By Caitlin Ambrose, Interpretive Manager
Imagine walking through the woods when “surprise!” a predator strikes. What do you do? Do you run? Do you hide? I’m no expert, but your first thought might not be to freeze and fall over on the ground. This is what some people call “playing ‘possum.” The Virginia opossum is perhaps most well-known for “playing dead” but they don’t actually “play” dead. Rather, it is a sudden involuntary reaction that their body takes upon sensing danger. Their bodies freeze and stiffen causing the opossum to fall over and lay motionless on the ground as though dead. Although not always successful, some predators prefer their prey alive, thus leaving the opossums alone. Opossums have other methods of defense such as running, growling and urinating.
As the only marsupial in North America, these mammals also can climb trees and utilize their tails for grasping and balancing. Opossums are omnivores and enjoy eating various foods. With a strong sense of smell, they search for fruit, insects, small animals and even dead ones. Their 50 teeth are the most for any land mammal.
Being marsupials, opossum babies are born premature, hairless and small. The baby opossums are no bigger than a bean when born! Upon birth, the babies crawl into the mother’s pouch where they stay for 60 days. Unfortunately, the opossum’s life span is not very long as they live, on average only two years. Two of their predators are foxes and owls.
Captain John Smith is the permanent resident Virginia opossum at the Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center. He was brought to the center in June 2018 with his siblings after their mom was hit and killed by a car. Although we are unsure how, Captain has damage to his left eye thus making him unable to be released with his siblings. Captain is now an Animal Ambassador.
Did you know? Captain’s name is a historical reference to the man, Captain John Smith, who is credited for naming the opossum. “Opossum” comes from the Algonquin name “apasum” which means “white animal.”
Captain John Smith