Grubby (opossum)
Popular invasive opossum (2022–2025)

Grubby
Grubby during her time at the Alaska Zoo
Other nameOphelia
SpeciesVirginia opossum
SexFemale
Bornc. 2022
Died (aged 3.5)
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Grubby (c. 2022 – October 11, 2025) was a Virginia opossum that traveled from somewhere in the state of Washington to Homer, Alaska, in a shipping container and eluded authorities for over a month, delivering a litter of joeys in the process. Opossums are considered an invasive species in Alaska. Grubby died on October 11, 2025, at the age of 3.

Biography

Origin

Based on her estimated age 3.5 years at the time of her death, Grubby's date of birth can be estimated to be around April 2022. The container on which she arrived originated in Washington State.[1]

Initial capture, escape, and recapture

Grubby was first spotted in Homer in a shipping container delivered to the local Spenard Builders Supply store in the spring of 2023. Store employees were unsure what to do with an opossum, so they contacted the local animal shelter. The shelter in turn contacted the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), which advised the shelter to attempt to trap the animal and provide it to them. The shelter did manage to trap the opossum, but it subsequently escaped and was on the loose in central Homer for several weeks before being spotted by local police outside their station on Grubstake Avenue, inspiring the name "Grubby". When it became public knowledge that there was an opossum loose in Homer, the animal became a local topic of debate, with some favoring trapping and destroying the opossum while others showed enthusiastic support for saving Grubby, or even electing Grubby as mayor.[2] Some local businesses offered opossum-themed sales and a "Free Grubby" hashtag trended on local social media groups.[3]

In May 2023, a Homer police officer did manage to trap Grubby. Due to the public interest in the matter, she was handed over to the Alaska Zoo to reside in their invasive species collection instead of being euthanized.[4][5][6][7] There, she was renamed 'Ophelia'. Grubby died on October 11, 2025, of complications from old age. The zoo estimated her age to be 3.5 years at the time of her death.[1][8][9]

Offspring

Shortly after Grubby's relocation to the Alaska Zoo in 2023, there were more opossum sightings in Homer, and it became clear that Grubby had given birth to a litter of joeys, leading to a much more intensive trapping operation in Homer by ADF&G. Residents were advised to keep pets indoors while live trapping was taking place.[10] By June 5, 2023, three joeys had been captured, but with opossums having an average litter size of nine to thirteen joeys, biologists continued trapping efforts.[11][12][13] On June 13 it was reported that five joeys had been captured, but local ADF&G biologist Jason Herreman stated, "No matter what, unless we catch 13 of 'em, I wouldn't ever really be comfortable to say we got them all."[14] One of the offspring, nicknamed "Homer", was later relocated to the Oregon Zoo in December 2023.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b White, Ava (October 15, 2025). "Grubby, a stowaway possum turned Alaska celebrity, has died". Alaska Public Media.
  2. ^ Grove, Casey (April 18, 2023). "Homer's opossum visitor, Grubby, still on the lam as town remains divided". Alaska Public Media. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  3. ^ Pacer, Megan (April 17, 2023). "WA opossum hitches ride to Alaska, eludes capture, sparks 'Free Grubby' campaign". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  4. ^ Klint, Chris (May 25, 2023). "Homer police take Grubby the opossum into custody". Alaska Public Media. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  5. ^ Hooper, Ben (May 26, 2023). "Grubby the stowaway opossum captured after nearly 2 months in Alaska". United Press International. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  6. ^ "An opossum's impossible journey to Homer, Alaska and how she beat the odds! To live!". KTUU. May 26, 2023. Archived from the original on June 19, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  7. ^ Pacer, Megan (May 25, 2023). "Opossum that ran loose in Homer for weeks finds a home at the Alaska Zoo". Anchorage Daily News. Archived from the original on June 19, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  8. ^ Pike, Josiah (October 15, 2025). "Grubby, opossum who traveled from Washington to Alaska, dies". KTUU.
  9. ^ Thon, Tristan (October 14, 2025). "Alaska Zoo Says Goodbye to Grubby" (PDF) (Press release). Anchorage, Alaska: Alaska Zoo.
  10. ^ Lopez, Simon (June 5, 2023). "Grubby leaves a surprise for Homer area biologists". KBBI Public Radio. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  11. ^ Schreck, Carly (June 5, 2023). "3 of Grubby's offspring captured, more remain at large". KTUU. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  12. ^ Klint, Chris (June 2, 2023). "Grubby's son captured as Homer faces growing opossum oproblem". KTOO. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  13. ^ Collins, Dac. "Grubby, the Invasive Opossum That Hitched a Ride to Alaska, Had Babies". Outdoor Life. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
  14. ^ Hardikar, Dev (June 14, 2023). "Fifth child of Grubby captured in Homer's opossum odyssey". Alaska Public Media. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  15. ^ Desaulniers, Robert (December 2, 2023). "Stowaway possum gets new home at Oregon Zoo". KEZI 9 News. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
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