March 31 (UPI) — An opossum that stowed away on a north-bound cargo ship has a new permanent home at the Alaska Zoo.
Juneau Animal Rescue received a call recently reporting an opossum on the loose in the state’s capital.
“In my mind, I’m not thinking it’s an opossum. I’m like, maybe it’s a seal point cat or something,” Jordan Bales with Juneau Animal Rescue told Your Alaska Link.
Opossums are common in the lower 48 states, but are considered an invasive species in Alaska.
“He was trying to get away, but there was no resistance or fight. He wasn’t trying to bite. He wasn’t hissing. We were able to kind of just push him right into the trap,” Bales said.
The opossum, initially dubbed Chester by rescuers, was taken to the Alaska Zoo, where he was re-dubbed Meatball.
The zoo was previously home to an opossum named Grubby, who similarly came to the state by stowing away on a boat. Grubby died in 2025, leaving the zoo with a vacancy.
“We were all pretty excited that we were going to get another opossum at the zoo. Grubby left a hole when she left us,” the Alaska Zoo’s Sam Lavin said.
The zoo said Meatball appears a bit nervous, but shows a healthy appetite for apples and chicken flavored cat food.
