Richardson’s abundance of trees, woodlands and waterways are home to a variety of wildlife, which may make regular appearances on neighborhood streets and in yards. One such critter that comes out at night is the opossum, better known in Texas as a ‘possum. Though they may look like “hairy rats,” they are very beneficial to the environment and in particular, the environment around our homes—here’s just a few of the many things they eat:
- Snakes, including poisonous snakes
- Mosquitoes, ticks and cockroaches
- Mice and rats
- Slugs and snails
- Decaying fruit
In addition, they are very clean and resistant to most diseases. Generally if given a chance, they will flee from danger, so the best course if one is found in a backyard or garage is to give it the chance to leave on its own. Know that extreme circumstances bring out the behavior known as “playing ‘possum,” i.e. when the animal appears to be dead, which can last more than an hour.
Website: www.cor.net/departments/animal-services/wildlife
Website: https://dfwwildlife.org/opossum/
