Hi ,
How well do you know this little guy? Most of us have seen them at night or perhaps dead on the road.
We know that they "play possum". Other than that, is there that much of interest? How about these interesting facts?:
1. The opossum is the only animal, besides primates, that has opposable first toes. This greatly aids them in climbing.
2. They have a natural immunity to rabies, and rarely are
carriers.
3. They are omnivores, and eat an incredible variety of things, even bones of other dead creatures (for the calcium). They are often called the "sanitation workers of the wild". Furthermore, they are great at pest control, keeping creatures like cockroaches and rats away from their territories.
4. They are actually quite intelligent, and can find food (and their way through mazes) better than animals like rats and cats.
5. They are marsupials (like kangaroos) and also have prehensile tails that can be used to grip things.
6. Opossums have an amazing array
of defenses. Besides just "playing possum", they can exhibit noises, smells, stances, and offensive bodily fluids to keep enemies at bay.
7. Incredibly, they are virtually immune to snake venom. A substance called LTNF (Lethal Toxin Neutralizing Factor) is found in their blood. LTNF has been found to thoroughly neutralize toxins found all over the world!
A lot packed into one little fellow. And you thought they looked like an overgrown, wild rat! :-)
"O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom thou hast made them all; The Earth is full of thy riches." Psalm 104:24
