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Virginia Opossum
Didelphis virginiana
Silhouette: Sarah Werning · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderDidelphimorphia (Opossums)
- FamilyDidelphidae (Opossums)
- GenusDidelphis (Large American Opossums)
- SpeciesDidelphis virginiana (Virginia Opossum)
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
33 Verified sightings at Point Pelee National Park From 2019 to 2026
321 In all 9 parks
February Best month
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted
About the Virginia Opossum
The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), also known as the North American opossum, is a member of the opossum family found from southern Canada to northern Costa Rica, making it the northernmost marsupial in the world. Commonly referred to simply as the possum, it is a solitary nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat, and a successful opportunist.
Opossums are familiar to many North Americans as they frequently inhabit settled areas near food sources like trash cans, pet food, compost piles, gardens or housemice. Their slow, nocturnal nature and their attraction to roadside carrion make opossums more likely to become roadkill than other animals in their range.
The Virginia opossum is the original animal named "opossum", a word that comes from Algonquian wapathemwa, meaning "white animal". Colloquially, the Virginia opossum is frequently just called a "possum". The term is applied more generally to any of the other marsupials of the families Didelphidae and Caenolestidae. The generic name (Didelphis) is derived from Ancient Greek di, "two", and delphus, "womb".
The possums of Australia, whose name derives from their similarity to the American species, are also... Wikipedia →
Sounds
Recording0:03
Mexico · 2020
© gmam04 · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:10
United States · 2023
© pondcypressstudio · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:34
United States · 2018
© Hugh A. Rand · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recent sightings of Virginia Opossum in Point Pelee National Park
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 7 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 4 | Monterrey | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 5 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Guatemala City | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 10 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
Closest Relatives at Point Pelee National Park
No species of the same family or order lives in Point Pelee National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other mammals.
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Virginia Opossum in Point Pelee National Park?
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Virginia Opossum sighting in Point Pelee National Park on a given day, based on 33 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 6th most-seen of the 17 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Virginia Opossum in Point Pelee National Park?
February
In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Virginia Opossum in Point Pelee National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August and December–January, the lowest months.
What time of day is best to see a Virginia Opossum?
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Virginia Opossum sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Is Point Pelee National Park the best place to see a Virginia Opossum?
Among the best
Of the 9 parks where we can rate Virginia Opossum sightings, Point Pelee National Park ranks 2nd at about 20%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Big Cypress National Preserve (United States, about 20%).
Where does the Virginia Opossum sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Virginia Opossum is recorded against all the mammals logged in Point Pelee National Park (33 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
