Virginia Opossum: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Creatures of the Night · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. Playing possum: it lies limp, mouth and eyes open, and its heart rate drops by half.
2. A Virginia opossum has 50 teeth, the most of any North American land mammal.
3. Opossum gestation lasts just 11-13 days, and each newborn is the size of a honeybee.
4. Newborns scramble into the mother's pouch and cling to one of her 13 teats for about two months.
5. On predator-free Sapelo Island, opossums were found living up to 50 % longer than on the mainland.

The quiz

1. What happens to its heart rate when it plays dead?

• It drops by half (correct)
• It doubles
• It stops completely
• It stays the same

Its heart rate drops by half.

2. How many teeth does a Virginia opossum have?

• 20
• 50 (correct)
• 32
• 70

It has 50 teeth.

3. What is a newborn opossum the size of?

• A mouse
• A grape
• A honeybee (correct)
• A walnut

Each newborn is the size of a honeybee.

4. How many teats does the mother have?

• 4
• 8
• 20
• 13 (correct)

The mother has 13 teats.

5. Where did opossums live up to 50 % longer?

• Predator-free Sapelo Island (correct)
• Rhode Island
• A city park
• Southern Ontario

Opossums on predator-free Sapelo Island lived up to 50 % longer.

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