Small Mammal
Virginia Opossum
The weirdly wonderful marsupial
Opossuming Around
Opossums are found in southern, midcoast, and parts of central Maine, favoring forest edges, open woodlands, and suburban areas near streams.
Opossum Business
Opossums are North America’s only marsupial. Females give birth to tiny, thumbnail-sized joeys that crawl into the pouch to grow. Since the 1970s, their adaptability has helped them naturally expand into Maine. They boast 50 teeth, more than any other land mammal here, and when threatened, they may “play possum,” (or as they call it, “play us”) going still until danger passes.
Quick Facts
Average Size
4-12 lbs, 15-24 inches long (not including that distinctive tail)
What's on the Menu
Opossums eat fruits, insects, worms, eggs, nuts, animal carcasses (carrion) – just about anything they can find. No one has ever called them picky.
The Look
Their look is a wild mix of white fur mixed with longer gray hairs paired with a pointed snout, thin ears, opposable thumbs on their hind feet, and a naked, prehensile tail that’s all business.
