What is the only marsupial native to North America?
Correct answer: Opossum
Dawn McDaniel
Robin Wood, The American possums are actually called opossums, scientific name, Didelphimorphia. But for some reason, they are more commonly referred to as possums, just like our native Australian species. But our Australian possums are (scientific name) Phalangeridae. Both are marsupials.
Heartland Old Guy
UsefulPresident28690, i live in Nebraska, and I find them to be very friendly. They come right up on my deck and just sit there and look over the yard. Don't seem th mind me being right there.
IntrepidWillow2200
learn something new everyday
[!lizzie 60!]
IntrepidWillow2200, They eat ticks,so they are useful!
Me
I didn't realize there were so many species of marsupials. Fascinating information!
toadicusrex
Anyone that tells you the O is silent is just wrong. Reputable sources will always pronounce the O, though they may recognize that slang exists and may give the alternate pronunciation. The word opossum is derived from Algonquin, which definitely has the initial sound. So no, "possum" isn't correct, even if you know the scientific name for them.
ChampionNymph37634
Heartland Old Guy, - I"m in Oklahoma & we have social possums too. Also, racoons that like come around & beg for food.
MALICE
all over the place in Louisiana and Pennsylvania,they look evil but they are so cute... playing Possum lol
Calliope
One of my favorite Geico commercials! Dad can't afford a dog for his kids, so he gets the kids a possum. It is hilarious. Pretty sure it is on you tube.
Scotti
My dad caught one in a humane trap after it kept eating the cat food. Before he released it at his farm, we noticed its belly moving like crazy. It had a pouch full of tiny babies, each about 2 inches long with the tail. We counted at least 8 babies before we released them. Very cool thing to see!
Artie
I almost forgot this...
WidHorse
Divakitty , nope...they are rabies resistant and rarely contract it, but are not completely immuned.
Florida
We have opossums in our neighborhood but I had not seen them for a few years I think
blah blah blah
it is called a Possum, not Opossum
betty
PBS Red Green with the Possum Lodge motto...
Divakitty
Wannabe Vulcan, no, opossums are immune to rabies
Wannabe Vulcan
ChampionNymph37634, "possum": the "pasketti" of the animal kingdom.
Wannabe Vulcan
Ktkk, aren't they also a reservoir for rabies in some regions?
Tracey
Fun guy, in Australia we have the Easter Bilby as well as the Easter Rabbit. more chocolate for the kids...
Hoges
Gary_Melbourne, they are located all over Oz they are not mostly found in Victoria
Kaylatoledo
Scotti, I had one come up through the basement and eat WITH the cats, as if they'd invited him to dinner!
Player #26379458
Fun guy, I hate it when the PC changes my correct spelling !!! bettong not batting !!!
Player #26379458
Fun guy, batting and quoll - Cute smaller marsupials.
pmay
The spelling bee... AGAIN!
Fun guy
bilby, betting, quill & quokka; if those were choices, I would have thought they were made up...
Guillermo Jr.
.... because they're FAST!
- Christopher Walken
Ktkk
ChampionNymph37634,
If you encourage raccoons you’ll probably regret it. They get into everything.
Eag
The game gave me the wrong letters, it gave me 3 's' and no 'u' - so there was literally no way of typing 'opossum', lost so many points for absolutely no reason
Player #21571159
I always called them pOSSOms
Player #14716751
gotta love an Irish possum.
Player #12271173
Annoyed to lower a life trying to write possum with an extra letter. Happy to have learned something new!
Michael
I didn't have a P to spell the word 0possoum
Player #1952
The only reason they're called possums is because a lot of people don't know how to pronounce it correctly.
Player #8072370
good job
GiGi07
Opossums and
possums are different animals.
Opossums live in North America, while possums live in Australia and other countries. Both animals are marsupials, but possums are more closely related to kangaroos.
GiGi07
Player #1797344, All extant marsupials
are endemic to Australasia and the Americas
GiGi07
Cheesebeanie, nope
GiGi07
The thylacine, now extinct, is one of the largest known carnivorous marsupials, evolving about 4 million years ago. The last known live animal was captured in 1933 in Tasmania