Andean White-eared Opossum (Didelphis pernigra) lives in andean mountain forests across South America. It feeds on fruits and insects. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Andean White-eared Opossum
- Andean white-eared opossums cling to the Andes between 1,500 and 3,700 m, thriving in forested mountain zones. Their range stretches from Venezuela down to Bolivia, where they favor high-elevation forests but can also wander into lower-lying riparian strips. This altitude flexibility lets them survive in both pristine cloud forests and human-altered farms, showing how adaptable a marsupial can be.
- A mother Andean white-eared opossum carries just 13 nipples in her pouch, limiting how many of the 4-to-23 newborns her close relative can survive. Their gestation is a blur, only 12 to 14 days, so the altricial kits emerge at a tiny 15 mm long and weigh a feather-light 0.13 g.
- Roads are a silent killer for the Andean white-eared opossum. The species is repeatedly noted as a frequent victim of car collisions, a pattern that mirrors the broader trend of didelphids rarely living past 20 months. Each highway stretch thus chips away at a population already limited by short lifespans, underscoring the urgent need for wildlife corridors in the Andes.
- The IUCN lists the Andean white-eared opossum as Least Concern, reflecting its broad stretch from Venezuela through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and into Bolivia. Its wide distribution and presumed large populations keep it off the brink, yet the same range also exposes it to varied threats, from roadkill to habitat change, making monitoring essential even for a species currently deemed safe.
- Camera traps at 1,400 m in Peru's Cerros del Sira caught only five mammal species, and the Andean white-eared opossum was one of them.
At a glance
RangeSouth America
HabitatAndean mountain forests
DietFruits and insects
About the Andean White-eared Opossum
In the mist-shrouded Andean highlands, the Andean White-eared Opossum navigates its nocturnal realm with an air of furtive elegance, its large, round eyes gleaming like lanterns as it pads silently through the underbrush. With a prehensile tail that serves as a fifth limb, this arboreal marsupial swings effortlessly through the trees, its agility and stealth allowing it to thrive in a landscape of rugged beauty. As it forages for fruit and insects, its pointed snout twitches with an endearing intensity, revealing a curious and resourceful spirit that has earned it a place in the fragile balance of this ecosystem.
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