After a month of care, a mama opossum and her 13 babies were released back into the wild.
Photo Credits: Liz Thawley and Krissy Loftin
When a Novato resident found a Virginia Opossum caught in a trap in their neighbor’s yard, they knew something had to be done right away. The neighbors were on vacation, and the trapped mother had 13 babies clinging to her, completely dependent on her for survival.
The rescuer called WildCare’s Living with Wildlife Hotline for guidance, and WildCare coordinated with Marin Humane to safely free the mother from the trap and transport the whole family to WildCare’s Wildlife Hospital. When she arrived on July 1, WildCare’s medical team found the mother a bit dehydrated and thin, but otherwise in reasonably good condition.
Shown here at intake at WildCare’s Hospital, Mama and her 13 babies were treated for dehydration.
Photo Credit: Julie Lesznar
Opossums are marsupials, and joeys typically stay attached to their mother, first in her pouch and later riding on her back, for months as they grow and develop. Because the mother’s treatment took time, her babies grew past the point where they could safely stay in her pouch. When she moved around, they would fall from her back, still too young to survive on their own.
By law, WildCare releases wildlife back to the location where they were found, so the mother was released back home in Novato on July 29.
However, her babies needed more time. WildCare’s medical team kept them until each was old enough and strong enough to survive independently, releasing them in stages as they reached that milestone. Rather than releasing all 13 together, they were released at various locations, mirroring how young opossums naturally disperse from their mother in the wild. Releasing an entire litter in one spot would put too much strain on that area’s food and shelter resources. Ten of the babies were strong and ready to go on August 16. The final three stayed a bit longer while one sibling worked on catching up in size, and all three were released together on August 22.
Video Credits: Liz Thawley and Krissy Loftin
See photos of their journey back into the wild:
Photo Credits: Liz Thawley and Krissy Loftin
A Word About Traps
This opossum family’s story had a happy ending, but it easily could have gone differently. WildCare’s position is clear: never use traps of any kind to address wildlife issues on your property. Trapping and relocating wildlife is illegal in California, often separates mothers from dependent young, and can leave animals without food or water for hours or days at a time.
Every year, WildCare treats patients with constriction wounds from traps and snares. Swelling sets in as circulation is cut off, and the longer an animal is trapped, the more severe and harder to treat the damage becomes.
If you’re having an issue with wildlife, call WildCare’s Living With Wildlife Hotline at 415.456.7283. We can help you find a humane solution, no trap required.