Marsupials are mammals that use a pouch to carry their young. not a rodent. Males weight between 1.7 and 14 pounds, while females weigh between 11 ounces and 8.2 pounds. Back to top. Opossums inhabit a wide variety of habitats. Robert J. Ellison—The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo Researchers They are considered pests due to their somewhat raccoon-like behavior. Habitat. The most notable is the Virginia opossum or common opossum—the … Gestation period is 12 – 14 days. Opossums Are Incredibly Agile. They have become very common in urban, suburban and farming areas. Flexible in habit, this opossum ranges from southern Canada, and south into Nicaragua and Honduras. Virginia opossums are the only marsupial found in the United States. A short childhood. High numbers also occur in some urban areas. On a seasonal basis, numbers are lowest in late winter. It is also found in Mexico, Central America and in British Columbia, Canada. Opossums have sharp claws that help them dig into the bark of trees while climbing. They are not adept at digging, so they often utilize burrows that anothe… They reside in a variety of homes including abandoned burrows, tree cavities, hollow logs, attics, garages or building foundations. Cool and Common. Common Name: Opossums Type: Mammal Family: Didelphimorphia Range: The Opossums is an animal that is found mainly in forests throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Costa Rica. Opossums have a home range of about 50 acres. The Virginia opossum can be found in most of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains and on the West Coast. In the coldest parts of their range, particularly in the north, Opossums can suffer from frostbite to their naked tails and thin ears. Depending upon availability and opportunity an opossum will eat insects and other invertebrates, fruits, small mammals, birds, bird eggs, carcasses, garbage, and even other opossums. Opossums live in woodlands and agricultural areas in all of Minnesota except the far northern part. Studies have shown that the opossum’s diet and habitat are very similar to raccoons. They’re similar in size to a cat or a small dog. This species may weigh between 4 and 6 kg with the males being generally bigger and heavier Didelphismeans double womb and refers to the pouch as a secondary place of development for the infant opossums. The possums are sometimes called common brushtail possums. A marsupial is a mammal that has a pouch where it carries its young. The young opossums are not fully developed when they enter the pouch. The Virginia opossum, also called the North American or common opossum, is the only Didelphis species found north of Mexico. It is a common mistake. Didelphis marsupialis (Common Opossum or Manicou) Family: Didelphidae (Opossums) ... body together range from 265 mm to 430 mm and the tail averages at about 500 mm in length. While "possum" is a slang term that is often used, it is technically incorrect to use in reference to the Virginia opossum; there is a distinct group of marsupials in Australia and New Zealand that are true possums. There are actually 60 species of opossums, with the common opossum or Virginia opossum being the most common. But for U-M graduate biology student Lisa Walsh, this was no laughing matter. The animal lives in a wide range of habitats, … The Virginia opossum’s range is expanding north, due in part to their ability to adapt to various urban and agricultural landscapes, as well as the rise in global temperatures ( see Climate Change). Their activity is mainly nocturnal and terrestrial, with some arboreal exploration and nesting. Besides eating horrible food like dead animals, opossums eat over-ripe fruit, vegetables, … The size of a house cat, males average about 3 kg (6.6 pounds), females about 2 kg (4.4 pounds). Opossums are wanderers, being nomadic and not staying in one specific territory. During the 1900s, its range expanded northward and westward. The opossum's naked ears, nose, and tail are very susceptible to freezing temperatures, which explains why the species is not found farther north. Their mouths contain 50 small, sharp, teeth. Male Virginia opossums may grow to 100 cm (40 inches) but average about 76 cm (30 inches) in total length (including the tail); females average about 72 cm (28 inches). They tend to be most abundant in the southern part of the state, especially along the Wabash, Mississippi and Ohio rivers. It lives in open woodlands and forest edges, with a preference for habitat with streams, diverse plants, and many den sites such as hollow logs, … On average, the Virginia opossum ranges from 13 to 37 inches in length from nose to the base of the