How to identify opossum tracks

Tracking animals is one of the most interesting things that a person can learn. Tracking opossum can be one of the ventures that you can carry pout and when you know what the tracks look like, you will be in a much better position to determine whether the tracks left are actually made by an opossum or not.



Opossums are marsupial meaning that they have a pouch just like the kangaroo. Their tails are naked and the noses pointed. Their tails are prehensile meaning that they can grasp and this is what assists the animal to be such a good climber. They can store extra reserves of fat so as to survive even when lean times present themselves.

Their thumbs are actually opposable and they are located on the hind feet. This allows them to have a firm grip on the branches. They are non-primates making them the only species of their kind to have the opposable thumbs.

They are nocturnal in nature and the best time to see the tracks is in the early mornings. At this time, the trails prove to be fine and as you will notice, the dry soil actually ages so quickly especially at the riparian areas. They thrive in many different environments and the wilderness and cities are included. They are opportunistic feeders and therefore it is common for them to raid your home.

The tracks will usually show five toes at the very from and five toes in the rear and this includes the opposable thumb. This thumb doesn’t have a claw.

As the opossum walks, the tracks tend to be overlapping one another in a pattern that alternates. This is a very typical pattern that is created by the opossum as it walks. In some tracks, the opposable thumb can be very prominent.

When you get to observe many more tracks of the same animals, the details become even better and better. When you are keen, you can be able to make out every little detail of the limbs. An opossum track can be easily confused with the raccoon tracks and most especially the front paws. However, the opposable thumb and the walking pattern make it stand out. The animal trapping also known as just trapping is about using a device to catch the animal remotely and this may include wildlife management, pest control, hunting, fur trade or for food.

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