The yellow-sided opossum (Monodelphis dimidiata) is a small marsupial in the Didelphidae family, native to South America. It inhabits low grasslands as well as forests and has terrestrial habits. Although it is a marsupial, it does not have a pouch, and its tail is non-prehensile and relatively short. Despite its ability to climb trees, it typically prefers to move along existing trails or through small tunnels in the ground. Its diet consists mostly of insects, but it also consumes slugs, earthworms, small rodents, and fruit. The yellow-sided opossum is a solitary animal and only forms pairs during the reproductive season. Its life expectancy is noticeably short, with an average of only one year and it is one of the few mammal species that reproduces only once during its lifetime. Males typically die shortly after the breeding season, while females survive long enough to care for the litter before dying. Females have a short gestation period and give birth to 8 to 14 joeys. The yellow-sided opossum relies heavily on its sense of smell, especially when searching for food. Currently, the species is rated as “Least Concern” by the IUCN, but it was previously considered a “Near Threatened” species from 1998 to 2007.

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