On the 590-acre University of Kansas Natural History Reservation where our study was made, the opossum, _Didelphis marsupialis virginiana_ Kerr, is the largest predatory animal having a permanently resident population. The coyote, raccoon and red fox also occur on the area but each ranges widely, beyond the Reservation boundaries. With the passing nearly a century ago of the larger animals of the original fauna, the buffalo, elk, deer, antelope, wild turkey, gray wolf and others, lesser herbivores and carnivores including the opossum and animals of similar size fell heir to their key positions of predominance at the peak of the food pyramid. These smaller animals, however, exert less powerfu…
Your support pays for translating these classics into more languages.
Support for $12/month DonateSubscribers read with instant translation, without waiting for the free daily limit.