Virginia opossums (also known as “opossums” or “possums”) might be common in suburbs (we’ve seen them nesting in a BBQ grill), but they’re rather rare in city centers. That’s why reddit user ShabShoral was surprised to see an opossum hanging out in front of the makeup store Sephora at Union Square in New York City.
Opossums are the only marsupial found north of Mexico where they have a broad ecological tolerance, occurring in marshlands, forest, cultivated cropland, and suburban habitats. Union Square, however, is located in a part of Manhattan that is surrounded by sidewalks and tall buildings, making it a curious place to find this medium-sized mammal. In general, opossums are solitary wanders who rarely stay in one place for a long time making their home ranges difficult to define. This opossum may normally stay within the Union Square greenspace and happened to wander across the street to Sephora, or it may have meandered over from StuyTown a much larger green space four blocks east of the Union Square Sephora.
The scientific name for Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) is derived from Greek with di meaning “two” and delphus meaning “womb” which refers to their bifurcated vagina and divided uterus. Like all marsupials, their young are born early and then climb and attach to their mother’s teat. While 20 to 30 young may be born, much less than that survive since the female only has 13 teats, 12 arranged in a circle with one in the center (McManus 1974). Large litter sizes, along with their omnivorous diet likely contribute to their success in urban areas.
Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual? What about a rare plant or animal that you were surprised to find in a city? If so, let Lindsay know or Tweet at us and you could be featured as a future observation of the week!
