The North American opossum is a unique marsupial found across diverse habitats. This adaptable animal plays a role in various ecosystems, navigating both natural landscapes and suburban environments. Understanding its behaviors provides insight into its survival strategies.
Arboreal Abilities of Possums
Possums are highly capable climbers, adept at navigating trees. They frequently ascend to significant heights, utilizing their skills within the arboreal environment. While they do not exclusively reside in trees, their climbing proficiency is a fundamental characteristic. They can scale trees, fences, and even buildings, demonstrating their ability to handle various vertical surfaces. Their climbing prowess allows them to move through branches with precision.
Why Possums Scale Trees
Possums climb trees for several survival reasons. Foraging for food is a primary motivation, as trees offer a diverse diet of fruits, nuts, and insects. They also seek shelter within tree hollows or branches to rest during the day or establish nesting sites, especially when raising their young. Climbing provides an escape route from ground-based predators such as coyotes, foxes, and domestic dogs, offering a safe refuge. This arboreal navigation also aids them in moving between areas and locating new resources.
Physical Adaptations for Climbing
Possums possess anatomical features that equip them for climbing. Their sharp, non-retractable claws provide excellent grip on bark, enabling them to ascend with surprising speed. These claws are present on all fingers of their fore and hind feet, except for their unique thumbs.
A distinctive adaptation is the opposable thumb found on their hind feet. These clawless thumbs function much like a second set of hands, allowing them to grasp branches firmly and providing dexterity for vertical mobility.
The possum’s long, flexible tail serves as a prehensile “fifth limb.” This tail is used for balance and support while climbing, helping them stabilize on branches. While young opossums may briefly hang by their tails, adult possums are generally too heavy for prolonged suspension, primarily using their tails for stability and occasionally to carry nesting materials.
Encountering a Possum in Your Yard
Encountering a possum in your yard is not a cause for alarm, as these animals are not aggressive. Their defensive behaviors, such as hissing or open-mouthed displays, are usually bluffs to deter perceived threats. If scared, they may even “play dead.”
It is best to leave them alone, as they are transient visitors searching for food or shelter and will move on. To discourage frequent visits, secure trash cans with tight-fitting lids and bring pet food indoors at night. Cleaning up fallen fruit from trees can also help.
Possums are nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night, so seeing one after dark is normal. Possums are beneficial to the ecosystem, consuming pests like ticks, snails, and slugs. They also have a naturally low body temperature, which makes them highly resistant to rabies; cases of rabies in possums are extremely rare.