It’s baby opossum season!
Opossums are North America’s only marsupial which means that females carry babies inside a pouch located on their abdomen. The pouch offers some level of protection to the young inside. If a mom opossum is injured or killed, the babies inside her pouch often survive the trauma.
Please remember to check the pouch of any dead adult opossum you see. The pouch can easily be opened to look inside. You could be saving up to 13 tiny lives!
Opossum Fun Facts
– opossums are omnivores, eating both plant & animal matter
– opossums use their tongue & hands to meticulously groom themselves
– opossums have opposable thumbs on their hands & feet and a prehensile tail
Did you know: Opossums provide excellent rodent & insect control. A single opossum can eat up to 5,000 ticks per season! These little scavengers are so beneficial for your neighborhood!
Upcoming Events
June 15th 10am-11 am
Caumsett State Park – Lloyd Harbor
“Meet the Animals”
Learn about reptiles, mammals & birds. Meet our staff and several of our wildlife ambassadors! Ages 5+. Click here for more information.
June 19th 7pm-8:30pm
Cold Spring Harbor Library
“Raptors of Long Island”
Learn about raptor adaptations and what makes these birds such incredible hunters & a vital part of our ecosystem. A very special opportunity to meet some of our raptor ambassadors! Adults only. Click here for more information.
Patient Spotlight
Snapping Turtle
New York’s official state reptile is the Common Snapping Turtle. These turtles can quickly snap their neck back to bite when threatened, or to swiftly grab prey. Injured Snapping Turtles usually come to our Hospital after they’ve been hit by cars or accidentally swallow fishing hooks. Turtles heal slowly and may need up to 1 year to fully recover from their injuries before they’re ready for release.
The very large Snapping Turtle pictured here is a full-sized adult, weighing over 30 lbs! He was treated at our Hospital & released back to the wild!
