Mammals · Didelphimorphia · Didelphidae

Common Opossum

Didelphis marsupialis

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It has one of the shortest gestations of any mammal, barely 12 to 15 days, after which the tiny young must climb unaided to its mother's pouch.

Weight

up to 1.5 kg

Lifespan

2 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestOmnivore Nocturnal Solitary Rainforest Mammal

37countries 22parks5same family

Fun facts

It is famous for feigning death when threatened — 'playing possum'.
It eats fruit, insects, small vertebrates and carrion.
It lives in a wide range of habitats across Central and South America and copes well with towns.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (marsupial mammal)
Habitat & environment: A wide range of habitats across Central and South America, tolerant of towns and disturbed ground
Birth weight: Born extremely undeveloped, the size of a bee, after only 12-15 days of gestation
Size at birth: Born extremely undeveloped
Sexual maturity: 6-7 months
Gestation / incubation: 12-15 days (one of the shortest gestations among mammals)
Litter / clutch size: 2 to 20 young per litter, though limited by the number of teats in the pouch
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 4.2 years

Sources consulted: PMC (hematology reference intervals study); Animal Diversity Web; Wikipedia (Common opossum); PMC (opossum food medicine Amazon study); AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Animalia.bio; Britannica