Virginia Opossum

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is the only marsupial living north of Mexico. A hardy omnivore, it has expanded its range northward over the last century and is listed as Least Concern.

🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Virginia Opossum in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Mammals lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.

When severely frightened, an opossum may collapse, drool and become stiff for minutes to hours. The response is involuntary, like fainting, and may deter predators that prefer live prey.

Gestation lasts only about two weeks. The tiny, undeveloped young crawl to the pouch and attach to one of thirteen teats, and the mother can raise more than one litter a year. Short lifespans of only a couple of years are typical in the wild.

Opossums have a low body temperature, and rabies is rarely found in them. They are also known to resist certain snake venoms. As scavengers, they clean up carrion and fallen fruit in suburbs and woodlands.