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Opossums Overrun Brooklyn, Fail To Eliminate Rats

Posted by samzenpus on from the urban-opossum-blight dept.

__roo writes "In a bizarre case of life imitates the Simpsons, New York City officials introduced a population of opossums into Brooklyn parks and under the boardwalk at Coney Island, apparently convinced that the opossums would eat all of the rats in the borough and then conveniently die of starvation. Several years later, the opossums have not only failed to eliminate the rat epidemic from New York City, but they have thrived, turning into a sharp-toothed, foul-odored epidemic of their own."

3 of 343 comments (clear)

  1. Possum + Rabies? by Jack9 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Opossum's are particularly resistant to rabies due to a low body temperature+environment. That's just FUD sensationalism.

    Don't badmouth the opossum like that.

    --

    Often wrong but never in doubt.
    I am Jack9.
    Everyone knows me.
  2. Re:Alligators by nblender · · Score: 3, Informative

    That'd be "Rippy the gator" by the Arrogant Worms.

  3. Re:Wild Animals Should Stay In the Wild by ThurstonMoore · · Score: 3, Informative

    Shooting a gun in the same situation seem even more irresponsible - the bullet may just go through the critter, and end up into one of your neighbors..

    That is why you use a shotgun.