Nature Knows Best

Can it be true that possums are smarter than we give them credit for? Are humans meddlesome creatures that interfere too much with nature? I am beginning to think both are true.

My dog Boudreaux first discovered the possum family den yesterday. While I thought it would be fun to take pics of his discovery, I was a threat to Mama Possum's family. She got irritated and hauled ass. Two babies were left in the den, two fell off during the escape, and two hung on for dear life.

After I safely transported the two that fell off back to the den, I was racked with guilt. What have I done?! Will Mama Possum now abandon her den and these children for good? I left cereal just in case the babies were indeed abandoned and left with no food.

At noon and 9pm, the babies were still in the den with no sign of Mama Possum. The cereal was not touched. Concerned that the babies were hungry, I tossed them sliced seedless grapes and cantaloupe.

At 5am this morning, I found a sack of hen scratch (oats, corn, various seeds) ripped wide open. Mama Possum must have returned! I checked the possum den and found it completely abandoned. Half the cereal and 3/4ths of the fruit were consumed overnight. I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief.

Mama Possum must have relocated her family to a new den far away from the irritating jackass that won't leave them alone. Ahem.