That's when I realized it was an opossum. Greely was surprised because he didn't think opossums were this far north. We often see raccoons and skunks around our home, but not opossums. It's been there all winter, because we often see its little nose pointing out from beneath the deck. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife regional biologist Philip A. Bozenhard, of Gray, said opossum sightings are common throughout southern Maine, but a rarity north of Lewiston-Auburn.
Opossum are active the year-round and feed on anything.
They're more noticeable with animal damage control people, who are often called upon to remove them from urban areas. The opossum is a primitive American animal related to the kangaroo. Females have an external pouch in the skin of the abdomen. The young are born about the same size as a kidney bean, before they are completely developed. Actually, they're pretty ugly.