PHOTO: Opossum makes St. Thomas home for the day

A Virginia possum huddles near the wall of the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex. (Jack Stanek/TommieMedia)

North America’s only marsupial made a rare appearance on St. Thomas’s campus outside Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex on Monday.

Virginia opossums are about the size of a loaf of bread and can live in a wide variety of habitats including farmland and forests, but prefer wetlands. They are nocturnal and search for any food they can find, including garbage, with a keen sense of smell.

They are found usually in the area east of the Rocky Mountains or along the West Coast. Their lifespan ranges from 1-2 years.

Abby Sliva and Jack Stanek contributed to this report.