Brooklyn Opossum Population Out Of Control?
NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- It's another tale from the urban jungle. 1010 WINS' John Montone caught up with residents in Brooklyn who say pesky opossums are popping up all over the neighborhood.
"Opossums are coming out all the time and we can't control them right now," James, who clears trees for the city, said.
LISTEN: 1010 WINS' John Montone reports
The stinky marsupials with razor-like teeth are tearing up gardens, eating from garbage cans and scaring dogs.
"They don't seem to be too vicious," Kathy said. "But you know, they scare the dogs."
Jamie, who owns a cockapoo named Sammy, says, "Sometimes he's barking in the backyard and we don't know why so it's possible that they're back there."
The opossums are apparently fattening up on left overs from weekend barbecues which residents say litter Prospect Park. Residents say they have seen opossums that looked to be about the size of a 20 pound dog.
City Councilmember Domenic Recchia told the New York Post that city is to blame for the out-of-control opossum population. Recchia claimed that a decade ago the city had brought in the opossums to take care a rat problem. However, the city's Health Department has no record of this action, the paper reports.
The Health Department told the Post they have not received any complaints about wild opossums but recommend contacting licensed trappers if they encounter a problem.