tail, with a tail adding another 8 to 19 inches of length. Of the 100+ opossum species in the world, the most common and recognizable in the United States is the Virginia opossum. Virginia Opossum. This is actually the only marsupial, meaning pouched animal that is found in Canada and the United States. Opossums are: not possums. Some of their more identifiable characteristics are their pointed head and pink nose, a long, hairless tail, and hairless, pointy ears. The common opossum is native to tropical North and South America, its geographic range extending from central Mexico to Bolivia and Brazil. The Virginia (or common) opossum is the only North American marsupial. An opossum will very rarely starve. Opossum Facts. There are several dozen different species of opossum, which are often called possums in North America. Males are much larger than females. Common opossum (Didelphis marsupialis). Opossums inhabit a wide range, from sea level to elevations over 10,000 feet. Males are usually larger and heavier than females. AN OFFENSIVE ODOR SELLS THE PERFORMANCE. Usually they have 53 to 90 centimeters (21 to 35 inches) in length (including tail) and weigh between 1.8 and 6.8 kilograms (4 and 15 pounds). Virginia opossums, also known as “possums,” first arrived in Washington in the early 1900s as pets and novelties. Possums, on the other hand, are marsupials of Australian origin. Their body is covered with white-grayish fur. At 10 … Outside of mating, they are usually solitary. A picture of a possum playing dead doesn’t … All opossums range about 21 to 36 inches long, measured from nose to the tip of their tail. Size: Length from nose to tail, 2.5 ft (76 cm) Weight: It is weighing 8.8 to 13.2 lb (4 to 6 kg) Diet: They are omnivorous. Opossums eat almost anything that they can find. Opossums range in size from that of a small mouse to the size of a large housecat. Although they prefer deciduous woodlands with streams, they use all habitats within their range. Habitat The Virginia opossum lives in a wide-variety of habitats including deciduous forests, open woods and farmland. As is the case for the common opossum, home range estimates for the Virginia opossum are much larger when data are acquired via radio tracking, It can use its tail to hang from tree branches, and it has paws with opposable "thumbs." Males weigh between 4.6 and 6.2 pounds (2.1 and 2.8 kilograms) and females range from 4.2-4.6 pounds (1.9–2.1 kilograms). Populations can exceed 200 opossums per square mile in favorable habitats. Young opossums must spend the first two months of their life in their mother's pouch. her young. Opossums are cat-sized mammals with a pointed snout, grayish fur, small ears, and a long, scaly tail. Virginia opossums live in most parts of the United States that are east of the Rocky Mountains, and along the west coast from British Columbia in Canada and to Baja California. If you’ve ever watched an opossum at play, it might have struck you … The opossum is a successful scavenger, thanks to its adaptability and excellent immune system. They naturally prefer deciduous wooded areas near water sources, but can also be found in farmlands or marshes. Like its cousin the possum, the opossum is a marsupial, which is to say that it is an animal that has a pouch. Virginia opossum home ranges have been estimated as small as 4.7 ha (Lay, 1942) and as large as 254 ha (Fitch and Shirer, 1970). Other Common Names. Habitat and range. The opossum is a mammal belonging to the family of marsupials located in North America. Prior to European settlement of North America, the opossum was found only in Central America and the southeastern United States. It is also found in Mexico and Central America. Yup. Diet. The common opossum is a host of the acanthocephalan intestinal parasite Gigantorhynchus lutzi. The Virginia opossum has a total of 50 teeth, more than any other North American mammal. Range. The possum is actually a tree-climbing marsupial that lives in Australia, and a distant cousin to the North American, opossum. The Virginia opossum has been present in North Carolina since the Pleistocene period, and it probably evolved from the common opossum… The possums were given that name because of the close semblance to the opossums of North America. While there are over 65 species of opossums, only one, the Didelphis virginiana, more commonly known as the Virginia opossum, is native to North America. Opossums are common and found throughout Illinois. In … Raiding trash cans, nesting in locations that are not suitable, and causing mayhem if encountered within a human living space, they are often trapped and killed. 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