The Opossum Natural Predator

The Tucson opossums are omnivores. They eat a range of animals, insects, and other vegetations. They are also scavengers. This implies that they will also enjoy the taste of dead things and carrions. They will also rummage our trashcan in order to collect the leftovers. Nonetheless, there are also animals that are eating the opossums. Almost any predators that are larger compared to the opossums will attack them.



Quick List of Natural Predator of Opossum
While the opossums are known to be smart, there are also other animals that can outsmart them especially their predators. Fortunately, they are armed with sharp claws and teeth that they can use to retaliate and a peculiar defense mechanism to keep them protected against these creatures.

Owl
The owls are known as the natural predators of different urban Arizona creatures such as the opossum. Once the opossums are exposed into an open space, the owl can easily capture them with their strong claws. The killing instinct of the owl has become its innate factor. The strong claws of the owl can instantly break the neck of the opossum. It can also decapitate the creature in a single bite.

Fox
The red fox is also a creature that we often see in the urban setting. They are hunters and will gladly feast on the vulnerable smaller animals in the city. While they will also eat berries, vegetations, insects, and eggs, they will also hunt rodents and smaller animals such as the opossum. While they are hunting for the opossum, they also need to look out for the other enemies that are preying on the opossum such as the coyotes.

Coyote
Tucson Coyotes will often hunt in pack which makes the opossum vulnerable against their attack. However, with the defense mechanism of the opossum, the coyotes will usually leave them behind once they play dead. This is due to the fact that the coyote will refuse to eat anything that can hurt them. Nonetheless, if they are hungry enough, they will gladly satiate it with the taste of the opossum.

Bobcat
The Bobcat will feast on the meat of a range of animals such as rabbits, cottontails, feral cats, wild birds, small fawn, chicken, rats, mice, and opossum. However, once they were attacked by the bobcat, they will quickly ‘play possum’ that will mimic the scent and the appearance of the sick and decaying animal. Just like the other creatures in the wild, they will refuse to eat anything that will harm them. This is why they will generally choose not to attack the opossum and look for other victims.

These are just few of the creature that eats opossum. Opossums are known for their unique defense mechanism. They are generally docile creatures but will show an aggressive behavior just to intimidate their attackers. If this intimidation will not work, they will enter a ‘shock’ state that deserves an award for playing dead. There are instances that it will work and there are those times that they will have to face the inevitable.

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