TURNER PUBLISHING • March 12, 2021
Opossums are America’s only native marsupial and, like kangaroos, carry their young in a pouch. Females usually have two litters a year of 8-10 young. Contrary to myth, a female opossum never carries her young on her tail. Adults are the size of a house cat or small dog, about 2½ feet in length, a third of which is the round, scaly tail. They don’t hibernate and have no fur on their ears, tail or feet, which makes these parts susceptible to frostbite. When extremely frightened, an opossum will go into a catatonic state; it will open its mouth, curl back its lips, and secrete a foul-smelling substance from its anal gland to mimic the smell of death. The term “playing possum” comes from this ability to “play dead” and often a predator will walk away.