On World Rabies Day, many people talk about animals that carry rabies and how to avoid or prevent contraction. However, I want to talk about an animal that many people believe carries rabies, but actually has the innate ability to fight off most diseases and toxins - the Virginia opossum!
Many Akronites are familiar with this common backyard visitor, but don’t appreciate them as much as they should. People frequently misinterpret the opossum’s open, drooling mouth as a sigh of rabies when it’s actually a bluff to try and make the opossum look tough to predators. Although any mammal can get rabies, the opossum rarely does because their body temperature is slightly lower than other mammals. Human body temperature is usually about 98.6ºF, while opossum’s body temperature can be as low at 94ºF! This cooler temperature makes it difficult for the rabies virus to survive long enough to cause illness.
While they may look a little different, opossums are a great benefit to have in our local environment and a very interesting species to learn about. They can be found throughout the eastern United States and Mexico and are one of the oldest mammals in our area. In fact, scientists have found evidence of opossums existing here over 70 million years ago! Opossums are North America’s only marsupial, meaning they carry their young in a pouch like a kangaroo does. They are opportunistic omnivores who eat almost anything they can get their paws on, including road kill and pests like rodents and ticks. Opossums groom themselves regularly, and when they find a tick on their body they eat it. One opossum can eat up to 5,000 ticks in a season! Opossums also have a special molecule in their blood that neutralizes snake venom so they are able to eat rattlesnakes and other venomous species. For a common backyard guest, this species is uncommonly amazing!
The Akron Zoo is home to an ambassador opossum named Marsi. Marsi was rescued by a licensed wildlife rehabilitator three years ago when she was orphaned in her native habitat. She got a second chance at life, and now she helps our education team teach people throughout Summit County about opossums. Although she is does not have a public habitat, you might get a chance to meet her during one of our daily animal encounters throughout the park. She also participates in Get Closer experiences (https://www.akronzoo.org/unique-experiences), where guests have an up-close-and-personal interactive opportunity with some of our animal ambassadors and a chance to talk one on one with a zoo keeper.
Opossums are one of my favorite animals and I hope you have a new appreciation for them too!