Possums on the move
by Leona, Richard, Nancy, Geoff, Anne, Neil, Darlene, Robert, Lindsay, Mike
(Mississauga, London, Port Credit, Toronto, Kitchener, Oshawa, St Catharines, Bethany, Whitby)
Leona from Mississauga wrote to say ... I happened to look out our kitchen sliding doors tonight and, seeing movement there, assumed it was the usual raccoon. It wasn't. My first thought was "Possum". My second thought was "In Ontario?" I called my son to have a look and the critter, who had been scavenging the stale bread we throw out for the birds, whirled around to look in my direction (they must have really good hearing) and then moved into the cover of some ferns. A check of internet pictures confirmed it as a Possum and a read of this site explained how it may have come to my backyard. For an urban garden, we've got quite the assortment of wildlife: foxes, rabbits, ducks, raccoon, and now possum! No possum pictures, regrettably; our possum was much too quick.
Richard from the Oakridge area of London, Ontario said ... I was just outside having a smoke when he or she crawled underneath the fence and continued up the hill in back yard. All I can say descriptively is it was a sort of a chunky fellow whose sole purpose and direction was out of my back yard.
Nancy, another reader from London said ... On September 12, we were watching the Blue Jays when our motion light on our patio came on. Time was 9:15 p.m. Looked out and the Possum was right there at the patio door. The light didn't scare it at all. We tapped on the door and he sauntered off into the yard. We live in a well populated area, but we do have a conservation area close by. The area is called Pond Mills.
Geoff, also from London, reported ... Around midday day today (February 3/2016) I went into my back yard, which is about 1/2 acre, and saw a Possum nosing around my composter. I got within about ten feet, he gave a smell, then didn't look at me again. There were 3 loud Hawks or Eagles floating above my back yard, looking for a meal I think.
One of our readers wrote to say ... We live in Port Credit, an area of Mississauga. We spotted a grey furry ball behind our back fence, and surprise, it was a Possum. We thought it was dead, but I am guessing that our dog gave it such a scare that it was playing dead, since it was gone when we went to check on it an hour later. This is the second Possum we have spotted in the area (not too far from the Credit River). The other one was last year. Funny looking creatures.
A reader from the area of York Mills and the Don Valley Parkway of Toronto, wrote to tell us of his Possum sighting ... 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.
Neil from north Oshawa wrote to tell us ... It is 9.30 pm and we are watching a Possum in our back yard, cleaning up bird feed that has fallen to the lawn. A large specimen, probably the size of a smallish dog! This is a first for us!
Darlene from Oshawa wrote to say ... I have seen one in my back yard. The dogs keep trying to get her, she is larger than a cat and grey in colour. I had one in my backyard in Scarborough 4 years ago but the raccoons killed it.
Robert from St Catharines said ... I saw a Possum last night when I was sitting in porch having a smoke. Suddenly one passed in my yard and went under fence to the next yard. It was very huge animal and I thought it was a beautiful animal.
Another reader from St Catharines reported seeing two Possums in their back yard.
Lindsay said ... We looked out and saw a Possum on the deck (a raised deck) so it must have climbed up the steps. It was about 9 pm.
Mike, from Bethany, Ontario, wrote to tell us ... A Possum was in my garage, eating cat food. Appeared big and healthy.
A reader from Whitby said ... I have a Possum that's dug a hole under my shed. I have seen it twice once in the daytime and then also once at night, eating seed under my bird feeder.
