Early 2017 Possums

by Barb, Oleksandr, Gwen, Jeff, Leo, Henry P, Marianne, Jimmy, Doc, Scott, Mary M, Carol, Charlie & Zach, Tim, Adamson, Felicity
(Burlington, East York, Scarborough, Brampton, Brighton, Mississauga, Toronto, Milton, London, Whitby, Bobcaygeon, Port Elgin, Keswick)

Feb 25, 2017 – Barb from Burlington said ... Saw a possum in our backyard around 7 am this morning. He/She was a big one.

Feb 28 2017 – Oleksandr said ... I live in East York, 7 minutes from the Main Street subway station. We have a park nearby. Heard noise on the street at my backyard at about midnight. It is February now, but very warm, last week it was 19 degrees Celsius. I wasn't surprised as raccoons often start scavenging for food when it gets warmer. Went out to check what it was – the "raccoon" was too small for a mature animal, strange shape, and very light grey colour, also no raccoon "mask" on the eyes, rat-like snout and thin tail. I wanted to believe it was a strange, albino teen raccoon, but it clearly was a different animal. Raccoons step very quietly, this one stomped like a hedgehog. I fired a lighter, it noticed me, stared for a while, then didn't recognize any threat, so idly pattered to the bushes searching for something in the grass. Quickly googled animals in Ontario and found this page.

Feb 28 2017 – Gwen at Scarborough Bluff Park reported ... Happen to be putting out bird seeds this morning and noticed something moving in the bushes at end of yard – a Possum! Watched him/ her for 3 minutes before it moved on. Being from B.C. other than seeing a dead one on side of the road, this is the first live one I've seen! They are quite different from anything I've seen and I wish I'd had my camera with me, but still wonderful to watch.

March 1 2017 – Jeff from Brampton wrote to say ... Went to leave the house at 11 pm tonight on Feb 28, 2017 and spotted a long, lean shape working its way down my neighbours fence. Having lived in Australia for 16 years thought it resembled an Opussum however had never heard of them in Ontario. I came back home and googled to find your site and confirmation you have a variety which has found its way to Brampton, Ontario. I'm now thinking that although my dogs have been sprayed three times in a year and a half it may be the opossum living under my back shed versus the skunk. The hole gets dug out repeatedly after I fill it.

March 1 2017 – Leo said ... I spotted two times a Possum crossing my backyard north to south ... I was not sure it was a possum because I've seen hundreds of them in NZ and they are different, but now after reading this article. I'm 100% sure that there is a possum in Mississauga close to Erindale Station. It also makes sense the story of the nap on train from south USA.

March 2 2017 – Henry P from Brighton said ... Entered my woodshed today and tried to adjust a tarp but was unable to move it, so reached a bit farther and all of a sudden I saw this animal coming at me right across my shoulder. It jumped down and just sat there looking at me. lol. It did not seem to be afraid at all. Was I surprised lol. I heard that Possums had been seen before in Ontario, but never actually seen one, let alone one up that close :-). Wish I would have had my camera with me.

March 2 2017 – Marianne from Mississauga said ... I looked out the back door this evening to see a possum wandering around the back patio, presumably looking for left over seeds from the bird feeder. After a minute or so, he/she just wandered under the fence to the neighbours.

March 3 2017 – Jimmy from Toronto wrote ... I just saw a Possum on Bright Street in downtown Toronto. It was the size of a cat. It just stared at me. I stared at it. My dog didn't seem to care! My girlfriend was chased by one a few years ago. I've lived in downtown Toronto for 53 years and until the past few years I've never seen one of these demonic rodents before.

March 4 2017 – Doc said ... I saw one this morning taking a morning stroll across the parking lot of our condo. He was casually walking towards our enclosed dog park until he saw my two dogs inside the park area. He stopped when they started to bark and turned around and walked away in a different direction. This is the second time he has been seen. The other time was late at night. He was walking through the dog park even though a very curious puppy and his owner were present.

March 6 2017 – Scott from Milton said ... I saw one on the fence playing dead. The dog spotted it. Soon as I got the dog out of back yard possum was gone.

March 10 2017 – Mary Mac from London, Ontario wrote to report ... I looked out my kitchen window last night and noticed a very large creature with a rat-like tail. I then realized it was a possum. We put dry cat food out for the neighbourhood stray cats. He was eating away happily and a Raccoon snuck up from behind. I was nervous as I didn't want the Possum to get hurt. I had my air horn ready to scare off the Raccoon. I didn't need to use it as the Possum turned toward the Raccoon, took a step toward him and appeared to hiss at him. The Raccoon backed off slowly and walked away. I knew there are Possums in our neighbourhood as a friend down the street has one that visits her place. I took photos with my phone, but they didn't turn out as there was a screen in the way.

March 12 2017 – Carol from Whitby said ... I just let one of the dogs out and there was a possum on the porch. He's hiding under the steps. Can't gets a good photo. Never seen one before. Should I be worried about the dogs. They'll chase him if I don't keep them leashed.

March 16 2017 – Charlie and Zach from Bobcaygeon, Ontario, wrote to say ... Whilst walking in woodland, our dog noticed a possum scrounging in the sunshine about 3.30 p.m. but thinking it was a skunk the dog ran away from it. The possum watched us walking by and then slunk away into the wooded area. Unfortunately we didn't have a camera or phone to catch this interesting animal on film.

March 18 2017 – Tim from Whitby wrote to say ... we spotted a large adult Possum on Water Street in Whitby, just east of Lake Park. It was late afternoon and we were driving on March 15 2017. First time in this area.

March 20 2017 – Adamson from Saugeen Shores, Port Elgin, Ontario, wrote to say ... I caught one in live trap evening of Mar 19th/2017 trying to catch a skunk digging up my lawn.

March 21 2017 – Felicity wrote to say ... Walking this afternoon in Keswick, Ontario on a rare sunny March afternoon and saw a large Possum sunning itself in a tree. It looked pretty healthy.

Thank you, dear readers, for sending in these reports of your Possum sightings, I will also post this on our facebook page.