Pouch Patrol: Humane Society rescues 10 baby opossums, urges spring caution

Ten baby opossums were saved from the pouch of their mother by the humane society. CTV Windsor’s Chris Campbell has details.

The Windsor-Essex County Humane Society is reminding motorists and residents to be extra cautious this spring as baby wildlife becomes more visible across the region.

“It’s that time of year,” said Lynette Bain, executive director of the humane society.

The organization recently responded to a call about a deceased opossum found roadside. When staff arrived, they discovered 10 baby opossums alive and tucked safely inside their mother’s pouch.

“Our staff responded to that call and luckily, because opossums are marsupials, checked the pouch, and there were ten babies inside,” said Bain. “They were able to bring them here to stay warm in our new incubators that were just donated and recover until they could be transferred to Wings Rehab.”

Spring brings an uptick in calls about injured or seemingly abandoned wildlife, Bain said. Rabbits, birds, squirrels and other small animals are especially vulnerable this time of year.

“We’re definitely seeing more babies and you’ll see that around, like, people will find nests of bunnies in their yard,” she said. “And it’s really important to kind of monitor those situations from afar.”

If residents suspect an animal is in distress, Bain urges people to observe carefully before intervening.

“Be sure that they truly are abandoned because in the wild, the mother will go out and find food for their babies, or they’ll be taking care of something else,” she said. “You really want to watch from afar.”

“If you feel that there’s an injury or something that needs extra assistance, you could intervene at that point by calling us at the Humane Society at [phone],” she added. “You can call your local municipal animal control as well, because a lot of the municipalities have contracts for animal control that includes wildlife.”

Bain said the opossums rescued last week were active and alert, thanks to the care they had already received from their mother.

“Those little opossums were so active — they were just adorable,” she said. “They had some time with their mom, so it wasn’t a dire situation … they were lively and raring to go.”

She also praised Wings Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, which is caring for the rescued babies.

“Wings is such an amazing partner and we’re so grateful for their support,” said Bain. “They also need to be remembered for when they need support because of the work that they do.”

Raising awareness is key, Bain said, who suggested stories like this one can help inform the public about how to act when they come across wild animals.

“It’s probably your first instinct,” she said of intervening. “But now that’s the whole point of education, right, is to raise the awareness of ‘oh I never knew that’. But now people might be more aware that that’s a possibility to look at the opportunity to save a life.”