Did you know Virginia opossums are the only marsupials native to North America and that their ancient marsupial ancestors have been around for more than 70 million years? These incredible animals are often misunderstood, but they’re full of fascinating traits and play a key role in our ecosystem. Opossums help maintain ecological balance by consuming insects, snails, slugs and even carrion, acting as nature’s built-in cleanup crew. They're also relatively disease-free, and it's very rare for them to carry rabies, parvovirus or distemper. This is due to their lower body temperature, which makes it harder for many viruses to survive. Our Project Wildlife team cares for nearly 1,000 opossums every year — like this one here — giving these unique animals a second chance. We think that deserves a round of op-plause!