opossums

Alison Rush spotted this plump possum on the steps of her apartment building this evening.

Zelenyoko photographed some DIY opossum removal in lower Roxbury this morning.

Last night, Susan Labandibar of South Boston fired up her copy of Citizens Connect, the mobile app that lets you report problems to the city and see what other people have reported (appless version). As you might expect, it's been dominated of late by reports of potholes and homeowners refusing to shovel their sidewalks. But Labandibar also saw this South Boston report:

Possum in my trash can. Can't tell if it's dead. Barrel in back of 168 west 9th. How do I get this removed?

Labandibar reports:

11:15PM Walked over to West Ninth Street. It’s about three blocks from my house. Locate trash can behind house. Possum? Check. Living? Yep.

Turned the trash can on its side. Walked home. Good night, sweet possum.

Earlier:
Possums sure like their Boston trash cans.

It's so long it extends under the harbor.

Jef Taylor reports he spotted an opossum yesterday in Franklin Park:

... These marsupials, having worked their way up from South America only a couple million years ago, are ill-equipped for New England winters. Their hairless tails and ears are frequently frostbitten, and you can tell an older individual (one that has survived at least one winter, and the oldest will only survive about three) by its truncated extremities. If it weren't for their ludicrous litter size and relatively young sexual maturity, they wouldn't make it here. ...

Earlier:
I still haven't fully recovered from my 2006 'possum trash incident.

Good thing I wasn't carrying any china when I went to take our trash cans out to the curb this morning. Because I really wasn't expecting to see what looked like the world's largest rat staring up at me from one of the barrels - before it slumped over "dead" (and no, I don't carry my camera while taking out the trash - I got it out of the car). Dear possums: This is Boston, New England's largest city - please move to Newton or someplace and stop freaking me out.