Young opossums that make it through development in the pouch are widely hunted by predators. This lifespan was observed in a possum living in captivity, such as in a zoo or wildlife rehabilitation center. But in captivity, opossums can live up to 8 years old!The opossum is a nocturnal animal, meaning it sleeps during the day and is active at night. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Their droppings look like the poop of a dog and around 3/4" in diameter. Stable. They use it in particular to climb trees. During the breeding season (January to July in the United States), males and females find each other and mate. As mentioned previously, a large number of opossums don't even survive their first year of life. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. She has a Master's Degree in Education from Western Governor's University and a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from Southern Methodist University. The opossums conservation status is classified as stable, but they are often subjected to unnecessary mortality. A female may give birth to up to 25 young in one litter, although often only around half of the joeys successfully make the journey into the pouch after birth. Their curled-up tails help them to carry the soft materials for nesting. Despite being born blind, they will climb up under their mothers tail and traverse her hairy belly to reach her pouch for protection. Cleaning up carrion (dead stuff) has earned them the title, "Natures Little Sanitation Engineer.". How Long Do Possums Live [Facts and Information] - Pest Control Weekly Virginia opossum - Wikipedia Possums, also known as opossums, are small marsupial animals native to North America. Unlike other wild animals, they do not have the potential to carry diseases like rabies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Opossums are considered an R-selected species.

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