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Didelphis virginiana
Virginia Opossum (AKA: North American Opossum, or Possum), carrying serval young on its back, spotted in the Styx Canyon area of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, OK. Unfortunately we startled each other when we met, and I was slow to draw my camera, so I only had an opportunity to take a few quick photos before they retreated into a rock hideout.
Opossums are the only marsupials in the western hemisphere. Another interesting fact, as noted in this photo, when opossum young (known as joeys) get to a certain age they are carried around on their mother's back.
Spotted on May 14, 2017
Submitted on May 15, 2017
11 Comments
cute spotting
SargonR...if you keep posting spottings like this, it will not be your only SOTW. Well Done!
Thank you all.
Congrats SargonR on your SOTW
Congratulations SargonR. That is one of the cutest spottings !
Awesome, my first "Spotting of the Week"! Thanks to all who enjoy this series as much as I did!
Congratulations SargonR, this great catch has been voted Spotting of the Week!
"Can you count them? This mother Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) and her cargo of young are our Spotting of the Week! Virginia opossums produce an average litter of eight to nine joeys. They stay in their mother's pouch for about two-and-a-half months, before climbing out and being carried on her back. The joeys eventually leave their mother aged four to five months".
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Great photos - thanks for sharing this SargonR.
Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!
Thank you Hema, just wish I could have drawn my camera bit sooner to get a few more of them.
great series.