The Wildlife Center is sad to announce that Ferdinand, a Virginia Opossum and a key member of the Center’s team of environmental education ambassadors, passed away last week.
Ferdinand came to the Wildlife Center in September of 2008 after he was rescued from the side of the road in Blacksburg, Virginia. At the time, he was only a few months old, and he then lived with his rescuers for about a month before coming to the Wildlife Center. He had originally suffered a broken right leg, which left the leg shortened; he was also too tame to be released back into the wild.
Ferdinand appeared at his first education program at the end of October 2008. Since then he participated in 171 environmental education programs and met more than 19,000 people. His final appearance, a “Home, Sweet Habitat” program, was on the November 3, 2010, at Central Elementary in Palmyra, Virginia. Ferdinand was always very active and curious, and usually wasn’t content to just sit in his handler’s arms during programs. This active and engaging behavior easily charmed his audiences, riveting their attention. His high energy was evident in his enclosure as well, and groups visiting the Center often enjoyed watching him climb on his specially built feeding platform. Ferdinand would often “click” at his handlers and caretakers; this clicking sound is used in the wild to communicate with other opossums, whether to attract a mate or keep track of young. He would also mark his territory by licking and rubbing his cheek on objects he considered his — a climbing log, a food dish, or his handler’s gloves.
Ferdinand and his ability to charm children and adults alike will be sadly missed.