Konrad Wothe / Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) female hissing from tree cavity, North America

David Tipling / Common opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) at night, Canopy Camp, Darien National Park UNESCO World Heritage Site, Panama.

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Common Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) joeys on mother, Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Common Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) mother with joeys in tree, Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Common Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) mother with joeys in tree, Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Konrad Wothe / Common opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) in rainforest at night, Panguana Reserve, Huanuco province, Amazon basin, Peru.

Roland Seitre / Common Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) suckling babies, captive in rehabilitation centre after being paralysed by dog bite, Centre for PanAmerican Conservation, Panama City

Roland Seitre / Common Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) mother and young, Panama City, Panama

Roland Seitre / Common Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) mother who was paralysed by a dog bite is able to raise her young in captivity, Panama City, Panama

Christian Ziegler / Common Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) walking on branch, Barro Colorado Island, Panama

Christian Ziegler / Common Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) in tree, Smithsonian Tropical Research Station, Barro Colorado Island, Panama

Phil Savoie / Common opossum {Didelphis marsupialis} playing dead as defence strategy