Don Balke: Opossum and Southern Pine

Artist: Don Balke
1932 -
Nationality: American
Artwork Year: 1979
Image Size: 13.75 by 12 inches
Overall Size: 22.75 by 20.375 inches
Medium: Water Color on Water Color Paper

Carrying young in a pouch is an exclusive habit of marsupials of which Opossums are the only North American members. Twelve days after mating, females give birth to from eight to twenty-one undeveloped young. THe babies are smaller than honey bees and the tiny, naked bits of flesh use their strong legs to grip their mother's stomach hairs as they squirm into her pouch. Once snugly settled in the safety of the pouch, the young attach themselves so firmly to one of their mother's mammary glands that it is very difficult to pull them loose. If there are more young than teats, those who are left out soon die of starvation. For about seventy days, the young remain comfortably snuggled in the marsupium. Eventually, however, they will become too large for the pouch and their mother evicts them forever from her private nursery. Once out in the world, they attach themselves to the mother with their curled, prehensile tails or cling to the hair on her back. The Opossum depicted on this artwork is toting her youngsters through the sturdy branches of the Alabama state tree, the Southern Pine as she hunts for food. Normally, Opossums are creatures of the night, using darkness to cover their foraging trips. These night-time ramblers eat bread, vegetables, meat and fish. Occasionally, hunting Opossums will be threatened by other animals. In this case, they play dead. Lying on their backs with their eyes closed and barely breathing, nervous Opossums may actually be fainting in fear.

This art was originally published in the limited edition collection of philatelic proofcards issued by Fleetwood® and the National Audubon Society for the Wildlife of the 50 States.

Artwork Copyright © 1979 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): XB05664

US$ Price: $1,250.00

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