South Florida Wildlife Center reporting an influx of orphaned baby opossum

The South Florida Wildlife Center is reporting an influx of orphaned baby opossums.

“We have had an influx of baby opossums, about 200 in the last ten days. Usually we get about 600 in an entire season. It is unusual that we get so many at once. It has been pretty strenuous to take care of them all,” said Jessica Sonzogni, nursery supervisor.

She believes the reason so many opossums are coming to the Center is because of more human contact. The opossums are losing space as more people come to South Florida. Sometimes a mother opossum will get a hit by a car with many babies in her pouch. “People should realize that opossums are great for pest control,” said Sonzogni. “We have to take all the babies if the mother is injured or killed.”

The Wildlife Center is need of supplies and donations to help care for the tiny marsupials, including: Plastic igloo-style hide-outs and small exercise wheels such as those sold in the small animal section of pet stores, linens, shallow feeding dishes and plastic Tupperware-style storage containers.

South Florida Wildlife Center’s mission is to protect wildlife through rescue, rehabilitation, and education. They serve the tri-county area of Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade.

If you have found injured or orphaned wildlife in South Florida, call 954-524-4302 or 866-SOS-WILD.

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Author: Amanda Jones
Author: Amanda Jones

Amanda Jones specializes in social media marketing. She holds a Master's degree in Social Media Management from the University of Florida and a Social Media Professional Certificate from the University of Miami.

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