opussum

Submitted by tyler on 12/7/04 at 1:16 PM. ( ) 205.213.111.54

i just caught a opussum should i kill it or just let it go i dont really want a opoussum

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Tyler

This response submitted by Coyote on 12/7/04 at 1:51 PM. ( coyote@wideopenwest.com ) 69.14.89.168

You're the trapper? Right, If you're not going to utilize the animal for taxidermy, selling the fur. Then let it go. No reason to just kill it for no reason. It'll probably find it's own death along some road or highway anyways.

Coyote


?

This response submitted by Shovelhead on 12/7/04 at 7:39 PM. ( ) 66.66.114.42

You are a loser if you even ponder that !


In nature

This response submitted by cur on 12/8/04 at 2:22 AM. ( ) 4.253.67.29

Success is measured by numbers. The opposum is a very successful creature by that yardstick. They are invaders from South America, and can be very harmful to native wildlife. The return of bobcats and other predators to some areas will help control possum numbers. One very efficient predator is the Great Horned Owl, but their numbers are down slightly due to the previous impact from DDT.

Releasing the ole possum will not make much difference to local wildlife populations at this time of year, since their chief predation is on newly born rabbits and bird eggs and the young of ground nesting birds.

And, young man you are NOT a loser for thinking about your action. Blatant disregard for the life of any living creature.....(except feral cats) is for losers. Personally, I believe that the wanton destruction of any wild creature is not in keeping with good moral and conservation ethics.......except for feral cats.

The reason I mention the cats is that they do more damage to our native wildlife than all the remaing predator species combined. Our native wildlife has no natural or habitual defense against the predation techniques of small cats. Native cats are larger and seldom climb to rob bird nests, and rarely kill for the sake of killing as do feral housecats. There are an estimated 22,000,000 feral cats in the US (Probably more at this date, since my data, like myself, is old.) If those cats consume just four ounces of protein (birds, fish, rodents and the like) every four days,that amounts to 253,000 tons of wildlife sourced protein per year.

Unlike cats, possums are omnivorous, meaning they are frugivorus/carnivorus and that their food sources are much more varied than an animal that eats meat alone.

As I see it, it is your possum, and your choice. Let it go, and you will probably trap it again, and again, and again......they are not too smart...LOL. Kill it without a plan to utilize it and you will not have accomplished much, one way or the other, in the scheme of things.


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