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Didelphis virginiana
North America’s familiar marsupial, recognizable by a pale face and nearly bare tail.
Long, pointed muzzle with a pale face and dark eyes
Small, rounded, nearly hairless ears
Coarse gray-brown coat and a long, scaly, prehensile tail
Woodland edges, thickets near water, farms, suburbs, and city green space where shelter and food are available.
A slow-moving, solitary night forager. When severely stressed, an opossum may enter an involuntary catatonic state known as ‘playing possum.’
Raccoons have a black mask and a thick ringed tail. Domestic rats are far smaller and lack the opossum’s pale face and coarse body fur.
Give it a clear escape route and bring pets indoors. An opossum that appears motionless may recover once the threat has passed.
Do not handle wildlife. Use gloves and local animal-control guidance if an opossum is trapped or injured.
Virginia opossums coexist well with people and are not considered threatened or endangered in the United States.
Sources are linked below. Field marks vary with age, sex, season, region, light, and viewing distance.
Vulpes vulpes
A slim, adaptable fox whose white-tipped tail is often the quickest field mark.
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Canis latrans
A lean, long-legged canid found across North America, including many cities.
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Procyon lotor
A dexterous, mostly nocturnal mammal with a black mask and a ringed tail.
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