The low body temperature of a Possum makes it virtually incapable of contracting or transmitting rabies.
Documented cases of rabid possums are almost non-existant.
The theory is that the rabies virus in unable to survive below a certain body temperature.
Some scientist is actually working on rabies treatments using possums.
Possums automatically drool when ‘playing possum’ to simulate death or disease, and people often kill them, mistaking the self-defense drooling for rabies.
[makes it virtually incapable of contracting or transmitting rabies.]
It’s possible we were told that at the time. The head of the health department was our childrens doctor. Thanks for the info.