Baby Opossum Faces Serious Trouble Before An Unlikely Hero Steps In
Like most baby animals, the North American opossum can't go too far without maternal guidance. These little guys desperately need their mothers to cling on to; this is how they receive warmth, protection, and milk. And without his mother, Poncho the opossum was in serious trouble.
Just barely out of the pouch, Poncho was already an orphan when rescue workers found him lying on the side of the road. He was clinging to the body of his mother, who'd just been struck by a car. Without her or a lot of help, his chances of survival were slim—but rescue workers had a plan just crazy enough to work...
As a baby opossum, Poncho didn't have too much responsibility. After growing strong in his mother's pouch, he'd graduated to clinging to her side as she carried him around from place to place. Life was good... that was, until disaster struck.
One night, Poncho's mother was struck by a car. She made it to the side of the road, but eventually, her strength gave out and she passed away, leaving little Poncho all alone in the world.
When rescue workers eventually found Poncho, he was still clinging to his mother's body. He didn't know how to behave without her or where to go. Now an orphan, he wasn't going to survive unless the someone acted fast.
So rescuers took Poncho to the Rare Species Fund, a wildlife organization in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, that was home to all kinds of exotic animals. There, veterinarians provided food, support, and medical treatment. But still, Poncho needed a mother.