What is the typical lifespan of a possum in the wild?

What is the typical lifespan of a possum in the wild?

• A. 3-5 years
• B. 1-3 years
• C. 5-7 years
• D. 7-9 years

Answer: (B)

In the wild, a possum typically doesn’t live very long—about one to three years. This short lifespan comes from a combination of high mortality factors such as predation, diseases, vehicle strikes, and other environmental hazards that keep survival rates low beyond the first few years. Possums mature quickly and have large litter sizes, which is a life-history strategy that favors rapid reproduction to offset high death rates. While some individuals can push a few years longer, most don’t extend much beyond that range, making 1–3 years the common expectation for wild life.

In the wild, a possum typically doesn’t live very long—about one to three years. This short lifespan comes from a combination of high mortality factors such as predation, diseases, vehicle strikes, and other environmental hazards that keep survival rates low beyond the first few years. Possums mature quickly and have large litter sizes, which is a life-history strategy that favors rapid reproduction to offset high death rates. While some individuals can push a few years longer, most don’t extend much beyond that range, making 1–3 years the common expectation for wild life.