Also known as: Opossum
Roughly cat-sized, with a pointed snout, grayish fur, small ears, and a long, scaly tail. Their tail is prehensile, allowing them to hang from branches, and their paws feature opposable thumbs. Males tend to be larger and heavier than females. Opossums are among the oldest, most primitive mammals of the New World, with some scientists calling them living fossils because they have survived relatively unchanged for at least 50 million years.
Habitat & Range
Primarily woodland animals, opossums also inhabit prairies, marshes, and farmlands. They prefer hollow trees and logs but will also use woodpiles, rock piles, cliff crevices, spaces under buildings, attics, and abandoned burrows dug by other animals. Found across most of Texas, though absent from the arid Trans-Pecos and Llano Estacado of the Panhandle.
Life History
The opossum is nocturnal and solitary. It has a highly varied diet, consuming both plants and animals including rodents, young rabbits, birds, insects, crustaceans, frogs, fruits, berries, and vegetables. Females typically produce two litters each year. Gestation lasts just 11-12 days, and newborns are roughly honeybee-sized, blind, furless, and do not look anything like adult opossums. After birth, they crawl unaided into the mother's pouch and begin nursing immediately. The nipple swells to fill the baby's mouth, keeping it firmly attached until about 7 weeks of age, when it detaches. This mechanism compensates for the extremely short gestation. Mortality is high in the first year, and adults generally live only about two years in the wild.
Status, Trends & Threats
No conservation concerns noted. Opossums are widespread across most of Texas and are considered one of the oldest, most primitive mammals of the New World, having survived relatively unchanged for at least 50 million years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are opossums called 'living fossils'?
Opossums are among the oldest, most primitive mammals of the New World. Some scientists call them living fossils because they have survived relatively unchanged for at least 50 million years. They are considered intermediate between egg-laying monotremes and higher placental mammals.
How long is an opossum's gestation period?
The gestation period is only 11-12 days, one of the shortest among mammals. Newborns are honeybee-sized and crawl unaided into the mother's pouch where they nurse for about 7 weeks.
Where do opossums live in Texas?
Opossums are found across most of Texas, though they are absent from the arid Trans-Pecos and Llano Estacado of the Panhandle. They prefer woodland areas but also inhabit prairies, marshes, and farmlands.
