Page 10 - Southern Exposure - August '24

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Page 10, Southern Exposure

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Awesome Opossums!

By Katie Roundtree, Director of Finance and Administration, Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District

Virginia Opossums, to stop completely. While they don’t spray like skunks, Although they may look dangerous, opossums are
the animal native to opossums smell when they play dead. Sometimes, the relatively docile and harmless creatures. They have some
North America and, more opossum will loll its tongue and drool, even excreting fantastic superpowers that can help humans by limiting
specifically, Florida, is waste to exaggerate its catatonic-like state. These signs the spread of diseases and cleaning up trash left by other
a misunderstood and will usually convince a predator that the opossum is dead, scavengers. Next time you see one, appreciate them for
one of nature’s more and it will lose interest. the amazing and fascinating creatures that they are.
fascinating animals. It is It’s important to note For more information on Florida wildlife and how you
the northernmost marsupial that the opossum and can help, visit www.southfloridawildlifecenter.org.
in the world and North the possum are not the South Florida Wildlife Center is a wildlife trauma
America’s only marsupial. same animal. In North care hospital and
A female opossum gives and South America, the rehabilitation facility.
birth to tiny, underdeveloped animal is referred to Its mission is to
young opossums, who will as an opossum, while rescue, rehabilitate,
grow up in the mother’s in Australia and other and release injured
pouch for 8 to 10 weeks. countries, it is called and orphaned animals,
Once the young emerge from a possum. In North educate the public
the pouch, the offspring will America, an opossum is a white and gray marsupial of the about environmental
remain with the mother, order Didelphimorphia. The word “opossum” was derived issues and foster a
sometimes riding on her from its equivalent in Powhatan, a language spoken by peaceful coexistence
back, for another six weeks. the Virginia Algonquian tribe, and it means “white dog with wildlife in our local communities. We provide
This earns her one of her nicknames, “nature’s minivan.” or beast” in Powhatan. educational programming to local schools, community
Once weaned and ready to forage on their own, the mother On the other hand, possums live in Australia, New agencies and youth programs. We provide wildlife rescue
will shake any remaining offspring off her back and move on Guinea, Sulawesi, New Zealand and China. Their name does training for local municipality agencies, including law
to another area, leaving the young to continue on their own. derive from opossum. Sir Joseph Banks, a British botanist, enforcement and fire rescue.
Opossums, as omnivores, play a crucial role in the thought they looked enough like the American opossum to NPDES Tip: Hurricane Season began June 1. Make
ecosystem. They consume plants, insects and small give them a similar name. However, kangaroos and other sure your yards and trees are trimmed to avoid flying debris
animals, and are known to scavenge for food in trash cans, Australian marsupials are closer relations than American during a storm. Dispose of your trimmings and clippings
earning them the nickname “nature’s garbage man.” Their opossums. Possums belong to the Diprotodontia order. properly. Do not put them into storm drains or lakes!
scavenging habits make them excellent cleanup crews,
helping to keep the environment free of waste.
One of the most
significant roles of
opossums in the ecosystem
is their ability to control
pests and diseases. Their
unique superpower is the
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that eat cockroaches,
crickets, beetles, slugs,
snails, snakes and many
others, make them an invaluable part of the natural world.
Another remarkable trait of opossums is their immunity
to various toxins and venoms. They are resistant to
honeybee stings, scorpions, botulism toxin and even
snake venom. In fact, they have partial or total immunity
to the venom of pit vipers like rattlesnakes, copperheads
and water moccasins. This unique immunity, known to
scientists since the 1940s, is being studied for potential
medical applications, such as the development of a low- Upscale Resale
cost rattlesnake antivenom.
They are nearly impervious to rabies because their body Experience The Difference
temperature is too low to host the rabies virus. If you see
an opossum who’s hissing, drooling or swaying, don’t New and consigned furniture, unique lighting, accessories and gifts.
panic and assume they’re rabid! Opossums use these bluff Complete wallpaper and fabric library for all your design needs.
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 breathing will get shallow and may even appear Call us to sell. See us to buy.
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