What do wildlife rehabilitators do with opossums?

More often than not, animals that reach or inhibited human households are sick or injured. These animals become to weak to survive in the wild on their own, so they retreat to human households in search for food and shelter. To animals, food is a lot easier to obtain in inhabited human environments, where they don’t have to hunt for it. In human households, food is easily accessible to them, so they don’t need to exhaust themselves to provide it. This is a reason why, so often, possums, as well as raccoons, squirrels, bats and groundhogs can be found hiding in sheds and attics, sick or injured.



Depending on the type of animal, it's condition, geographic location and the population count, which determines whether the animal will be treated as a pest or as a protected species, different types of treatment and removal methods are legal or obligatory in order to remove the animal from the household. While some types of animals, like bats, are protected against trapping and killing, other animal species are allowed, or even required, to be trapped and killed due to their overpopulation. In case of opossums, they are legal to kill in the majority of states, but they are also legal to release and relocate. For those who encounter an injured animal in their household, in some states, services of wildlife rehabilitators are provided to help rescue the animal.

Animal rehabilitators usually work from their local offices, and they are equipped with vehicles and different tools, including medical, to help an injured animal. This means that, if your have a sick or injured animal in your home, you can call wildlife rehabilitators to help capture, heal and release it. Animal rehabilitators will, first, capture the animal safely. Then, they will transfer the animal to their medical facility and provide it with medical care if needed. After the animal recovers, they will, finally, release it back into the wild. This way, the animal will be removed from your home in a way that is both humane towards her and safe for your. This means that, every time your find a wild animal in your home that your suspect is sick or injured, you should check if wildlife rehabilitators are available in your area. This is also safer for your, because trying to trap an animal that is injured and defensive can be very risky for your.

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