Step 1 : Introduction to the question "Which animal is the only marsupial native to the United States?"
...The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial (pouched mammal) native to the United States. Marsupials differ from placental mammals in that they give birth to very underdeveloped young, which continue developing in a pouch. While marsupials are most commonly associated with Australia, the opossum is widespread across much of the U.S., especially east of the Rocky Mountains. It is well known for its defensive behavior of “playing dead,” and it plays an important ecological role by consuming insects, rodents, and large numbers of ticks.
