Charleston Firefighters Rescue Family of Opossums Trapped in Car Fender
There was an unusual call for help in Charleston, South Carolina when firefighters from the city’s fire department had to rescue not one, not two, but three animals – a mother opossum and her two babies – from a car fender. Rescue 115 reportedly responded to the non-emergency animal rescue call on Bee Street.
A Difficult Dilemma
The trouble began when an unsuspecting driver noticed an unusual noise from the driver’s side fender of their Honda Pilot. Upon investigation, they discovered the source of the noise was an opossum lodged within the confines of the car’s exterior.
Rare Animal Rescue
The Charleston Fire Department (CFD) soon arrived to address the matter, utilizing their expert skills typically reserved for more traditionally human-focused rescues, to coax the opossum out of the fender.
A Surprise Discovery
However, the team’s job was far from done. Once the mother opossum had been successfully removed from the fender, it became apparent that a baby opossum was attached to her, desperately trying to enter her protective pouch. This indicated to the CFD that this was a more complex rescue mission.
Double Trouble
The story took another turn when firefighters realized there was still another member of this marsupial family in danger. A second baby opossum had wedged itself into the car’s fender, unable to escape. With careful maneuvering, the firefighters were able to dislodge the baby opossum from its predicament, reuniting it with its mother and sibling.
Safe Release
The rescue operation concluded successfully as the mother and her offspring were carefully released into a nearby bush. The two juvenile opossums, albeit initially disoriented, were last seen retreating into the undergrowth with their mother, reassured by their return to a familiar environment.
A Successful Mission
The Charleston Firefighters’ valor rescued a family of opossums, ultimately returning them to their natural habitat. The identity of the driver whose car became an unexpected animal hideaway remains unknown. This rescue illustrates both the hidden dangers posed by our modern urban environment to wildlife and the resourcefulness and skill of our city’s first responders. This story is a testimony to the broad scope of duties undertaken by firefighters, who go beyond their call of duty to protect not only human lives but animal ones as well.
