The first match of the First Four has concluded, and the Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) has narrowly bested the Star-Nosed Mole. Just one vote separated the two in the final tally. So, now the Virginia Opossum goes up against the defending champion of last year’s March Species Madness, the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes).
What can we say about the red fox that we haven’t said before. These are the most widely spread members of the order Carnivora, found across most of North America, Europe and Asia, and are even invasive in Australia. While these may look similar to dogs, wolves or coyotes, the fox is, at best, distantly related. Check out this article that highlights the differences between coyotes, wolves and foxes. Red foxes are smaller than wolves and coyotes, and tend to focus on smaller prey, but they’re still wild creatures and though they have adapted well in urban environments, you should give them their space.
If a fox were to actually fight an opossum, who would win? Despite the stereotype, opossums wouldn’t play dead. These creatures are quite capable of bearing their teeth, hissing and growling, and that’s usually enough to convince a fox to stay away – why make trouble for itself? However opossums do sometimes involuntarily go into a catatonic state when threatened. When attacked, this response can kick in, dropping the animal to the ground, making it go limp and its breathing appear to stop. It will not respond when poked. For some predators who are not carrion eaters, they have no interest in eating an animal that’s already dead (a sensible survival tactic). But there’s no “play” around the possum’s response. It’s not an act; it’s just a fight-or-flight response that opossums and other marsupials have. Did you know that the Virginia opossum is the only marsupial found in the wild in the United States and Canada?
Now is the time to decide who wins in this battle between the red fox and the virginia opossum — not with teeth and claws, but with your votes. Cast your ballot below to decide whether the defending champion, or its marsupial challenger, goes on to round two of March Species Madness.