Roanoke – The Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center has welcomed a new ambassador opossum, and it needs a name.
The male opossum suffers from metabolic bone disease due to being kept as an illegal pet and receiving poor nutrition throughout his life. Staff members say his body depleted calcium from his bones to survive, causing them to bend unnaturally as he grew. His extra weight bared down on his more malleable, spongey bones, increasing this unusual curvature in his limbs.
“Thankfully, he was brought to us before it got to the point of endangering his life, but he remains a little less lithe and spry compared to his wild cousins. His face is extra wide, giving him an almost panda-like appearance! It’s very cute, despite the sad reason for his appearance,” the center said…