Opossum

1
Opossum

• By
• Alexis Stephenson
• October 2008

2
Life Cycle

• Adults at 3 or 4 months
• After birth crawl in mothers pouch
• Life span less than two years

3
Habitat/Shelter

• Western Hemisphere
• Eastern United States
• South eastern Canada into Mexico
• Forest or brush near swamp or stream
• Farm land or wooded parts of cities
• Hollow trees

4
Diet

• Rattlesnakes, chickens, beetles, ants, worms,
  fruit, vegetables, eggs, garbage
• Can feed only feed 13 babies
• Will climb, dig, and swim to search for food
• Lives on mothers milk for several weeks

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Adaptations

• Sharp claws, 50 teeth
• Thumb like toe on hind feet
• Rough grayish hair
• Dark eyes, hairless ears. Long snout, long tail.
• Nocturnal hunts at night
• Plays Opossum Pretends to be dead so animals
  wont attack.
• As big as a house cat

6
Fun Unusual Facts

• Humans can help by not cutting down so many
  trees
• Stop polluting the water
• Dont throw garbage in the woods

7
Work Cited

• NatureWorks. Update N/A. New Hampshire Public
  Television. 30 Sept. 2008 lthttp//www.nhptv.org/n
  atureworks/nw4.htmgt.
• Opossum. World Book. 2006. 2006.
• Stone, Lynn M. Opossum. Vero Beach, FL Rourke,
  1993.