Facts about Opossums

1. 12

   Unlike most mammals, opossums are marsupials, meaning they carry and nurse their young in an external pouch rather than through a placenta.

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2. 11

   An opossum's brain is roughly the size of a grape, weighing only 0.6 grams and representing about 0.1 percent of their total body weight, making them one of the least intelligent marsupials despite their survival success.

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3. 10

   With a body temperature of 94-97 degrees Fahrenheit, opossums run significantly cooler than most mammals, which contributes to their natural resistance to certain parasites and diseases.

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4. 09

   Throughout their entire lifespan, opossums continuously replace their teeth similar to sharks, growing new teeth to replace worn ones in a process that supports their scavenging lifestyle.

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5. 08

   Newborn opossum joeys are roughly the size of a honeybee at birth, weighing less than one gram and measuring under one inch long before crawling into their mother's pouch.

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6. 07

   Opossums possess a specialized immune system that makes them highly resistant to rabies, with documented cases of infection being extraordinarily rare compared to other North American mammals.

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7. 06

   Opossums can eat up to 5,000 ticks in a single season, making them highly effective natural pest controllers in North American ecosystems.

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8. 05

   At roughly seven inches long and three to fourteen pounds, opossums are the largest marsupials found north of Mexico and can survive in diverse habitats from deserts to forests.

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9. 04

   Female opossums give birth to extremely premature joeys after just 12-13 days of gestation, among the shortest pregnancy periods of any mammal.

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10. 03

    Opossums have a prehensile tail that can support up to 40 percent of their body weight, allowing them to hang upside down from branches for extended periods.

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11. 02

    Virginia opossums possess 50 teeth, more than any other North American mammal, which aids their omnivorous diet of carrion, insects, and vegetation.

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12. 01

    Playing dead, a defense mechanism opossums employ, can last up to four hours when threatened by predators.

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