Opossums Are Uniquely Designed Creatures
by Owen Borville
July 7, 2020
Biology
Opossums are unique animals designed by an Intelligent Designer and Powerful Creator. The opossum is a misunderstood animal, as it is often seen as dumb and dirty. However, the opossum is actually smarter and cleaner than many people think. The opossum actually can be beneficial to humans.
Opossum Origin as Living Fossils
The unique features of the opossum, such as their pouch and their unique behavior are the product of a special creation and not millions of years of random evolution. Evolutionist researchers have traced opossum origin as far back as the dinosaurs. One of Earth's oldest mammals according to the evolutionist time scale, opossums are classified as "living fossils." Their classification as "living fossils" explains that their morphology has not changed since their appearance in the fossil record, giving strong evidence of design and creation in opposition to evolution.
Opossums are the only marsupials found in the United States and Canada. The most common opossum in the United States is the Virginia opossum, which is the only marsupial found in the U.S. There are over 100 classified species of opossum around the world. They are called both "opossums and possums" in the United States. The Australian possum, or brushtail possum, is a different variety of marsupial with some similarities and differences with the American opossum, including fur color and tail thickness. Possums are also found in New Zealand, New Guinea, Indonesia, and China.
The opossum ranges from 21 to 36 inches long including the tail, about the size of a household cat and weighs 4-15 pounds. The opossum lives only 1 to 2 years in the wild, and this short lifespan is believed to result from many predators. The opossum has a distinguished white face and gray fur, facial whiskers, a long, pointy snout, and round, dark eyes. It also has hairless ears and long, hairless tail. In northern regions, their tail is short due to frostbite. Their long toes with claws help them climb. The tail is prehensile, allowing the opossum to use it as an extra arm for grasping objects and helping them climb trees. Baby opossums can hang from branches with their tail for short periods. Opossums also use their tongue and paws to groom themselves frequently. Opossum eyes are specially designed to see at night and is important for their nocturnal behavior.
A unique fact is that the Virginia opossum has 50 teeth, more than any North American mammal. Another unusual feature of opossums is that the females and males have a forked or bifurcated reproductive system or genitalia. Evolutionists would have difficulty explaining this.
One of the most unique features of the opossum is the pouch. Female opossums carry and nurse their babies, or joeys, in their pouch. After birth, the babies immediately crawl into the pouch where they will live and nurse for several months. How could the pouch and the baby's use of it evolve? How does the baby know to crawl into the pouch? This is an element of design and special creation. The babies are also born tiny in a near-fetal state the size of a honeybee and are blind, making the trip to the pouch even more impressive. Many don't make it but some do. If they make it, they must find one of 13 nipples to suck. Once found, the baby becomes stuck on the nipple as the nipple expands and stays until the baby is old enough to release itself. The 13 nipples are arranged conveniently in a circle with one in the center. Design is apparent.
Opossum females give birth to about 8-16 live babies per year and nurse on one of the mother's 13 nipples. Baby opossums, or joeys, stay in the mother's pouch for about 50 days to develop and afterward spend time on the mother's back. After about 100 days, the young opossums leave their mothers.
Opossums are nocturnal, being active at night. They are less active in the winter and are loners, commonly doing their daily activities alone with the exception of mating and courting.
Opossums are skilled climbers, climbing up trees and other features easily. Their rear thumbs help them climb and their long tails can wrap around branches. Their front paws have five toes with claws while the back legs have four toes with claws in addition to one clawless opposable toe. Opossums are excellent swimmers, but usually travel on land.
Opossums have a unique behavior of playing dead when threatened or harmed by a predator. This behavior is not voluntary, according to scientists, and is a physiological response to danger and stress, describing it as like a coma. The opossum cannot control when it "plays dead" or for how long. The opossum will hiss and show its teeth when threatened. If this does not work, the opossum will fall to its side, curl up, with its eyes open, open its mouth, and stick out its tongue. The opossum will play dead for several hours. After this, a predator will usually walk away. The opossum also secrets a bad odor and liquid from its anus while "playing dead." What other animal has this behavior? Only a unique Designer could create this.
The opossum is a skilled scavenger as is looks for food in many places. Opossums are omnivores, and eat both plant and animal material. Its favorite foods include small birds, small amphibians, insects, eggs, and fruit. Opossums are also known for digging or scavenging through man-made garbage bins for food.
Opossums eat ticks, thousands of them including on their own bodies and this can be beneficial to humans and other animals, therefore slowing the spread of lyme disease. As opossums frequently groom themselves these ticks are easily found.
Researchers have found that opossums have good memories in association to food, remembering where good food was found and where not so good food was.
Opossums are immune to most snake venoms and regularly eat snakes. The evolutionists would have difficulty explaining this fact. Scientists have also been trying to recreate the opossum's immunity to snake venom unsuccessfully. We see that God's design surpasses human understanding.
The opossum is very adaptable to many environments, as long as there is food, water, and shelter. They don't build their own living quarters and will inhabit a natural cavity in the wild or man-made spaces.
