[RP TownTalk] Onslaught of Opossums in Neighborhood

[bruce.wernek at mindspring.com]

Iris

I have some familiarity with opossums.  On one occasion near the intersection of the north branch of the Anacostia and Riverdale Rd, the dogs found a youngster and were attempting to kill it.  I ran over and drove the dogs off.  The young opossum made his stand between my legs as I kept the dogs at bay.  When I bent down to get a closer look, he snarled and beared his teeth in typical opossum style, but did not attack.  He was inches from both of my legs.  Eventually, he made a break for the nearest tree for safe harbor.

My experience with opossums is that they are slow, ungainly, and only aggressive when cornered.  Even when cornered, they take a defensive posture.  Racoons on the other hand can be very aggressive under the right circumstances.  I would suggest that you keep your trash can lids on, keep your distance, and ignore them.  I think it's a gift to have them in your yard.  They were there long before your house was built.  After all, there's not many places for them to live in the city.  I suspect they are attracted to some food source, so check with you neighbors to make sure they have their trash can lids on as well.

I think it's great to have nature up close and personal.  Tell the opossums to come over to my place.  I'll be happy to have them.  

Bruce  

-----Original Message-----
>From: Iris McLaurin-Southall <elsiegoh at starpower.net>
>Sent: Jun 8, 2007 1:29 AM
>To: towntalk at riverdale-park.org
>Subject: [RP TownTalk] Onslaught of Opossums in Neighborhood
>
>Onslaught of Opossums in Neighborhood
>
>
>Sky or I regularly come home between 1am-3am.  For the past three weeks we
>have noticed that every night, there are 2 or more opossums wandering the
>streets in our yard or neighbors yards and porches on Oliver Street.
>
>I am uncomfortable with their aggressiveness, and what appears to be an
>increase recently.  I thought they are suppose to "play possum" and become
>motionless if they feel threatened.  We stay completely out of their, and do
>not make any attempt to 
>run them away, nor to welcome them...but, they continue to advance toward us
>if we happen to be in there path while trying to get out of the car.
>
>I decided to write about tonight, because I just heard the horrible sounds
>of our neighbor's cat; I don't see a possum, and I am hoping that the
>possums are not attackers of any of the neighborhood pets.   I know someone
>out there will educate me, no offense to the PETA people; I just want to us
>all to be safe.   Bear, my dearly beloved Elk Hound died in 2000, when we
>had the attack of the rabid raccoons.  Just want to be safe.
>
>Concerned for Us & You ...on Oliver Street
>(aka  Sky and Iris)
>
>  
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