Virginia Opossums Spotted Near Moab, Experts Fear Population Taking Hold

A single Virginia opossum trapped near the Spanish Trail Shell station in October 2024 might have seemed like a fluke. By March 2026, roughly 10 had been confirmed within about a half-mile of that same gas station, and Cory Farnsworth, Utah State University Extension's Grand County director and agriculture and natural resources specialist, says the pattern has crossed a threshold: "The concern is that there have been enough opossums since the first one was caught that we believe there is now a locally established population."

The first confirmed animal was documented in October 2024, followed by two more in July 2025, with the rest accumulating through March 2026. Most were trapped or found dead along roads; others appeared on security cameras or were spotted crossing roadways after dark. Farnsworth said the animals likely arrived by hitching rides on trucks or shipments or through illegal relocation, since Virginia opossums do not occur naturally in Utah. Scattered reports have surfaced elsewhere in the state, including Ogden, Richfield, and St. George, without evidence of established populations in those areas. What sets the Moab cluster apart is its concentration and persistence.

That concentration matters because of how fast these animals can multiply. Opossums reproduce quickly, producing up to three litters of as many as nine young per year, allowing even a small number of animals to grow into a larger population. "Anytime a new species is introduced into an ecosystem there can be consequences," Farnsworth said, pointing to predation on birds and eggs and direct competition with native species like ringtail cats and spotted skunks.

Horse owners across Grand County have an added reason for concern. Virginia opossums are the definitive host of Sarcocystis neurona, the parasite responsible for equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), a neurological disease horses contract by ingesting feed or water contaminated with opossum feces. An established local population would put area horses in contact with a disease vector that has had no significant foothold here before.

Opossums can also carry tuberculosis, leptospirosis, and tularemia, though local concern is focused primarily on their role as a nuisance species and potential ecological impacts. Farnsworth is coordinating with state wildlife officials and filing sightings with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.

Residents who encounter opossums can borrow box traps or dog-proof traps from USU Extension. Trapping and euthanizing on-site is legal, since opossums are classified as a nuisance species, though relocation is not an option. "It is also a Class B misdemeanor for someone to be in possession of a wild animal, which includes moving it to a new location," Farnsworth said, noting that relocated animals frequently attempt to return or become harder to capture after release.

Farnsworth also recommended reducing attractants, including pet food, unsecured garbage, and yard debris. Secure chicken coops before dusk, bring feed inside, and report any sightings to the Grand County USU Extension office so Farnsworth and agency partners can keep mapping where this population is spreading as temperatures climb and spring activity increases.