Opossum - Often mistakenly referred to as Possum. Although Possums and Opossum are both marsupials, they are NOT closely related. The common opossum is the only kind found in the U.S.
We just started seeing opossum around this part of South Dakota in the last few years. They appear to be thriving, and their numbers continue to grow rapidly. They grow to the size of a house cat, and have rough, grayish-white hair, a long snout, dark eyes, and big hairless ears. They can hang upside down from their long, almost hairless tails. They have 50 teeth, more than any other North American mammal. Their teeth and claws are very sharp. They hunt at night, and will eat almost any kind of animal or vegetable food. When in danger, they will sometimes "faint", and will appear to be dead.
They are born in groups of from 5 to 20. At birth, they are about the size of a kidney bean. The females carry their young in a pouch on the outer skin of their abdomen, for about 2 months after their birth.
The biggest nuisance they represent comes from their interaction with family pets, and their food dishes. They like moving into garages and outbuildings that have a food source nearby. They can be easily live trapped, using almost ANY cat or dog food as bait. (Soft or canned work the best) They can be released in any wooded area, preferrably away from towns or homes.