The opossum has an excellent immune system. They have a low body temperature (cold blooded along with kangaroos) and this keeps opossums from carrying rabies, a disease that requires a higher body temperature. Although opossums can get rabies, it is a rare occurrence because of the low body temperature.
by Owen Borville
July 7, 2020
Biology
Opossums are unique animals designed by an Intelligent Designer and Powerful Creator. The opossum is a misunderstood animal, as it is often seen as dumb and dirty. However, the opossum is actually smarter and cleaner than many people think. The opossum actually can be beneficial to humans.
Opossum Origin as Living Fossils
The unique features of the opossum, such as their pouch and their unique behavior are the product of a special creation and not millions of years of random evolution. Evolutionist researchers have traced opossum origin as far back as the dinosaurs. One of Earth's oldest mammals according to the evolutionist time scale, opossums are classified as "living fossils." Their classification as "living fossils" explains that their morphology has not changed since their appearance in the fossil record, giving strong evidence of design and creation in opposition to evolution.
Opossums are the only marsupials found in the United States and Canada. The most common opossum in the United States is the Virginia opossum, which is the only marsupial found in the U.S. There are over 100 classified species of opossum around the world. They are called both "opossums and possums" in the United States. The Australian possum, or brushtail possum, is a different variety of marsupial with some similarities and differences with the American opossum, including fur color and tail thickness. Possums are also found in New Zealand, New Guinea, Indonesia, and China.
The opossum ranges from 21 to 36 inches long including the tail, about the size of a household cat and weighs 4-15 pounds. The opossum lives only 1 to 2 years in the wild, and this short lifespan is believed to result from many predators. The opossum has a distinguished white face and gray fur, facial whiskers, a long, pointy snout, and round, dark eyes. It also has hairless ears and long, hairless tail. In northern regions, their tail is short due to frostbite. Their long toes with claws help them climb. The tail is prehensile, allowing the opossum to use it as an extra arm for grasping objects and helping them climb trees. Baby opossums can hang from branches with their tail for short periods. Opossums also use their tongue and paws to groom themselves frequently. Opossum eyes are specially designed to see at night and is important for their nocturnal behavior.
A unique fact is that the Virginia opossum has 50 teeth, more than any North American mammal. Another unusual feature of opossums is that the females and males have a forked or bifurcated reproductive system or genitalia. Evolutionists would have difficulty explaining this.
One of the most unique features of the opossum is the pouch. Female opossums carry and nurse their babies, or joeys, in their pouch. After birth, the babies immediately crawl into the pouch where they will live and nurse for several months. How could the pouch and the baby's use of it evolve? How does the baby know to crawl into the pouch? This is an element of design and special creation. The babies are also born tiny in a near-fetal state the size of a honeybee and are blind, making the trip to the pouch even more impressive. Many don't make it but some do. If they make it, they must find one of 13 nipples to suck. Once found, the baby becomes stuck on the nipple as the nipple expands and stays until the baby is old enough to release itself. The 13 nipples are arranged conveniently in a circle with one in the center. Design is apparent.
Opossum females give birth to about 8-16 live babies per year and nurse on one of the mother's 13 nipples. Baby opossums, or joeys, stay in the mother's pouch for about 50 days to develop and afterward spend time on the mother's back. After about 100 days, the young opossums leave their mothers.
Opossums are nocturnal, being active at night. They are less active in the winter and are loners, commonly doing their daily activities alone with the exception of mating and courting.
Opossums are skilled climbers, climbing up trees and other features easily. Their rear thumbs help them climb and their long tails can wrap around branches. Their front paws have five toes with claws while the back legs have four toes with claws in addition to one clawless opposable toe. Opossums are excellent swimmers, but usually travel on land.
Opossums have a unique behavior of playing dead when threatened or harmed by a predator. This behavior is not voluntary, according to scientists, and is a physiological response to danger and stress, describing it as like a coma. The opossum cannot control when it "plays dead" or for how long. The opossum will hiss and show its teeth when threatened. If this does not work, the opossum will fall to its side, curl up, with its eyes open, open its mouth, and stick out its tongue. The opossum will play dead for several hours. After this, a predator will usually walk away. The opossum also secrets a bad odor and liquid from its anus while "playing dead." What other animal has this behavior? Only a unique Designer could create this.
The opossum is a skilled scavenger as is looks for food in many places. Opossums are omnivores, and eat both plant and animal material. Its favorite foods include small birds, small amphibians, insects, eggs, and fruit. Opossums are also known for digging or scavenging through man-made garbage bins for food.
Opossums eat ticks, thousands of them including on their own bodies and this can be beneficial to humans and other animals, therefore slowing the spread of lyme disease. As opossums frequently groom themselves these ticks are easily found.
Researchers have found that opossums have good memories in association to food, remembering where good food was found and where not so good food was.
Opossums are immune to most snake venoms and regularly eat snakes. The evolutionists would have difficulty explaining this fact. Scientists have also been trying to recreate the opossum's immunity to snake venom unsuccessfully. We see that God's design surpasses human understanding.
The opossum is very adaptable to many environments, as long as there is food, water, and shelter. They don't build their own living quarters and will inhabit a natural cavity in the wild or man-made spaces.
The opossum has an excellent immune system. They have a low body temperature (cold blooded along with kangaroos) and this keeps opossums from carrying rabies, a disease that requires a higher body temperature. Although opossums can get rabies, it is a rare occurrence because of the low body temperature.
