Opossums and possums aren’t the same animals

Opossum and possum are used to refer to the same item in North America, however, in Australia, an entirely different mammal is meant by the term "possum." The Virginia opossum and the brushtail possum are two of the most well-known of their respective varieties. The similarities between the two omnivorous, small- to medium-sized marsupials cease there.

The possum, which resembles an adorable cross between a squirrel and a chinchilla, is not related to the North American mammal with whom it shares (most of) its name. Instead, it is a member of a distinct order. With their sharp claws, opposable thumbs on their back paws, and prehensile tails that enable them to scale trunks and cling to branches, opossums are expert tree climbers. In fact, opossums adore trees so much that they frequently build their nests inside of them. Despite the possibility of misunderstanding, the possum is commonly used to shorten the word "opossum" in this region of the world. If the word "possum" appears on this list, you can presume it refers to the North American animal.