an average of 4.0 pounds. They have long, dense body fur that is usually a grayish white color, although some opossums in the southeastern U.S. are darker. An opossums face is white with a pointed snout and whiskers. An adult opossum has 50 teeth, quite a lot, and is not afraid to bare them when scared or angry (hence the phrase "grinning like a opossum"). Its tail is about a foot long and has very little hair on it. The tail is prehensile which means it is can be used to grasp onto objects such as tree limbs.
Opossums are fairly widespread in continental North America. Opossums are not constrained to any specific habitat type, thus they are found in many different areas from cities and towns to rural areas. However, across their range they appear to be most numerous in wooded areas adjacent to water bodies such as creeks, rivers, and lakes. Opossums are not territorial animals, but do maintain seasonal home ranges (the area typically traversed by an animal over a given time).
Unique among North American mammals, opossums belong to the mammalian subclass known as marsupials. Breeding occurs in mid-winter, and tiny (0.1 inch) young are born after a brief gestation period of 12 days. Remarkably, the young climb into a pouch located on the females abdomen. In the pouch, female opossums suckle and shelter their newborn young for almost 70 days. Being fed milk in the warm cozy environment of the pouch, the young fully develop. The young are completely weaned at about 100 days after entering their mothers pouch. Average litter size is seven and adult female opossums have an average of two litters each year.
Opossums are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plant and animal substances. They eat hard and soft mast: acorns, berries, and other fruits. Opossums consume insects and other arthropods, as well as bird eggs, bird nestlings, and small mammals. They have even been known to kill and eat venomous snakes (opossums are remarkably immune to snake venom). Carrion (dead animals), garbage, and even young of their own species round out an opossums diet.
Many people have heard of opossums "playing dead". This unusual behavior is thought to have evolved as a defense mechanism against predators that seek out live prey. By lying still and feigning death in the face of perceived danger, perhaps the opossum is banking on being passed by rather than eaten.
The tracks of the opossum show similarities to the human hand with the thumb often turned forward.
