Opossum

The strong skin and tough fur of the opossum is used to make outerwear and other products. The meat is suitable for consumption. Possums cause some damage to farmland, but this damage is often exaggerated.

Females begin to reproduce at the age of one year. Hollows, cavities in the soil under buildings serve as a shelter; can arrange nests in garbage. In her mouth and on her hooked tail, the female brings dry leaves and plant remains for nest building. In the north, opossums have one brood, in the southern part of the range - two broods per year. The brood initially consists of 8–18 cubs. After leaving the bag, usually no more than 7 cubs survive. Newborn opossums weigh about 2 mg, 20 such cubs fit freely in a teaspoon.

Possums inhabit both lowlands and hilly terrain; live mainly near water bodies. Active mainly at night. Compared to other mammals, they seem slow and clumsy. Often pretending to be dead, this defensive reaction helps to escape from predators that do not eat carrion. Possums deftly climb trees, clinging to branches with five-toed paws with a far-set thumb and a muscular prehensile tail. By autumn, opossums get very fat, and in winter, they often fall into a stupor in their lairs for several days. In recent decades, the opossum's range has slightly increased northward, but the cold weather limits this advance.

Females begin to reproduce at the age of one year. Hollows, cavities in the soil under buildings serve as a shelter; can arrange nests in garbage. In her mouth and on her hooked tail, the female brings dry leaves and plant remains for nest building. In the north, opossums have one brood, in the southern part of the range - two broods per year

Possums inhabit both lowlands and hilly areas; pack mainly near the water. Active mainly at night. Compared to other sowers, they seem slow and clumsy. Often pretending to be dead, this defensive reaction will again save them from predators who do not eat carrion. Possums deftly climb trees, clinging to branches with five-toed paws with a far-set thumb and a muscular prehensile tail. By autumn, opossums are very fat, and in winter they often get stuck in their lairs for several days. Over the past decade, the opossum's range has expanded slightly northward, but cold weather is limiting that advance.

The opossum is about the size of a domestic cat, with short legs, a sharp, light-colored muzzle, and bare ears with pink tips. The tail is almost naked, long, grasping type. The general color is usually gray, occasionally there are black animals. Females have a developed bag that opens back. Body length — 36–53 cm, tail — 25–33 cm, weight 1.6–5.7 kg.