SPCA Monterey County asking for help rescuing baby opossums
MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV)-- SPCA Monterey County is asking the public to help save baby opossums if they happen to run over their mothers.
Currently, SPCA has nine rescued baby opossums whose mother died after being hit by a car in Salinas.
Every Spring, female opossums have babies in their pouches and are sometimes hit by cars as they scavenge for food.
Often a baby opossum can survive an initial impact of a car but will slowly freeze or starve to death, according to SPCA.
People can help if they hit an opossum by stopping, getting out of their car and taking the baby to seek help.
If it's safe stop check to see if an opossum is male or female, if it's a female use gloves and a towel or rag to gently open the pouch and check for babies.
The babies can be as tiny as honey bees and will be pink and squirmy.
Don't try and remove them because you could hurt them.
Wash your hands after.
If you find babies call the SPCA at 831-264-5427 or visit spcamc.org/wildlife.
Due to last year's help, the SPCA was able to rescue and care for 179 baby opossums.
"Opossums are North America’s only marsupial. They are beneficial to our local environment, as they eat pests like cockroaches, mice, rats, snails, and slugs, and just one opossum can consume up to 5,000 ticks in a single season," the SPCA said.
