Opossum carrying away its turtle

I came across this opossum in the middle of a road, eating something. I was able to inch close enough to see it was a turtle. I'm not sure how it got the turtle, but opossums are very opportunistic. Here it had decided to leave with its catch, as if to make sure I didn't try to 'share' with it.

comments (4)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Great "catch", Meryl! Interesting face this species has. Posted 10 years ago
1. Meryl Green
  
  Grizzly Bear
  
  Thanks :). They have a long jaw because they have 50 teeth, and they use their sense of smell most. I think that's why this opossum finally got up and left, because it smelled me. Posted 10 years ago

travismorhardt

Lion

What a neat find! And an odd time to see a possum. Posted 10 years ago
1. Meryl Green
  
  Grizzly Bear
  
  You would think so, but that was the just the first of FIVE opossums out that day (that I saw). Besides the one with the turtle, there was also a really old one with a cough having a bath (this one had cataracts in both eyes), one with frostbitten ear tips, a third one in the same area as those two, and then one popped out just a little after I saw the bobcats that day. (I do see them out around that time on this property on occasion, so one's not so weird there, but five is crazy.) Posted 10 years ago

The North American opossum

The Virginia opossum, commonly known as the North American opossum, is the only marsupial found in North America north of Mexico. In the United States it is typically referred to simply as a "possum". A solitary and nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat, and thus the largest opossum, it is a successful opportunist.

Info 11 0

Similar species: Opposums

Species identified by Meryl Green