The Virginia Opossum, the only marsupial found north of Mexico, is an adaptable omnivore at home on the ground and in the trees. Opossums prefer forested habitats, but they are quite successful even in urban areas. They are active at night, year-round: in freezing weather, an unlucky opossum can lose its ear-tips and the end of its tail to frostbite. Like all marsupials, opossums give birth to tiny, undeveloped young. The embryos develop in the mother's womb for less than two weeks, then the newborn opossums crawl from the birth canal to the mother's pouch, where they fasten tight to a nipple. They stay there, attached to the nipple, for 55 or 60 days. A female opossum usually has 13 nipples, and litters are usually smaller than that, but a baby that cannot attach to a nipple dies
Ten Facts about Virginia Opossum
- Opossums are found in North America, from Central America and Mexico in the south, through the United States east of the Rocky Mountains and north into southwestern Ontario. Opossums are also found along the west coast of the United States.
- Sexual Dimorphism: Males are slightly larger and much heavier than females, with larger canine teeth. Length-Average: 740 mm, Range: 350-940 mm, Weight, Range: 0.8-6.4 kg males, 0.3-3.7 kg females.
- Virginia opossums rarely live for longer than 18 months. The oldest known opossum in the wild was 3 years old when last captured.
- The mating season for opossums lasts from January to July.
- . Birth occurs about 12.5 to 13 days after copulation. The average litter size ranges from 7 to 9.
- The young opossums weigh about 0.16 grams at birth. They are fixed to the nipple for the first 50 to 65 days of their lives. By 95 to 105 days, the young no longer depend on their mother.
- As scavengers, Virginia opossums play an important role in the ecosystem by eating foods and garbage that other animals may not. They are important prey items for predators in the areas where they occur.
- A majority of their diet is composed of insects and carrion. Opossums are also known to eat plants, including fruits and grains in season.
- The population density in the wild is not very high (one animal per ten acres).
- Opossums, both male and female, can be aggressive when threatened. They use various forms of intimidation to defend themselves but usually play dead when they encounter a more powerful opponent.
