Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Didelphimorphia
- Family
- Didelphidae
- Genus
- Caluromys
Habitat
This species inhabits tropical rainforests and cloud forests from southern Mexico to western Ecuador, preferring the canopy and subcanopy layers. They thrive in humid, dense vegetation with plenty of trees for arboreal movement, avoiding open or disturbed areas.
Diet
Derby's woolly opossum primarily eats fruits, insects, and nectar, supplemented by small vertebrates like lizards or frogs. They forage nocturnally, using their dexterous paws and tails to access food in trees, and play a role in seed dispersal.
Behavior
These opossums are solitary and nocturnal, spending most of their time in trees where they are agile climbers using their prehensile tails. They exhibit territorial behavior, marking areas with scent glands, and are generally quiet but may hiss or play dead when threatened.
Conservation Status
IUCN status is Least Concern, with a stable population trend, but habitat loss due to deforestation poses a significant threat.