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Bring Nature Close brings you a Kids Page. Every month Kids are introduced to an animal, bird, reptile, amphibian or insect. Plus a great project to Bring Nature Close to you and your children!
Check out our kids page every month and enjoy bringing nature close to you!
Have Fun!
Have Fun!
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Opossum
- Didelphis virginiana
Opossum is a small marsupial of the United States. We always drop the "O" when we say the name so it is "'Possum". Opossums used to be mostly in the southern states but now range in most of the U. S. A. and even S.Canada. They were brought to the west coast in 1910 and readily adjusted to the agricultural lands and subburbs in California, Oregon and Washington. They are a color-less grey with dark grey to black highlights. They have a smooth haired face and feet. They have a hairless tail. The rest of the body is covered with long grey hair.
Marsupials are primitive animals. The young are born, not totally developed and climb into an exterior stomach pouch called a marsupium, where they finish their development. These babies are so small that 12 or 16 can fit in a teaspoon. They live in the pouch for another 2 months and continue to nurse for another month after that.Then they stay with the mother, riding on her bank until they are too big. Most marsupials live in Australia and Tasmania. Those marsupials inclued Kangaroos, Bandicoot and Wombat.
These animals are mostly nocturnal but are sometimes seen sunning themselves during the day. They shuffle about in ground leaf matter looking for insects, lizards and frogs. They also eat fruit nuts, berries, crayfish and birds eggs.
Opossums have some interesting characteristics. They have a prehensile tail that they can hang by and carry things with. They also have opposable thumbs on each hind foot.
You may have heard the phrase "Playing Opossum", in other words faking it or playing dead! When threatened opossums fall down and play dead. Many animals won't go after it, if it is not running away. Then when there is a chance to "get away" from their agressor they will jump up and run off.
Marsupials are primitive animals. The young are born, not totally developed and climb into an exterior stomach pouch called a marsupium, where they finish their development. These babies are so small that 12 or 16 can fit in a teaspoon. They live in the pouch for another 2 months and continue to nurse for another month after that.Then they stay with the mother, riding on her bank until they are too big. Most marsupials live in Australia and Tasmania. Those marsupials inclued Kangaroos, Bandicoot and Wombat.
These animals are mostly nocturnal but are sometimes seen sunning themselves during the day. They shuffle about in ground leaf matter looking for insects, lizards and frogs. They also eat fruit nuts, berries, crayfish and birds eggs.
Opossums have some interesting characteristics. They have a prehensile tail that they can hang by and carry things with. They also have opposable thumbs on each hind foot.
You may have heard the phrase "Playing Opossum", in other words faking it or playing dead! When threatened opossums fall down and play dead. Many animals won't go after it, if it is not running away. Then when there is a chance to "get away" from their agressor they will jump up and run off.
Playing Possum
Let's Make a Sand Castle!
Have a great day at the beach! Weather it is at the ocean, lake or river you can have fun with a few plastic containers. So collect some containers. Plastic containers work the best, as the wet sand slides out easier. Use 1 quart youghrt or cottage cheese containers. Use pint size youghurt containers. Cottage cheese and sour cream come in 2 pint sizes, too. Also the little "to go" containers for salsa, sour cream, hot pepper flakes or salad dressing on the side. Then a big bucket. Hopefully you have a 2 gallon bucket or buy one at the grocery store ( inexpeinsive). Start saving these plastic containers. Ask your family of friends to save them out, before they throw them out! They wash up quickly. Save them in a water proof small shopping bag for continued use.
To make the best sand castle or sand city use wet sand. Wet sand holds its shape. Have fun and enjoy your creation!