Watch Nigel the opossum snack on a gorgeous hibiscus flower

I'm totally in love with Nigel the opossum, and have watched this video of the magnificent munching marsupial more times than I'm prepared to admit. In the video, you can see Nigel climb onto the tree stump, and carefully sniff each flower that's on offer. He even gives the camera a nice sniff, much to the delight of the lucky folks (like me, and you!) who get to watch him in action. He chooses his favorite — the giant, gorgeous bright pink hibiscus flower — and picks it up with his adorable little grabby hands. He constinues grasping the flower as he starts chowing down. He first takes the biggest bite I've ever seen off the top of the flower and happily smacks his treat. With his second bite, he devours most of the stem, leaving only a few petals behind. Listening to him munch on the stem is especially delightful, as the stem provides a wonderfully pleasing crunch as Nigel chews with abandon. Next, he makes easy work of the remaining flower in his next two small, demure bites.

And that, my friends, is a perfect snack!

Nigel came to the Oregon Zoo in March, 2025 as a tiny, approximately three month-old baby who weighed only nine and a half ounces. He had been found abandoned behind an apartment building in Lebanon, Oregon and a kind soul had delivered him to the Chintimini Wildlife Center, where he was taken care of before the Wildlife Center brought him to the Oregon Zoo. He's currently being cared for by zoo staff including Eliza Lee, who runs the zoo's animal ambassador area, where Nigel is being trained to be an ambassador. Lee explains that Nigel is "settling in nicely and already showing us his curious personality."

If I lived in Portland I'd be heading straight to the Oregon Zoo to finally fulfill my dream of meeting an opossum. If you're anywhere near Portland, what on earth are you waiting for? Go say hi to Nigel for me!

Learn more about Nigel the opossum via this article, and see more of Nigel and his animal friends at the Oregon Zoo's website, YouTube, or Instagram.