Virginia Opossum
Didelphis virginiana
- Class
- Mammal
- Rarity
- Common
- Observations
- 50,897
- Most observed in
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Conservation
- Least Concern
Description
The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), also known as the North American opossum, is a member of the opossum family found from southern Canada to northern Costa Rica, making it the northernmost marsupial in the world. Commonly referred to simply as the possum, it is a solitary nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat, and a successful opportunist. Opossums are familiar to many North Americans as they frequently inhabit settled areas near food sources like trash cans, pet food, compost piles, gardens or housemice. Their slow, nocturnal nature and their attraction to roadside carrion make opossums more likely to become roadkill than other animals in their range.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “Virginia opossum”.