Did you know they boast 50 teeth in their mouths—more than any other land mammal in North America ?

Did you know they have specialized proteins in their blood that make them virtually immune to the venom of rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and other pit vipers?

Did you know there are around 67 to 70 species of true possums (more common ones brushtail , ringtail and sugar gliders) native to Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, plus over 100 species of opossums native to the Americas ? (The Virginia opossum is the only species in the United States and Canada.)

Did you know opossums are as old as the very end of the dinosaur age, with ancestors that lived alongside the last dinosaurs around 65 to 70 million years ago ? (While the exact species of modern Virginia opossums evolved more recently (around 20 to 23 million years ago), their overall body shape, skull structure, and traits have remained remarkably unchanged for millions of years.)

Did you know a single opossum can eat thousands of ticks in a single season, helping to reduce the spread of Lyme disease ?