How to Tell the Difference Between Possums and Opossums: Appearance & Behavior

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Easy and accurate ways to identify whether you’re seeing a possum or an opossum
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What’s the difference between possums and opossums ? Aren’t they the same thing? Opossums are the classic creature you’ve probably seen running across your neighborhood. They’re known to be fearful, fuzzy, and clever. Possums, however, are an entirely different species you don’t encounter much in North America. They're closely related to kangaroos, and you won’t ever see them “playing dead”. To finally figure out the differences between these two creatures, here’s a guide to determine whether you’re referring to a possum or an opossum !

Things You Should Know

  • Possums and opossums are different animals! The opossum is the only marsupial native to North America, while the possum is a marsupial that resides in Australia.
  • These two animals look pretty similar. But, in terms of their tail and coat, possums are furrier and softer than opossums.
  • Only opossums “play dead” to ward off predators. Possums are friendly creatures that have adapted well to humans and urban life.
Section 1 of 3:

Are possums and opossums the same?

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  1. Although they have similar names and both are marsupials, possums have entirely different physical and behavioral traits than opossums. Opossums are the only marsupials native to North America, while possums are a species from Australia and New Guinea. [1]
  2. Opossums belong to the Didelphimorphia order, which is one family of marsupials. [2] Possums belong to the Diprotodontia order, which consists of 10 families found only in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and surrounding islands. [3]
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  3. There are around 70 species of possums, with over 30 in Australia alone. In contrast, there are only a few dozen species of opossums in North America, with the Virginia opossum as the most common. [4]
    • Australians are most familiar with the Common Brushtail and Ringtail possum.
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Section 2 of 3:

Physical Differences

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  1. The opossum has a long, hairless tail that spans almost ⅓ of its total body length. [5] In contrast, the Australian possum has a thick, furry tail that helps it climb trees. [6]
    • It’s a myth that adult opossums can hang upside down by their tail! Opossums have prehensile tails (able to easily grip objects) but they cannot support their entire body weight with just their tail. [7]
  2. Opossums are known for their streaked gray fur and pointed white faces. Possums also have pointed faces, but their coat comes in a wider range of colors–golden brown, silver-gray, and black. [8]
    • Possums have smoother, silkier fur than opossums, making them a target of the fur trade industry in New Zealand. An average of 1.5 million possums are killed annually.
  3. Opossums are around 2.5 feet (76 cm) from nose to tail, and they weigh between 9 pounds (4.1 kg) to 13 pounds (5.9 kg). [9] Possums are closer to 2 feet (61 cm) long and weigh between 3 pounds (1.4 kg) to 11 pounds (5.0 kg). [10]
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Section 3 of 3:

Behavioral Differences

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  1. When threatened by predators, both creatures make hissing noises as a defense mechanism, but only opossums pretend to be sick/dead to avoid confrontation. [11]
    • Possums are usually shy, but they will exert scent marks from their chest glands to mark territory. [12]
    • When playing dead, opossums emit a foul scent to mimic death–it’s often described as corpse-like. [13]
  2. Unlike their North American counterparts, possums are friendly creatures adapted to humans and urban life. [14] Opossums are more fearful toward humans, so they're more likely to hiss or feign death than attack.
    • Opossums rarely show aggression or bite humans, but mother opossums will attack to protect their young! [15]
  3. The possum’s diet usually consists of fruit, flowers, and herbs, but they occasionally indulge in small insects or eggs. [16] Opossums scavenge for just about anything–fruit, insects, mice, and even venomous snakes! [17]
    • It’s estimated that an opossum can eat up to 5,000 ticks per year, protecting humans and wildlife from Lyme disease. [18]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/fLYofE1WFMs?t=69
      2. ↑ https://nhpbs.org/kn/vs/scilab6fa4hadidelphimorphia.asp
      3. ↑ https://nhpbs.org/wild/Diprotodontia.asp
      4. ↑ https://dickinsoncountyconservationboard.com/2019/05/28/opossum-myths-and-facts
      5. ↑ https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/opossum
      6. ↑ https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/pests-and-threats/animal-pests/possums
      7. ↑ https://www.reconnectwithnature.org/news-events/the-buzz/myth-buster-opossums-do-not-hang-by-their-tails
      8. ↑ https://www.peskypossum.com.au/the-life-of-the-australian-brushtail-possum
      9. ↑ https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/opossum
      1. ↑ https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/pests-and-threats/animal-pests/possums
      2. ↑ http://wildlifehumane.org/animals/opossums/opossum-acting-strange
      3. ↑ https://www.peskypossum.com.au/the-life-of-the-australian-brushtail-possum
      4. ↑ https://blog.nature.org/science/2021/05/11/strange-and-surprising-facts-about-opossums
      5. ↑ https://australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/common-brushtail-possum
      6. ↑ https://citywildlife.org/the-truth-about-opossums
      7. ↑ https://www.peskypossum.com.au/the-life-of-the-australian-brushtail-possum
      8. ↑ https://www.paws.org/resources/opossums
      9. ↑ https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/opossum

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