Virginia opossums, 4 to 14 pound furry gray mammals often found in trash cans, happen to be the only native marsupial in North America. However, their uniqueness doesn’t end there–despite how seemingly average they are, Virginia opossums hold multiple records. For one, they have 50 teeth, the most teeth out of any mammal in North America, and, they have the shortest gestation period out of all mammals in the world–just 13 days! Virginia opossums produce a protein that makes them immune to most snake venom, and due to their low body temperature, they are nearly immune to rabies as well. These quirky creatures have several features that make them even more distinctive than they already are! This includes features that make them proficient at climbing, such as thumbs on their hind feet and prehensile tails (though, despite common belief, they can’t actually hang them from them). It’s common knowledge that opossums can play dead, however, not many people know that it is an involuntary response and the opossums are actually unconscious in the process. Despite their strategies to avoid predators, Virginia opossums only live about two years in the wild. They make up for this by having a numerous amount of joeys, which are only the size of a jellybean at birth! Joeys migrate to the mother’s pouch and stay there for up to two months, after which they then climb onto the mother’s back and have her carry them around until they are ready to be independent. Despite how seemingly ordinary Virginia opossums seem, they are actually fascinating creatures who are an integral part of the ecosystem. 

By Theodore Hennings