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These solitary scavengers will eat
almost anything. Besides eating ticks,
the opossum’s diet includes snails,
slugs, and beetles, so they’re a wel-
come addition to the garden. They’ll
also catch and eat unwelcome pests,
such as mice, rats, and cockroaches,
and they’re one of the few animals
that prey upon shrews and moles. Im-
mune to snake venom, they actually
kill and eat snakes, even venomous
rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cotton-
mouths. They like overripe fruit, ber-
ries, and grapes, which they eat off the
ground. They also eat roadkill, even
skeletons, making them an important
part of nature’s cleanup crew.Awesome Opossums
Opossums are nonaggressive,
reclusive animals that just want to be
left alone. Unfortunately, they often
fall victim to misinformation, and the
results can be disastrous for them. Not
the cutest animal, they’re further bur-
dened by the popular misconception
that they’re rabid when they drool and
hiss, which is actually a bluff tactic to
scare off predators. In fact, opossums
tend to be resistant to rabies. This re-
sistance is thought to have something
to do with the opossum’s low body
temperature (94 to 97 degrees Fahren-heit), which doesn’t provide a suitable
environment for the virus to live.
Having no defenses, they’re often
the target of inhumane acts to get rid
of them, especially in urban areas
where they’re trapped and poisoned.
Opossums have a life expectancy of
only 1 to 4 years due to their many
predators, which include foxes, bob-
cats, coyotes, owls, and dogs. How-
ever, their No. 1 predator is humans.
Their habit of eating roadkill results
in far more opossums being struck
and killed by automobiles than by any
other predator.Playing ‘Possum
Perhaps the opossum’s most curi-
ous characteristic is its ability to feign
death when confronted by danger.
When threatened, the opossum can
use several defense tactics, including
running, climbing a tree, growling,
baring its 50 sharp teeth, and hissing.
If these tactics fail, the opossum has
one last trick up its sleeve — “playing
‘possum.” In an involuntary response
similar to fainting, the opossum rolls
over on its side, with lips drawn back,
teeth bared, and tongue hanging to the
side, mimicking a dead animal. In this
unconscious state, they also secrete a
foul-smelling liquid like that of a rot-ting carcass. Because most predators
prefer live prey, the opossum’s foe will
take these traits as a sign that the opos-
sum is dead and lose interest.Beneficial Creatures
Opossums are increasing in number
and expanding their range throughout
North America. A better knowledge
and understanding of all wild animals
and the role they play in the greater
ecological scheme are essential to a
peaceful coexistence with humans.
That couldn’t be truer in the case of
the opossum. These harmless creatures
pose absolutely no threat to people,
and they provide benefits in the places
they occupy. They’re far more benefi-
cial than they are harmful. The good
news is, if you can keep them from
where you don’t want them, opossums
are actually pretty amazing creatures
to have around.
Typically, they go about their busi-
ness so quietly that you won’t even
know they’re around. If you happen
to encounter an opossum, do nothing!
Opossums seldom stay in one place
for more than a few nights. Just watch
from a distance and enjoy one of
nature’s most unusual and beneficial
wildlife species.Jo Ann Abell lives on a small farm
in southwestern Virginia, where she
enjoys watching and writing about
nature and wildlife.