Didelphis virginiana, opossum

The opossum is an opportunistic feeder that resides primarily in wooded habitats along rivers and streams. Preferred foods include corn, aquatic invertebrates, eggs, fruit, and terrestrial insects. It takes shelter in trees and underbrush; it's prehensile tail makes it an adept arboreal resident. It dens in hollow logs, abandoned burrows, and brush piles. It's home range is often dependent upon the availability of suitable food and shelter. Competition for those resources also impacts the individual's range. They have been known to inhabit as small a range as 10 acres and as large a range as 100 acres. They are preyed upon by large raptors and land based carnivores./p>