Possums around Ontario
by Diane, Jay, Deanne, Donna, Paul, Tom, Daryl, Marc, Krys, Katherine
(Writing to us from Hamilton, Cambridge, Port Hope, Bethany, Willow Beach, Moulinette Island, Richmond Hill, Kitchener, Ennismore, Burlington)
Possum caught in a box
Diane from Hamilton said ...I heard a noise in my yard. Turned on the light and staring back at me was a Possum! While closing the door she/he ran. This is on the Hamilton mountain east of Upper James.
Jay from Cambridge told us ... Rabbits are multiplying and eating my garden almost to the ground (especially roses, but most perennials). Trying to catch the rabbit we set the cage trap in our garden where we can see from the window. As a bait, we placed a piece of the apple. In few hours there was a Possum. We were surprised as we didn't know this animal is in Ontario and had to look for information on the Internet. It was in the cage, calm and looking at us with its' beady eyes. Wearing heavy leather gloves, we moved the cage into a large paper garbage bag, placed open bag into the trunk of our car and drove it out of town. When we arrived in the natural park, after opening the cage, Possum was just staying there. Knowing that it is nocturnal animal car lights aimed at him in the cage finally made him run.
Deanne wrote to us from Port Hope ... Yes I'm in Port Hope Ontario and I think he's or she's living in our backyard. Going to buy a live trap and relocate it. I honestly thought I was seeing things!
Donna Leslie from Bethany, Ontario, wrote to say ... July 24, at All Greens Sod Farm, Taunton Road, near Oshawa – as I was driving slowly past a cleared sod field to the next field to track with my three German Shepherd dogs, I saw an animal moving toward my van. I slowed right down to watch and as it got closer I identified it to my amazement as an opossum. It walked beside my van for a while, and appeared to be watching curiously. I stopped, and it went in leisurely fashion in front of the van, watching me again intently. It disappeared into the hedge at the side. I arrived at our spot and told my tracking partner what I had seen. Exactly the same thing had happened to her ten minutes earlier! I didn't get any pictures as I was too flabbergasted, but I will next time.
Paul Tessier from Willow Beach, Ontario, wrote to tell us about his Opossum sightings ... I have twice seen a white Opossum in my yard in Willow Beach, on the South shore of Lake Simcoe. Both sightings were in the daytime. In the first sighting, I saw only his tail disappearing under my deck, in the second he was coming out and moving into my neighbor's garden. I assume it was the same animal both times, and don't know whether he has taken up residence under my deck. If that is the case, he is bound to make the acquaintance of the local feline population. Is there any down-side to having an Opossum as a neighbor, as there is with raccoons?
Daryl from Richmond Hill, Ontario, said ... we have had two showing up here this summer. First time, and we have lived here 30 years. Only at night so far.
From Kitchener, Marc wrote to tell us about his late night visitor ... I woke up around midnight to hear my dog barking by the back garden door. I went outside and saw nothing on the lawn but my dog was running back and forth along the back fence. I looked up at my neighbour's tree and saw a white faced animal staring at me over its shoulder. I don't know if why it had not run away as it was at face height with me and I could easily have touched it. I hoped that it was not injured or sheltering a litter from the dog. I left it alone and went back in and in the morning it was gone.
Krys told us ... my husband was coming home from work around 10pm on August 17 and saw a Possum crossing the road in front of him in Ennismore, outside of Peterborough.
Katherine wrote to tell us ... saw a possum, in the evening, cross in front of my garage and walk into the flower bed in Burlington, Ontario this summer.
