Page 2 - Kind News, Parent Guide, Nov/Dec 2022

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ANSWER KEY AND ACTIVITIES

VISIT
KINDNEWS.ORG
for online Critter Clues FROM PAGE 7
activities! Our mystery critter is the

opossum. These nocturnal marsupials
have been around since the time of the
dinosaur. Often described as dirty,
National Animal Shelter smelly, and disease-ridden, opossums
Appreciation Week are very misunderstood.

CROSSWORD ANSWERS FROM PAGE 6 Opossums are scavengers. Adaptable
and intelligent, they are actually a benefit to
most areas they live in. They may eat thousands
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W
of ticks a season (helping to slow the spread of Lyme
I disease, carried by ticks), and they also eat snails, rats, mice,
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B N K S cockroaches, and beetles, some of which carry diseases and eat our
A
P H gardens. Opossums are very clean animals — they have very few
P sweat glands — and much like cats, are often cleaning themselves
with their tongue and paws. Since opossums drool and hiss in
R self-defense, a common misconception is that they are mean or
E even that they carry rabies. In fact, it is rare for opossums to
C contract rabies due to their low body temperature.
4 Opossums have no shortage of cool tricks up their sleeves.
D O N A T N G They make great use of their tails — for climbing, balancing, and
I
A carrying material for their nests. The term “playing possum”
5 comes from their ability to lie completely still for hours on end
T
M A C H
when threatened, a completely involuntary behavior caused by
I
6 7 stress. When doing this, they also emit a terrible odor, increasing
O
F S T E R their chances of deterring potential predators.
N I Opossums struggle in the winter months. They can’t hibernate
M and must look for food every few days. Their ears and tails are
hairless, which makes opossums more likely to get frostbite.
E
THIS PAGE: SAMJRAY105/BIGSTOCKPHOTO.COM 2. Banks 1. Wish do to limit conflict with opossums? If you do not want them visiting
Some urban communities may have a high population of opos-
sums, leading to conflicts with pets or other wildlife. What can you
ACROSS
DOWN
your backyard or denning under your porch, fill up any holes and
remove any fallen fruit from trees, as well as pet or bird food from
3. Appreciation
4. Donating
your backyard. If they do take up residence under your house or
7. Time
5. Match
porch, there are ways to get them out without harming them.
6. Foster

For more information, visit humanesociety.org/resources/
what-do-about-opossums.

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