Well, "Sparky", as he has been named by my daughter has disappeared, or at least he has not bothered the scraps we set out for him. My neighbor and I are still planning on setting a live trap and I hope to make a small video of this for everybody. I hope that wherever the opossum is he is safe and sound.
I consulted the National Audubon Society's Field Guide to North American Mammals and found some interesting information about opossums in general. What we call the opossum is actually called the Virginia Opossum, or Didelphis virginiana. They are in the family of animals called marsupials, which means they carry their young in a pouch on their belly. They are a nocturnal animal, which means they come out mostly at night, and are very good climbers. Their diet is composed mainly of carrion, which is dead animals- this explains why they are hit so often by cars as they eat roadkill at night.
The field guide also lists the following as part of their diet:
- Insects
- Frogs
- Birds
- Snakes
- Earthworms
- Berries
- Apples
- Persimmons
- Corn
Because their ears and tail are not really covered with hair they are susceptible to frostbite during the colder months, and they do not hibernate. They will play dead, or "play opossum" as a form of defense.
When you see an animal up-close and take the time to observe its actions, behavior, and looks, you gain a new appreciation for it and for all of the natural world. I looked at that opossum and I know understand its place in the created order and I see the value in this, otherwise, strange looking creature. Well, I, for one, now consider myself a friend of all opossums and I will keep a look-out for "Sparky"
Stay Wild!
Steve
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Hey Steve!
ReplyDeleteI really like what you are doing with your blog. What a great topic to explore!
This particular post reminds me of all the opossums I see in Elkhart...is an "opossum" that same as a "possum"? I think it is a little sad the amount I see that aren't being observed in their natural habitats, however. People really need to slow down and keep their eyes open at night...
Thanks Melissa- Yes opossum and possum are the same mammal. It is unfortunate that so many are killed on the road, but the irony is that they eat a lot of 'roadkill' which is why they are usually hit at night while they feed on carrion. Thanks for the interest!
ReplyDeleteA note on WEBBING- how did I collect information? I used www.google.com as my search engine for some things, but I made use of my local library as well and the books there. My library is www.jcplin.org and I listed some of the books I used on the blog's bookshelf that I made.
ReplyDeleteMy overall focus of the blog is/was broad, but I knew that it would have several 'sub'focuses- I focused mostly on the opossum, but I did a thing on bords, and added some information on how people could become more educated and take some action no matter how small.
Now, I did use some real people as well- I enlisted the help of my daughter, Abby to set the opossum trap and got my neighbor involved in setting the opossum loose. I also made, as my final project, a letter to my Rep., Steve Buyer asking him to take an interest in White Nose Syndrome- which is the disease killing the North American bat, and I wrote an e-letter to the Indiana DNR and asked them to create a bi-weekly podcast to inform and educate the public about the issues facing Indiana. I like this because it educates and is an example of activism.
I usually felt good about the process of gathering information- I never became frustrated, in fact, I had fun- I just cannot believe it is over already because I had/have so many more ideas!