Opossum rescued from Mackinac Bridge after being spotted by driver
The Mackinac Bridge connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan, carrying commuters, tourists and, on occasion, furry animals such as an opossum crossing the bridge on May 29, the Mackinac County Sheriff's office confirmed.
The opossum wandered onto the bridge Thursday evening and was spotted by a passing motorist, the post on social media said.
"Thanks to the Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) staff and Deputy Davis from the Mackinac County Sheriff's Department, he was safely relocated to the south end of the bridge," the post on Facebook reads.
According to Terminix, an opossum, often confused with a possum, does not have a furry tail and is found in North America.
The latter, also marsupials, have furry tails and are found in Australia. They are shorter and have less pointed noses than their counterparts.
More: That time a reader painted a picture of an opossum | Opinion
Possums and opossums do have similarities however including:
They're nocturnal.
They're arboreal, tree-dwelling creatures.
They're omnivorous.
According to a report from the Port Huron Times Herald, opossums have expanded north throughout the state since the 20th century, establishing a presence in the lower Upper Peninsula and more recently moving into Ontario.
Current bridge conditions can be found on the Mackinac Bridge Authorities website.
Additionally when traveling in the in the Mackinac Straits area, motorist can listen to 530 AM or 1610 AM for updates.
Travelers can check the Mackinac Bridge Cam online for updates. The images from multiple cameras are configured to automatically update every 60 seconds.
Cameras capture the administration building looking south, the dock in St. Ignace, looking south; Bridge View Park in St. Ignace, looking south; from Mackinaw City, looking north; and St. Ignace, along Interstate 75.
Passenger car, van, motorcycle, station wagon, SUV, pickup, and school buses cost $2 per axle or $4 per vehicle, the Authority said. (A van is a two-axle, four-tire vehicle not primarily intended for carrying cargo or commercial goods.)
Other vehicles are $5 per axle. Vehicles not meeting passenger vehicle characteristics include, but are not limited to, tractor-trailers, buses, motor homes and step or cube vans, the Authority said.
All vehicles will be classified by the lead vehicle. Anything being towed will be charged the per axle rate of the lead vehicle with the exception of the motor home towing an auto; the towed auto will be charged at the auto rate.
The Mackinac Bridge accepts cash, credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. Frequent travelers can sign up for MacPass and obtain a transponder for their windshield.
The Authority said 239,000 vehicles passed over the bridge in March 2024. In January 2025, 214,000 vehicles crossed the bridge.
Bridge traffic in August 2024 topped 640,000 — the most vehicles since at least 2014.
Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Opossum rescued on Mackinac Bridge after being spotted by motorist
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