Plenty of Possums in Ontario

by Pat & Hank, Deb, Mary, Pam, Keith. Margaret, Angie, Darryl
(Port Credit, Stratford, Owen Sound, Cambridge, Richmond Hill, Greenbank, Sutton, Trenton, Woodstock)

Pat & Hank from Port Credit wrote to tell us ..... Although we've had glimpses of live Possums in the neighbourhood for a number of years, and the occasional road kill, this was our first extended daylight (high noon) encounter. The visitor was first spotted causally following the fence line from the rear to the front of the house. Although he walked at a slow pace, he walked with a purpose. Not sure what he encountered at the front but he soon retraced his steps at a bit of a gallop. He relaxed once at the rear of our yard and proceeded to follow the fence line around to the other side and eventually entered our neighbours property to, presumably, continue his exploration. Not sure if life with a Possum is any better than life with Raccoons, but based on the fact that their diet includes insects and snails, the critters are welcome in our yard.

A reader from Stratford wrote to say .....we live just outside of Stratford, Ontario. We caught two baby Possums last night, just waiting for the rest now!

Deb from Owen Sound said ..... Coming home from work at midnight I spotted this little darling in the middle of the street. Although I was turning away from him he did scatter into the bushes along the road. This is in the heart of the city, first time I'd seen one!

Mary Hibbard of Cambridge wrote in January to say ..... 9:45 a.m. and I'm sitting at my computer with the window at my right shoulder. I'm always seeing movement in my peripheral vision and I always turn to see what it is. 90% of the time it's a squirrel, with the remainder being cats or the occasional rabbit. I was shocked to see that it was not only none of the above, but an animal with which I was totally unfamiliar. My guess was that it was a Possum but I had to google it to be sure and of course that's exactly what it turned out to be. It was much larger than I expected. I ran for my camera but was too late. It's still be my hand in case the guest makes another appearance.

Pam Warner from Richmond Hill wrote to tell us of her Possum sighting ..... Saw a Possum in Richmond Hill, Ontario, this morning, Febrary 15, in bright sunlight on the snowy outdoor pool patio at our condo. It was foraging for food right outside the exit door. I have also seen some dead by the side of the highway in the Milton/Cambridge area west of Toronto.

Keith from Greenbank, Ontario, says ..... It was after dark, he was up on my porch sitting on the back of my BBQ, but gone by morning.

Margaret from Sutton, Ontario wrote to say ..... Went to the back door this morning and there was a very unusual animal nibbling away on some nuts I had put out for the squirrels. After checking the internet I realized that this is a Possum! I think he was as frightened as I. He ran under our shed and I haven't seen him since.

Angie from Trenton told us ..... I just spotted a Possum today, May 4th 2014, on highway number 2 in Trenton Ontario. The little thing was dead on the side of the road just before the Walmart store.

Darryl Donaghey from Woodstock wrote to say ..... I have seen many Possums lately in Woodstock, Ontario. I saw a couple last year, but this year have already seen them at least six times.