Thursday, April 9, 2015

Creature Feature #537: Opossum

The Opossum is an American marsupial, not especially closely related to the rather cuddlier Australian possums. They are opportunistic in both diet and habitat, and as such have flourished in the urban environment and are often regarded as a pest. Nocturnal in habit, Opossums are solitary and occasionalyl arboreal, using their semi-prehensile tail to help keep balance. If threatened by a predator, the Opossum will play dead, collapsing with lips drawn back, foaming at the mouth and emiting an unpleasant odour. This is an unvoluntary reaction to stress, and the Opossum will remain stiff and motionless for some time - even allowing herself to be picked up and carried around.

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