The species that calls Southern California home is actually the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), the only marsupial living in the wilds of North America. Opossums have 50 teeth, more than any other North American land mammal, and opposable, clawless thumbs on their rear limbs. Opossums have 13 nipples, arranged in a circle of 12 with one in the middle. In the United States, it is typically referred to simply as a possum. It is a solitary and nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat. It is a successful opportunist.
It is familiar to many North Americans as it is often seen near towns, rummaging through garbage cans.
Photo by:
Billy Estrada
