Possums in Abundance!

by Harold T, Laura, Jeff, JoAnn, Dan, R & G, Claire, Terry
(Aylmer, St Thomas, Milton, Oakville, Toronto, Belleville, Richmond Hill, Nestleton)

Harold T from Aylmer, Ontario, wrote to tell us about his encounter with a Possum ..... An unknown animal had excavated a burrow under my garden shed. As quickly as I filled in the entrance hole, he would dig it out again. I threw in moth balls, he threw them back out. Finally I baited a live trap with peanut butter and, lo and behold, I trapped a strange creature I had never seen before. After some research I identified him as a Possum. He sure did like the peanut butter.

Laura from St Thomas, Ontario, wrote to tell us about her Possum sighting, she says ..... I went outside on our back deck after 10 pm and saw this weird looking creature about a foot away. Freaked me out! I had no idea what it was until I searched online. The long rat-like tail threw me off, and it was the size of a cat. It didn't seem unfriendly, though! I think it was as freaked out as I was. We live on the edge of town, and there is an overgrown field behind our house, with probably plenty of creatures living there.

Jeff from Milton, Ontario, wrote to tell us about his dog's encounter with a Possum, he says ..... I let the dog out at 10pm Nov 20, 2012, the dog ran out the door after something. When I looked out the door the dog was nose to nose with an animal I had not seen before. I could see the white face and large teeth. I yelled to my dog numerous times to come, thought he was going to get bitten. He finally listened and came back to me. I thought it looked like a Possum, but did not think we had them in Ontario. Looked it up on the internet and sure enough it was a Possum, and a fairly big one too.

JoAnn from Oakville, Ontario, wrote to tell us about the Possum in their neighbourhood ..... I live in South East Oakville and my husband spotted one by the garage door when he came home from work-November 21, 2013. I also spotted one on the next street while walking my dog around 7 pm.

Dan from Toronto wrote to tell us ..... My daughter and I were doing homework the evening of November 25, 2013 until our dogs started barking frantically. When we first saw the Possum, we did not know what it was. It had the face of a monkey (it was quite dark) and its tail looked quite smooth and rat like. We went outside to see what it was and it was quite frozen with fear - we even wondered if it was dead. It finally snapped out of its state and it went looking for a way out of our back yard. We live in York Mills and Leslie in the central Toronto area - an area perhaps better known for raccoons and skunks. And now possums..... ;-)



R & G from Belleville, Ontario, wrote to tell us ..... One was seen tonight eating cat food that we put out on our front porch for strays. It ran away before we could take a photo. We live in a built up new housing development. Temp -1 and snow expected tonight.

Claire from Toronto west-end wrote to say ..... Last night, near High Park in downtown Toronto, taking my dog for a late stroll when a little Possum appeared on the road ahead. She didn't seem to be in a hurry, or scared by Lola the dog, but looked for all the world like a little lady picking up her skirts as she avoided puddles on the street.

A reader from Richmond Hill says ..... We just saw a cute Possum walking in the front yard at night. He seemed as surprised to see us as we were to see him (or her). I have never seen a Possum so it was quite the event!

Terry from Nestleton, Ontario told us ..... We have been feeding a large black feral cat for the last year that lives in an old building near a pond a 100 yards from the house. Recently we have noticed the volume of cat food disappearing each day has increased beyond what one cat normally eats. Last night at 9:30 when I checked on the cat food I found a large Possum casually enjoying a feed of cat food. I hope the cat and the possum can can agree to share the food. The possum did not stop eating when I turned on the deck lights. When I tried to open the patio door to take a picture the possum stopped eating and wandered off into the dark. If I get a picture of it I will submit it.

Thank you all for sending us your reports of your Possum sightings - so many people write to tell us about seeing Possums, we have to combine them!