Possums all round southern Ontario

by Don Sparkes, Dave, Jonathan O'Mara, Ute, Nancie, Mary Ann, Marissa, Shari, John, Justin, Steve, Dawn Montgomery
(Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Scarborough, Don Mills, North York, Toronto, Etobicoke, Brampton, Milton, Hamilton)

Don Sparkes from Oshawa wrote ... last September there was a small kitten-size Possum in my blue recycle box. At first I thought it was dead, but when I moved the box it opened its eyes and started to hiss. It must have been on the fence and fallen into the deep box. I released it in a field that contains a marsh area with a pond and bush. The first time I have ever seen one in Oshawa. Knowing that it is a very young one, there must be others in the area.

Dave wrote to tell us ... I just saw a Possum skulking through our backyard in Oshawa! We believe he was the mystery predator that shredded our bouncy balls!

Jonathan O'Mara wrote to say ... Just saw one tonight in my yard in Whitby. It's 2:16 am and he's out there, still, nosing in the grass. I have seen a few as road kill locally and neighbours claim to have seen them. Now I have one in my own yard. Odd looking critter, really.

One of our readers from Whitby saw a Possum ... Crossing the street, around 10:00 pm coming from area where there is a creek. I don't think I have ever seen one before and had to look it up to know what kind of strange animal it was! This was on Scott Street near Dundas Street E.

Ute from Ajax told us that she has a Possum living under her front porch.

One of our readers told us ... Just on our way home and the Possum ran out in front of our car. What a surprise to see one at 9:30 pm in Scarborough, Ontario in the Warden Ave and St. Clair area, around Santa Monica Blvd. I assume it must live in the ravine area. It was a nice surprise and I just hope they are not dangerous.😧

Nancie wrote to tell us ... We live in Don Mills. I saw one last night, walking along the sidewalk and looking quite at home.

Mary Ann from North York wrote about the Possums visiting York University ... They come and visit us in our Town Home patio. They are friends with our cat colony (12 cats), they are friendly with our Raccoons, Squirrels, Skunks, and wild birds. We enjoy watching them all.

S from Toronto wrote ... I think it is young as it is about the size of a rat. I have an outdoor cat. How do I keep him away from it? Should I ensure plate scraps don't end up outside? I will leave food for stray cats that visit. I am in Toronto's Don Valley Parkway and York Mills. We saw a full adult (Raccoon size) a couple of years ago! FULLY white at our back door... could this be it's baby or it's grand child? We never saw one again until now!

Marissa from Toronto says ... I live in The Junction in West Toronto and have seen two Possums in the last month. One unfortunately was dead but the other one looked very healthy.

One of our readers spotted a Possum in Toronto ... It was 10 am, February 27th 2016 - Opossum sighting Downtown Toronto - Nose to rump it measured 60 cm. and the tail was an additional 20 cm.Shari wrote to say ... Was on our way home from a very late bite to eat at Parklawn Road and the Lakeshore when my husband said, did you see that mongoose? I said we don't have mongoose here. He turned the car around and we there it was, chowing down on something tasty at the side of the road just off the Martin Goodman Trail. It left before I had a chance to snap a pic. Googled it when I got home and discovered it was a Possum!

John from Etobicoke said ... I saw a dead animal on the road today in the early morning. It was a large Possum. The Possum looked larger than usual and was both white and grey coloured. I would say the Possum looked like it weighed about 20lbs to 25 lbs. I am pretty sure it was hit by a car although strangely I did not see any blood on the road. I could see the Possum's mouth was wide open and had sharp bright teeth. I have never seen a Possum in this area before.

Justin wrote to say ... Saw one up close in Brampton. I have to wake up Early to go to work, when I saw a fat little animal make its way across from my house. When I drove by it was walking along the fence line. It resembled a large rat but it had a cuter face. For the size it could move pretty fast, but then as soon as it appeared it went into a grove of bushes at the end of the property. Outside cats beware!

One of our readers said ... We saw a Possum on the neighbor's lawn tonight. We live in a Milton suburb.

Steve had a Possum sighting ... Spotted in the backyard of a downtown Hamilton residence. It was approaching the back porch as I was locking up my bike. I was able to get a good look at it with the light from my bike. Pretty sure it ate all my kale from the vegetable garden.

Another reader from Hamilton said ... I saw a young Possum in our blue box, not sure how it got in there. Funny thing is that the same thing happen last year at this time. Could be living under my deck. I hope mother Possum found her baby.

Dawn Montgomery from Hamilton wrote ... Oscar and Posie were discovered dead within a few feet of each other. Since I was walking my dog at the time I couldn't identify how they had died, but we so enjoyed their visits.