By Kaitlin Saxton | Research and Husbandry Coordinator
Pepper was found as an orphaned baby opossum along with her sister in the spring of 2020. They were brought to a local rehabber where they were cared for until they reached an age that they could be released, but while Pepper’s sister grew to full size and was able to be released, Pepper stayed unusually small and rehabbers decided she may not survive in the wild due to her size. Pepper joined us as a PWC ambassador in September 2020.
In the wild, opossums live very short lives averaging only 1-2 years. In captivity their lifespan is somewhat extended, but only by a little and most captive opossums only make it to 3 or 4. At about 3.5 years old, Pepper is well into her senior days but still finds ways to surprise us. Her secret to great health starts in the kitchen, with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Getting plenty of rest and exercise is also important, so she recently moved into a larger enclosure with more space to walk, climb, and take many, many naps in between doing programs to show people how great opossums are.
As the third anniversary of Pepper's Gotcha Day here at PWC rolls around, we're thankful that she's still with us and appreciate you for supporting the Gail E. Abrams Wildlife Ambassador Fund so that we can continue to provide her with the best food and care all the days of her life.
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