Wildlife rehabilitation: A case study of the neo-tropical, opossum Didelphis marsupialis insularis, Allen 1902.

Abstract

Wildlife rehabilitation facilities in the Caribbean region are limited, yet they can provide relevant information on wild populations. Didelphis marsupialis insularis is a popularly hunted, under-studied, neo-tropical marsupial species that is increasingly being admitted for rehabilitation. The aim of this study was 1. To record the experiences of rehabilitating D. marsupialis insularis in the neo-tropical island of Trinidad and Tobago and 2. To extract and highlight information on the biology of this opossum sub-species. Using admission records, obtained over a roughly four year period, two breeding periods (February to March and August to October) were illustrated. Litter sizes averaged five individuals, with a range of 1 to 8 young. This species was found to be common in urban areas of the country, with dog attacks reported as the major cause for admission. Thus the information recorded by this wildlife rehabilitation facility has provided great insight on the sparsely studied opossum, D. marsupialis insularis.

Breeding and reproductive behaviour of the neo-tropical opossum, Didelphis marsupialis insularis, Allen 1902 under captive conditions

“…The male behaviour was closely observed for behaviours of interest. Using the camera system, observations were conducted following daily feeding and cleaning procedures, to determine if the female was in oestrus, or receptive for breeding based on the findings of Tardieu et al (2019a). Once interest was detected by the male, the male would be allowed access to the female via the removal of the access panel (Figure 2).…”

“…A week following the 11-14 day parturition period, the female would then be restrained and her pouch checked for suckling young. After a period of 12-13 weeks, (time period based on by Tardieu et al (2019a) young opossums would be weaned (removed) from the female to allow the female to begin cycling again. Descriptive statistics were used and means were provided through the manuscript when necessary.…”

“…Male behaviour provided fairly reliable indicators of female receptivity. These included three noteworthy actions of interest; (1) increased interest in the form of time spent near to the female's enclosure door, (2) marking and (3) clicking vocalizations similarly reported by Tardieu et al (2019a) these reproductive behaviours are detailed in Table 2.…”

Cardiac hypertrophy associated with Corynebacterium spp. in Didelphis albiventris cubs

“…Newborn opossums can get passive immunity through their mother's milk; however, most newborns admitted to animal recovery centers are orphans, and they may not have been able to obtain their mother's milk with antibodies, which may increase susceptibility to disease (17). Various Corynebacterium species have been associated with severe infections such as sepsis, surgical infections, and endocarditis.…”

The common black-eared opossum in the symbolic and iconographic universe. From the effigy ornaments in the lesser Antilles to the European graphics of Simivulpa and its variants in the 16th – 17th centuries

“…From biology (Rueda, Ramírez & Osorio, 2013) and ecology (Hunsaker II, 1977), an exhaustive revision of the behavior and ecological strategies of the marsupials in the New World has been presented, based on demographic data, reproductive biology (Harder, 1992), longevity, anatomy and histology (Santos Pantoja et al, 2020), morphometric differences between subspecies (Cerqueira y Lemos, 2000), including environmental relations and threats from overexploitation of wildlife and excessive hunting, not forgetting the impact of urban and rural growth (Adler, Carvajal, David-Foust & Dittel, 2012;Vaughan & Hawkins, 1999), or disturbing events such as fires and floods, which have put the endemic fauna at risk and have led to the creation of rehabilitation centers in order to protect them (Tardieu, Rollock & García, 2020).…”