Backyard Wildlife – Opossums

While clearing out some brush behind our yard, I woke up a large opossum. It slowly climbed the fence to get away from. Opossums are one of the ugliest animals that I can imagine. But like bats, they are incredible to have around.

• They eat every tick in their area – often up to 5,000 per season.
• They frequently eat cockroaches, rats, and mice.
• They will often prey on venomous snakes such as Copperheads.
• They scavenge snails, slugs, rotting fruit, and other yucky yard debris.

And – contrary to myth, they are at low risk of developing rabies.

I hope this guy sticks around despite my yard racket. It’s pretty neat to find so much wildlife within a large, dense city.