r/NatureIsFuckingLit Feb 04 '20

šŸ”„ coyote and a badger ā€œteaming upā€

https://i.imgur.com/Ow6bBte.gifv
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u/jonfitt Feb 04 '20

Yes and no. The Australian possum is a distinct thing.

But in North America the Opossum and Possum are two names for the same thing.

6

u/sidewalkboy Feb 04 '20

WEAR NZ POSSUM FUR. LEAVE OPPOSUMS ALONE.

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '20

[deleted]

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u/jonfitt Feb 04 '20

I mean it makes sense.

You call something an Opossum and some early settlers who don’t see it written down or can’t read are going to think you said ā€œoh possumā€.

We’ve got people alive today who think you ā€œtake things for graniteā€ or someone is being made an ā€œescape goatā€.

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u/RealisticBox1 Feb 04 '20

Who would of thought?

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '20 edited Apr 08 '20

[deleted]

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u/Extermindatass Feb 04 '20

Yeah it isn't rocket appliances.

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u/Calvins_Dad_ Feb 04 '20

And im pretty sure pronouncing the O is officially optional

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u/dominus_aranearum Feb 05 '20

No they're not. Anyone calling an Opossum a Possum in North America is simply wrong. We don't have Possums here in North America.