A Baby Opossum Spends a Night at the Shelter

An Old Colony Road resident reported seeing a sick or injured opossum Wednesday night, but it was just a baby wandering in the yard according to Monroe Animal Control.

The immature opossum was approximately seven inches long and appeared healthy, according to Monroe Animal Control Officer Ed Risko.

As a safety precaution, police captured the animal and it was held at the animal shelter on Purdy Hill Road overnight, where it at a mixture of formula and cat food and found to be in good health.

Risko said young opossums begin to wander early in their lives in search of a suitable site unoccupied by another opossum. The average home range of an "urban" opossum is no more than 15 acres - usually less, according to Risko.

On Thursday morning Risko said they would release the opossum back into the wild that night.

"It can't be released until after dark," he said of the nocturnal animal.