How has the Opossum managed to survive & thrive?

All other North American marsupial species have been long extinct %26amp; marsupials generally always lose out when in competition with placentals. Does the opossum occupy a specialized ecological niche that hasn't been filled by a placental species? Are there particular genetic or behavioral traits that enable this animal to survive? Thanx in advance for any info!How has the Opossum managed to survive %26amp; thrive?
It was long considered that the marsupial reproductive strategy was somehow inferior to that of placental mammals, and that in direct competition the marsupials would be wiped out by their placental cousins, however the metatherian method of producing highly altricial young and raising them in a pouch actually can be quite advantageous in certain situations.





It requires less metabolic investment from the mother per offspring. Because the reproductive tracts are not taken up with incubating the young, it is possible to have more than one set of offspring 'in the works' at any one time - in some marsupials, there can be juveniles running about near the mother, a set of joeys in the pouch, another set in the uterus, and in some cases, even another set in the form of a fertilized egg awaiting implantation. This means there can be essentially four sets of offspring on the assembly line at any one time, giving an impressive ability to reproduce quickly in ideal circumstances.





However, if circumstances are not ideal, the mother can also abandon one or more sets of these offspring without losing much metabolic investment.





Marsupials in South America have survived, and in some cases thrived, even amongst placental competition. So it's not a foregone conclusion that marsupials vs. placental = marsupial loss.





The Virginia opossum, Didelphis virginiana is able to survive and thrive in North America both because of this rapid reproductive potential, and because it is an adaptable and versatile generalist. An omnivore, it will eat darned near anything, from bugs and worms to fruit and corn to garbage.





While human development and expansion has come at a cost to a great many animal species, it has been quite beneficial to quite a few other species. Many of these species are also generalists, and are able to live by essentially scavenging off of human excess and development, and using human created environments to hide and protect, while also taking advantage of the fact that humans have driven out or killed most of their predators.





Amongst the generalists that have benefited by association with mankind there are raccoons, tree squirrels, coyotes, rats, rock doves (pigeons), gulls, cockroaches and, of course, opossums.





Basically, a lot of these organisms thrive because they live on the same kind of junk food we crave.How has the Opossum managed to survive %26amp; thrive?
They just adapt really well. Food shortage? Raid trashcans. Danger? Play dead. That and they reproduce like mad...ever see a female loaded down with 8 or 9 babies clinging onto her back?
They are VERY adaptable and have no problem living in urban areas amongst people....therefore have done very well!
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Prehensile tail!!!
Playing dead.
They're very good at what they do.


They're fully nocturnal, and so avoid diurnal/crepuscular predators.


They're semi-arboreal, and so can avoid ground-dwelling and ground-hunting predators at night.


They aren't fussy about what they eat. They'll eat any arthropods. They're good at hearing, smelling, and digging out burrowing grubs, beetles, worms. They'll eat slugs and snails that other animals (even skunks) pass by. They'll eat any meat they come across.


They breed as quickly as placental mammals.





Something odd -- potential predators stay away. I've seen it -- a baby opossum, face to face with an adult cat. The cat would kill a rat that size, but leaves the opossum alone. I don't know why.