Please give a warm Piedmont welcome to our newest Ambassador Animal, Pickles the Virginia opossum!
Pickles came to us from Our Wild Neighbors in August. She was found as an orphan this spring, possibly after falling off her mom's back and being left behind. (No judgment, opossum moms - sometimes it happens when you have 13 babies at once!)
The rehabbers at OWN noticed Pickles's right forelimb looked a little unusual. After a vet visit, it was discovered that one of her growth plates had been crushed, probably due to a predator attack as an infant. Growth plates are special tissue found at the end of bones in young mammals (including humans!) that allow them to grow, and injuries to that tissue can cause bones to grow incorrectly.
Because of her injury, Pickles could not be released into the wild. While she can walk and climb well, she would not be able to travel long distances to find food and avoid predators. Instead, she's found a home here at PWC, where she's perfecting her favorite form of transportation: riding on staff members' shoulders!
Thanks to her calm, curious temperament and comfort being handled by humans, we think Pickles is going to make a fantastic Ambassador for her species at birthday parties, animal encounters, and school programs. Welcome to the family, Pickles!
Want to receive updates from Pickles as she grows up - and learn more about opossums? Pickles is now available to sponsor through our Adopt-An-Ambassador program! Sponsorship options start at $25.
