A Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputy has captured the admiration from grateful wildlife lovers across the country. On Wednesday, March 19, Deputy Baldwin spotted an opossum lying motionless in the road.
At first, the deputy did not know if the animal was injured or deceased, but he recalled something very important; baby opossums can survive in their mother’s pouch for hours after she passes. And with that, Deputy Baldwin, with just the kind of compassion and knowledge we all hope for in our law enforcement and protection officers, pulled over to investigate.
Sadly, the mother had died, but he was able to remove eight tiny babies still alive in her pouch.
The deputy gathered the tiny survivors into a plastic container tenderly wrapped with a towel and rushed them to Blue Pearl Pet Hospital where they are receiving specialized care.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department shared the following statement:
This act of kindness saved multiple innocent lives and serves as a reminder to us all: if you ever spot a deceased opossum on the road, please consider calling animal control. These tiny, vulnerable creatures deserve a chance at life, and we couldn’t be prouder of Deputy Baldwin for going above and beyond to give them one.
Possums are beneficial to the environment as they act as nature’s “cleaning crew,” and some of their favorite foods include ticks, pests and carrion which helps to control the spread of disease and maintain a healthy ecosystem.
Following is a list how these delightful animals help all of us:
- Pest Control: Opossums eat ticks, cockroaches, rats, mice, snails, slugs, and other pests, thus controlling populations of these animals that can carry diseases.
- Tick Control: They are particularly effective at consuming ticks, which can reduce the risk of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
- Scavengers: Opossums are scavengers, meaning they consume dead animals (carrion), which helps prevent the spread of disease and keeps ecosystems clean.
- Garden Benefits: They can also be beneficial to gardens by consuming snails, slugs, and overripe fruit and berries.
- Snake Control: Opossums are immune to most snake venom and will eat venomous snakes, further contributing to ecosystem balance.
- Low Rabies Risk: Opossums have a very low risk of contracting rabies, making them less likely to spread the disease compared to other mammals.
Wishing the best for these tiny survivors.
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