We explain what an opossum is, where these animals live, what they eat and other characteristics. Also, its importance in culture.
What is an opossum?
The names tlacuache, chucha, fara or tacuacín are known to certain Mexican species of opossum an American marsupial mammal widely distributed in North, Central and South America. It is known in other geographies by the names of raposa, rabipelado, guazalo or cangrejera, among others.
It is a very common animal on the continent, of importance in different ecological niches given its omnivorous diet and its basically arboreal life. It is a relatively aggressive animal, with a painful bite and nocturnal habits, which does not represent any serious danger to humans, and which in some places has even been domesticated.
The most common names of the Mexican variant, tlacuache or tacuacín, come from the Nahuatl language. tlacuatzinsince this animal has an important presence in the pre-Hispanic imagination of the region. According to certain Mexica myths, the opossum gave humans the secret of fire when it was jealously guarded by the mountain giants.
Legend has it that the fire was guarded by an army of ferocious jaguars, among which the opossum snuck in, saying that it was cold, so that it could steal an ember by clinging to it with its tail, and give it to the humans. The heat of the ember, the legend explains, burned their fur and for that reason these animals have hairless tails.
Being the only marsupial that inhabits Mexican territory the opossum was venerated and artistically represented by the aboriginal peoples. That is why statues and paintings are found in practically all the archaeological sites in the country. In Tenochtitlán and Tlapacoyán, figures from more than 1000 years ago were found with a recognizable opossum shape. It is a fundamental animal in the Mesoamerican imagination.
Furthermore, this American species It emerged more than 60 million years ago, and has changed very little over time proof of its biological success. There are at least seven different genera of opossums on the American continent, and currently their encounters with the human species are much more common, given that their habitats are invaded by the growing urban sprawl of cities.
Characteristics of the opossum
Opossums or opossums are characterized by the following:
- have four legs and a prehensile tail devoid of fur, and a body similar to that of a mouse or medium-sized rodent (about the size of a domestic cat).
- have a marsupium or sac in which the newborn babies rest until their size increases to the point of forcing them to leave and place themselves on their mothers' backs temporarily.
- have an elongated snout and a strong bite but they are skittish and have two typical defense mechanisms: secreting a particularly stinking urine, similar to skunks or skunks; or lie down and play dead.
- Their habits are generally nocturnal and it is a solitary species.
Where does the opossum live?
Opossums are generally arboreal, and are adapted to rural life. However, their presence in cities is increasingly common, which makes them a common victim of accidents and sometimes unfortunate encounters with humans.
Opossums are distributed throughout the American continent, with different endemic species highly adapted to their environment, throughout a territory that ranges from southern Canada, the United States and Mexico, to Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia and Ecuador. It is not considered an ecologically threatened species, nor at any risk of extinction.
What does the opossum eat?
As with other opossums, The opossum's diet is essentially omnivorous that is, he eats everything. It can act as a predator of small animals or injured medium-sized animals, or act as an opportunistic hunter or detritivore, but it is also common for it to eat fruits and seeds of different types.
When it is in the vicinity of humans, it can feed on garbage, eggs and chicks from farms, and basically anything.
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References
- “Tlacuache” in Wikipedia.
- “Didelphis marsupialis” on Wikipedia.
- “Didelphis virginiana” on Wikipedia.
- “The opossum, the pre-Hispanic Prometheus of Mexico” (video) on NotimexTV.
- “The myth of the opossum, Nahuatl Prometheus who stole fire for the ancient Mexicans” in MXCity.
