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Water opossum facts for kids

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Yapok
Schwimmbeutler-drawing.jpg
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Infraclass:
Order:
Family:
Subfamily:
Didelphinae
Genus:
Chironectes

Illiger, 1811
Species:
C. minimus
Binomial name
Chironectes minimus
(Zimmermann, 1780)

The water opossum (Chironectes minimus), also locally known as the yapok, an aquatic marsupial are member of the opossum family with black and grey waterproof fur, webbed hind feet and a backward-pointing pouch in both sexes. This creature is found in the freshwater streams and lakes in Mexico, Central and South America.

Diet

The yapok's webbed back feet helps it to chase its prey of fish, frogs, and crustaceans.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Yapok para niños

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Water opossum Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.