Possum in My Pocket!

Ms. Dietz was strolling around the Media Center when she spotted something furry!   She followed it all the way around the building.  It seemed lost.  It was a young possum trying to find its way out of school.  Ms. Dietz decided to help him and introduced the class to the amazing features of North America's only marsupial.

We learned all about the immune system of these amazing animals.  They are immune to venomous creatures, so coral snakes, spiders, berries, beetles, scorpions, and bufo toads are tasty snacks to opossums.  Also, their body temperature is too low to incubate the rabies virus. 

An effective predator deterrent that opossums use is playing dead.  This survival strategy assists them from becoming a meal by rolling over, showing their teeth and slobbering.  We found it frightening yet oddly cute.  His paws looked like hobbit hands!  We also observed the different colors of his fur and his tail looked like it was made of plastic.  He was fearful of all of our faces staring at him and any noise in the class, we had to stay very quiet. 

At the end of the day, the class escorted the opossum to the Native Tree Garden by the bus loop.  We found a tall Gumbo Limbo tree located near where he was found and put him on the trunk.  He climbed all the way to the top.  Hopefully, he is hanging on a tree with his family.  We will miss you, Felipe (aka Poptart the Possum)!