Virginia Opossum (unknown)

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is not an animal that you would expect to find an exhibit dedicated to at the zoo, but it is a fascinating North American animal that most of us probably have some familiarity with. Interestingly, opossums do not “play dead,” as many people say, implying a conscious choice, but rather enter a catatonic state when frightened by a predator, and anal glands produce an odor resembling the stink of a decomposing dead body. This was clearly how the opossum was intended to be, and not a learned behavior. Opossums are usually about the size of house cats and have a ratlike appearance with gray fur, black ears, a white face and hairless pink tails and feet. They are the only marsupial species native to North America, which means they carry their young in pouches and are distantly related to animals like the kangaroo.

I had only thought a little bit about liking opossums prior to fairly recently, but when I finally got to go see a wildlife museum in the visitor center at a local state park, I saw this beautiful plush possum in their gift shop and I very quickly fell in love. I am not sure who the manufacturer is; this opossum is also available on several online shops, none of which say who actually produced it.

I loved her white face, embroidered eyes and mouth, and her pink ratty tail. She is made of recycled materials and most of her body has gray fur. Because her eyes are embroidered and not plastic, she has very colorful eyes with a lot of detail. They are mostly black but with some brown around the edges and little white spots just slightly off center to simulate the glimmer of a real eye. Unfortunately, I had left my money at home that day and so I had to wait until next time to buy her. It was tough waiting, but so worth it! She also came with a blue hooded sweatshirt that had a white tie under the neck and embroidery on the back saying: VA State Parks – “Possumably” the Best. I also like that she has a soft pink nose. She even has little whiskers on her face. The detail of her pink toes is accented with thread.

She is just the right size for taking on my adventures in a fanny pack. My family has talked about camping and I think she would be a perfect companion to take along. I named her Zara.

This is not the most common plush animal out there which is also one reason I find her special. Apparently she is available at state park gift shops, and you can also order one online at The Stuffed Animal House. Having a plush friend that is an animal I have in my own backyard is very cozy and reminds me of my love for wildlife. If you are a fan of opossums or North American animals, I think it would be hard to find one more appealing or with more personality than Zara.