Out walking today, I almost stepped on a small body. It could have been a rat, but could conceivably been an opossum as well. Which mammal it was, exactly, I couldn't tell because it had been dried out and thoroughly picked clean. Weird that it stayed out there so long, but this street doesn't seem to get as much foot traffic as it does merging cars.
Anyway, going on the idea that it might be an opossum, I started looking them up. This is a nice short video. I didn't realize that possums were a different animal, native to Australia. It's thought that marsupials first evolved in South America, and migrated to Australia when they were closer together. The opossum is the one marsupial that migrated north to N. America instead.
They eat ticks? That is handy, especially in Lyme country.
1 comment:
It's sad to happen across any dead animal but there's not much to do but to take note and wish it well which is what you've done. Speaking of picked clean it's possible you found it after a crow had dropped the little thing.
You know I had no idea possums and opossums weren't the same creature - the southern mountain guys call them possums in the movies. That opossums are marsupials native to North America is interesting. The one in the video you posted is most charming.
You've likely seen them since the quokka became popuar a few years ago. I only mention it because they're also marsupials and they're very cute.. they only appear to smile because of their facial structure. And I'm pretty sure they're vegetarians.
https://australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/quokka/
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