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Today on Animal Fact Files we’re talking about opossums. These animals may be referred to as “opossum” or “possum”; we’re using “opossum” to avoid any confusion between these animals and the other marsupials known as “possums”.

Opossums are native to North, Central, and South America - possums are native to Australia and surrounding areas. Although both these groups are marsupials, and they can look quite similar, they aren’t currently believed to be related. They’re actually classified in different orders altogether. There are approximately 95 living opossum species, and most of them are found in Central and South America. The only opossum living in North America is the Virginia opossum, and it’s North America’s only living marsupial.

As we discussed in our kangaroo episode, marsupials are animals which give birth to premature young who are often carried in a pouch called the marsupium - which is where this group of animals gets its name! The Virginia opossum is probably the most well known and most recognizable opossum. Some people believe opossums are some kind of large rat thanks to their hairless, scaly tails, however, because opossums are marsupials, they aren’t in any way closely related to placental animals like rats.

There are some opossums who are as small as mice and only weigh an ounce and a half (40g), but they only superficially look like these little rodents. In fact, opossums have something more in common with us than mice, and that’s opposable thumbs. Opossums will use their tails as fifth limbs. So maybe they aren’t actually rats, but they still do rat-like things like digging in garbage. This is true, but it’s only because opossums can eat basically anything.

They’re essentially the clean up crew where they live - which can include mountain slopes, forested areas, and, yes, even our backyards. Opossums are tick vacuums. A single opossum can eat upwards of 5,000 ticks in a year. These animals continuously consume the ticks that cling to them, and because they’ll travel on the ground during the night, they can pick up a lot of ticks. Opossums also eat fruits, eggs, small reptiles and amphibians, and even rattlesnakes. Some people also fear opossums because they think they have rabies.

While it’s true that any mammal could contract rabies, opossums aren’t high on the list for common offenders. This is because opossums have a lower body temperature than many mammals, so their bodies aren’t optimal for the virus. Sometimes opossums might look a little foamy at the mouth when encountered, but this is a survival tactic. Many of you have probably heard the expression “playing possum”. When faced with a potential threat, opossums fake death. They’ll fall over, release their anal glands so they smell like a rotting corpse, and drool. Give them a few minutes, though, and they’ll pop right back up and go along their way.

Sometimes opossums will instead try to act tough, so some people think they’re aggressive, but this is also a misconception. Opossums will growl and hiss, and even bare their fifty teeth to try and warn off a predator, but this is mostly an act. Though they can be pretty legit against some predators. Opossums can survive being bitten by rattlesnakes because they have some immunities to the snakes’ venom. Still, this doesn’t help them against birds of prey, foxes, and coyotes. Of course, they don’t live that long either way. Opossums are prolific.

These animals may give birth to upwards of twenty young at a time. The babies are born about the size of a honeybee and have to travel to their mother’s pouch on their own. Unfortunately, opossums tend to have more babies than they do nipples, so some of the young don’t live past this stage. Those who do stay in their mothers pouch for weeks to months depending on the species and then move from her pouch to cling to her back while she travels. They may fall off, but by this point they’re old enough to fend for themselves. In the wild, opossums only live to be about two years old.

For more facts on opossums check out the links in the description. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files.