What is the only marsupial native to the United States and Canada?

Like kangaroos, opossums carry their young in a pouch. Babies are born after only about two weeks, no bigger than a honeybee, and crawl into the mother’s pouch to grow. Later they ride on her back.

When threatened, an opossum may “play possum,” falling into a faint-like state, drooling and giving off a foul smell so predators lose interest. It isn’t a choice; it is an involuntary reaction.

Opossums have fifty teeth, more than any other North American land mammal, and they have strong resistance to the venom of many snakes. They also eat thousands of ticks.