Page 7 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - August '24

Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 7
Northern Notes

Awesome Opossums! with the mother, sometimes riding on her back, for another Lyme disease. Opossums can consume thousands of ticks
six weeks. This earns her one of her nicknames, “nature’s each week, assisting to limit the spread of the disease. Their
By Katie Roundtree, minivan.” Once weaned and ready to forage on their own, immunity to Lyme disease and their role as opportunistic
Director of Finance and the mother will shake any scavengers that eat cockroaches, crickets, beetles, slugs,
Administration remaining offspring off her snails, snakes and many others, make them an invaluable
Northern Palm Beach back and move on to another part of the natural world.
County Improvement area, leaving the young to Another remarkable trait of opossums is their immunity
District continue on their own. to various toxins and venoms. They are resistant to
Virginia Opossums, Opossums, as omnivores, honeybee stings, scorpions, botulism toxin and even
the animal native to play a crucial role in the snake venom. In fact, they have partial or total immunity
North America and, more ecosystem. They consume to the venom of pit vipers like rattlesnakes, copperheads
specifically, Florida, is a plants, insects and small animals, and are known to and water moccasins. This unique immunity, known to
misunderstood and one of scavenge for food in trash cans, earning them the nickname scientists since the 1940s, is being studied for potential
nature’s more fascinating “nature’s garbage man.” Their scavenging habits make medical applications, such as the development of a low-
animals. It is the northernmost marsupial in the world and them excellent cleanup crews, helping to keep the cost rattlesnake antivenom.
North America’s only marsupial. A female opossum gives environment free of waste. They are nearly impervious to rabies because
birth to tiny, underdeveloped young opossums, who will One of the most significant roles of opossums in the their body temperature is
grow up in the mother’s pouch for 8 to 10 weeks. Once the ecosystem is their ability to control pests and diseases. Their too low to host the rabies
young emerge from the pouch, the offspring will remain unique superpower is the ability to eat ticks, which can spread virus. If you see an opossum
who’s hissing, drooling
or swaying, don’t panic
and assume they’re rabid!
Opossums use these bluff
behaviors and play dead
to outsmart potential
predators.
Contrary to popular belief, opossums aren’t staging a
dramatic play of their own demise. Instead, they enter a
state called “tonic immobility,” which is a physiological
response to extreme stress. An opossum playing dead
will typically lie on its side
with its eyes closed. Its
Is it time for breathing will get shallow
and may even appear to
stop completely. While they
don’t spray like skunks,
opossums smell when they
an informed, drool, even excreting waste to exaggerate its catatonic-like
play dead. Sometimes, the opossum will loll its tongue and
state. These signs will usually convince a predator that the
opossum is dead, and it will lose interest.
It’s important to note that
the opossum and the possum
second opinion? are not the same animal. In
North and South America,
the animal is referred to as an
opossum, while in Australia
and other countries, it is
called a possum. In North
Burns Wealth Management Group America, an opossum is a
white and gray marsupial of
the order Didelphimorphia.
The word “opossum” was
derived from its equivalent in
Powhatan, a language spoken
Robert Burns by the Virginia Algonquian
tribe, and it means “white
®
®
CFP , ChFC , CPWA ® dog or beast” in Powhatan.
On the other hand,
Managing Director possums live in Australia, New Guinea, Sulawesi, New
Wealth Partner, Portfolio Manager Zealand and China. Their name does derive from opossum. Sir
3825 PGA Blvd, Floor 9, Joseph Banks, a British botanist, thought they looked enough
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410 like the American opossum
to give them a similar name.
561.694.5666 However, kangaroos and
robert.m.burns@jpmorgan.com other Australian marsupials
jpmorgan.com/burnswm are closer relations than
American opossums.
Possums belong to the
Diprotodontia order.
Although they may look
dangerous, opossums are
relatively docile and harmless creatures. They have some
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP , CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, fantastic superpowers that can help humans by limiting
®
CFP (with plaque design) and CFP (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully the spread of diseases and cleaning up trash left by other
®
®
complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. Chartered Financial Consultant (“ChFC ”) is a scavengers. Next time you see one, appreciate them for the
®
®
registered trademark owned by The American College of Financial Services. Investments & Wealth Institute™ (The
Institute) is the owner of the certification marks “CPWA,” and “Certified Private Wealth Advisor.” CPWA, and/or Certified amazing and fascinating creatures that they are.
Private Wealth Advisor signifies that the user has successfully completed The Institute’s initial and ongoing credentialing For more information on Florida wildlife and how you
requirements for investment management professionals and/or wealth advisors. can help, visit www.southfloridawildlifecenter.org.
J.P. Morgan Wealth Management is a business of JPMorgan Chase & Co., which offers investment products and services South Florida Wildlife Center is a wildlife trauma care
through J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS), a registered broker-dealer and investment adviser, member FINRA and hospital and rehabilitation facility. Its mission is to rescue,
SIPC. Insurance products are made available through Chase Insurance Agency, Inc. (CIA), a licensed insurance agency,
doing business as Chase Insurance Agency Services, Inc. in Florida. Certain custody and other services are provided rehabilitate, and release injured and orphaned animals,
by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JPMCB). JPMS, CIA and JPMCB are affiliated companies under the common control of educate the public about environmental issues and foster a
JPMorgan Chase & Co. Products not available in all states. peaceful coexistence with wildlife in our local communities.
We provide educational programming to local schools,
INVESTMENT AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS:
• NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY community agencies and youth programs. We provide
• NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE wildlife rescue training for local municipality agencies,
including law enforcement and fire rescue.
©2024 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All rights reserved.
NPDES Tip: Hurricane Season began June 1. Make sure
your yards and trees are trimmed to avoid flying debris during
a storm. Dispose of your trimmings and clippings properly.
Do not put them into storm drains or lakes!