Opossums Sighted

by Marcia D N, Dave, Anne D, Bob, Yvonne H, Pauline, Victor, Jan, Brenda, John O, Bert M, Wendy & Mark, Jessie P
(From: Niagara Falls, Scarborough, Waterloo, Port Hope, Elora, Whitby, Brooklin, Richmond Hill, Delaware, Kitchener, Hamilton, Dorchester, Cobourg, Mannheim, Cambridge)

Several of our readers have written to tell us about their recent Opossum sightings

Marcia D N wrote ... I live in the city of Niagara Falls, in a populated sub-division. When I took my little dog out (thank goodness, he's always leashed) to do his business, I saw a critter slinking along my back fence. It was just starting to get dark (twilight time). Had no idea what was in my yard, so I called for my husband. He took one look and said that it was a Possum. The Possum continued to move slowly along the fence line and then crossed under to go to the neighbour's yard. After finding out this was a possum, I can confidently say this was not my first sighting. I saw them the summer of 2020, along my side yard, but in the daytime. This went on for a couple of weeks. I thought they were nocturnal? Surprised they've made it to an established, populated area with no new construction nearby.

Dave from Scarborough wrote ... my two Labs were barking at something at the side of the house around 9:30 pm December 28, 2021. I looked more closely and saw a possum sitting under a bush looking back at me and the dogs separated behind a fence. The possum stayed put for 5 minutes, then when the Labs were distracted, it sauntered off across the neighbours lawn.

A reader from Waterloo wrote ... We had a possum walk through our back yard. We live in the city so it had to cross several roads to get to our house.

Anne D from Port Hope wrote ... we have seen one opossum around our place, twice in our garden eating underneath the birdfeeder. Never seen one before and I was surprised by the fact that the opossum was sharing a meal with a raccoon that visits our backyard garden nightly.

Bob from Elora wrote ... yesterday I found a possum, deceased in our back yard. Rural area, with a wet land behind us and deciduous trees all around. I have never seen one before. I estimate a young adult. He had a hole in the side of his neck the size of a thumb, possibly the work of a raptor as there are many around. No other visible signs of attack. I buried him with all due respect and a small prayer to Mother Earth. Bob

Yvonne H from Whitby wrote ... I just saw a possum walk across the back of my sister's property in Whitby ON. We have never seen one here before. Her property backs on to a small wild woods and Hydro right-of-way. She has a large open compost that it might have been interested in. Unfortunately, it took us off guard and we didn't get a photo but it was the size of a cat and mostly white with brown ears and tail.

Pauline from Brooklin, Ontario said ... I saw my first one 10:45 pm quietly roaming through our hostas. Very quiet. Looks like a large rat with long snout. Will have to ask neighbours if they have ever seen them around. We have raccoons that roam the fences at night.
Victor from Richmond Hill wrote ... Hi, I was in my backyard early this morning, (having a coffee and cigarette when a Possum crawled under the fence into my yard. I rushed in the house to get my phone so I could take a video, but by the time I got back he was gone.

Last fall Jan from Delaware wrote ... I just looked out my front door at 9:30 pm and saw a large Opossum scavenging for something to eat. It's well after dark and our yard is treed and quiet, so it seemed quite relaxed. This is my first close-up encounter with an Opossum and I was surprised how big it was! It's face was angular, white and pointed. The rest of the body was gray, and the rat-like tail was about a foot long. I hope it has a cozy spot to spend the winter!

Brenda from Kitchener wrote ... Good Morning, I saw an opossum this morning in front of my house in Kitchener at approximately 6:15 am. It's the very first one I've seen one. It saw my dog and ran down the street.

A reader from Hamilton wrote ... we have seen a possum in our yard around midnight and wandering on our quiet street at about 9:00 p.m.

John O wrote ... we were driving on Cromarty Drive in Dorchester, Ontario. It was during the day around 12:00 pm. We spotted one walking around on the side of the road. It looked smaller in size.

Bert M wrote to say ... I was letting my cat in from our yard last night in Cobourg, Ontario and was surprised to see a very large possum. I thought these critters were a lot smaller. This one was huge!

Wendy and Mark from Mannheim, Ontario, (near New Hamburg) wrote ... at around 8:30 pm the Opossum was on our deck off our kitchen, eating sunflower seeds that fell from bird feeder. At one point he came right up to the other side of the glass door, nose to nose with our Shorkie. It wasn't deterred by our knocking on the glass!

Jessie P from Cambridge wrote ... I woke up this morning and opened my curtains to see a beautiful Opossum on our fence. We have offered Kibbles, chook and peanut butter as we are Nature and animal lovers. He is alert but is just hanging out. We hope that he may want to try our tucker, and then move on. We are located in Cambridge, Ontario.