Virginia opossums are the only marsupials (think of kangaroos and koalas) living in North America and Canada.Ī unique feature of Virginia opossums is their prehensile tail. Contrary to their name, Virginia opossums can be found all over the US: spanning east from the Rocky Mountains, along the US west coast, and in areas of Canada and Mexico. More specifically, these mammals are named Virginia opossums. The large and rodent-like animals with white fur tinged in black have been our neighbors for thousands of years, making them the longest surviving mammal in North America. The answer can be found in one of our other nocturnal neighbors: opossums. You don’t remember seeing the characteristic black mask and ringed tail, so, what was that? In a moment of confusion, you watch as a white blur scurries out from the plastic cylinder and into the darkness. As soon as you turn the corner and the automatic lights flash on, your eye catches a fallen bin wiggle just a bit. In some parts of their range, females will have three litters a year.The cicadas sing on a beautiful summer night and you sneak outside of your house to toss some garbage into one of your bins. Then they will move out of the pouch and spend another four to six weeks on their mother's back. They will stay in the pouch and suckle for 55-60 days. If they make it to the pouch, only babies who find one of the thirteen teats will survive. Some babies will not find their way to the pouch and will die. The babies climb up the mother's fur and into her pouch where they find a teat. Like most marsupials, opossums are very small when they are born - about the size of a navy bean. The reason opossums have so many babies to insure that some of them survive. Because so much carrion is roadkill, opossums are often killed by cars while looking for food on roadways.Ī Virginia opossum female may have as many as 25 babies, but she usually will have between seven to eight. It is omnivorous and eats just about anything, including lots of different plants and animals like fruits, insects, and other small animals. It tends to prefer wet areas like marshes, swamps and streams.ĭiet The Virginia opossum is nocturnal and uses its keen sense of smell to locate food. Habitat The Virginia opossum lives in a wide variety of habitats including deciduous forests, open woods and farmland. It is also found in Mexico, Central America and in British Columbia, Canada. The Virginia opossum can be found in most of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains and on the West Coast. The opossum doesn't hibernate in the winter, but it often holes up during very cold weather because it runs the risk of getting frostbite on its hairless ears, tail, and toes. The hallux helps the Virginia opossum grab branches when it climbs. Hallux are clawless big toes that work like thumbs. Their tails aren't strong enough to hold them for that long! Some people think opossums hang from their tails and sleep. The opossum can hang from its tail for a short time. A prehensile tail is adapted for grasping and wrapping around things like tree limbs. It has grayish fur everywhere but on its ears, feet and tail. It has a triangular head and a long pointed nose. The opossum is about the size of a large house cat. The opossum has been around for at least 70 million years and is one of Earth's oldest surviving mammals! A marsupial is an animal with a pouch, like a kangaroo or a koala. ICUN Redlist - World Status: Least ConcernĬharacteristics The Virginia opossum is North America's only marsupial.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |