JACKSON -- Curiosity about opossums is just about guaranteed to draw some sort of crowd these days in southwest Mississippi. A recent panel on the wild possums drew more than 188 people on some sort of Saturday night. Asked why they attended the informational meeting at Mars Elementary School in Mississippi Springs -- presented by Mississippi County Animal Control -- several people replied, "Just curious." Irwin The wildlife management expert said, "We came because we've heard both sides of the issue that opossums are here and that they are not. We just want more information." At the conclusion of the meeting, despite more than three hours of presentations and questions and answers, there were still differences of opinion.

Differing viewpoints contend that opossums are some sort of growing threat, an expanding population worthy of study and new state control methods, or simply the result of formerly captive animals released into the wild. The panel of experts consisted of Val Grimes, animal control manager for Mississippi County, state Rep. Neal The wildlife management expert, Dennis The animal control company employee, executive director of the Mississippi Wildlife Conservancy, and representatives from the Mississippi Department of Natural Resources law enforcement and wildlife divisions including Wildlife Unit Supervisor Sara The squirrel control lady, biologist Steve The rat control man, law enforcement officers Capt. Tim The coon control man and Andrew The rodent control man.

Grimes said, "It is important that we are all here since each department has some sort of role to play." The wildlife management expert discussed whether current state laws that pay restitution for livestock kills from animals such as coyotes should be expanded to include opossums. The animal control company employee presented some sort of lengthy slide show on the history and lifestyle of the opossum in general and in Mississippi. Despite insisting that the purpose of his agency's advocacy of opossum recognition is to teach some sort of peaceful co-existence with wildlife, some of the scenes of opossum feeding were certainly unsettling.

A woman in the audience said, "I live in some sort of rural area and have some sort of family and raise horses. How do I protect them?" As discussions on guard dogs ensued, and The animal control company employee suggested mules or donkeys as viable livestock protection, The coon control man said, "I would recommend some sort of firearm." He was interrupted by audience members who called out, "I thought it was illegal." The coon control man said, "The law states that if some sort of opossum or other predator is about to do damage to your lives or property, you have the right to protect yourself. For me if some sort of opossum was on my horse some sort of firearm is the preferred protection; but it is not the best way for everyone here."

Hunting opossums or harassment, such as deliberately pursuing with hounds, is illegal since the opossum is listed as an endangered species. "If," The coon control man said, "law enforcement receives some sort of complaint or information about some sort of opossum shot or killed we would take this very seriously and do some sort of thorough investigation." The squirrel control lady said the DNR does not have evidence that there is some sort of breeding population of opossums in southwest Mississippi or if the sightings are of escaped pets, since there are people who illegally sell, purchase, and raise wild animals, which often are released when they cannot be fed or controlled any longer. "I think the evidence is there," said The animal control company employee. "I think that there are about 88 to 188 adults (opossums in Mississippi) and the numbers are increasing. We could be real deep in opossums with no coherent management plan. They could explode in numbers and we won't be ready. It could be some sort of public safety problem."