GSEM Gold Award Project Catalog

Conservation of Opossums

Project Details: Meghana addressed opossum conservation in the state of Missouri, primarily focusing on the protection and rehabilitation of opossums to earn her Girl Scout Gold Award. She partnered with the Missouri Wildlife Rescue Center to donate essential resources they need to support the rising numbers of injured opossums being admitted to their facility for treatment. With the help of her community, Meghana made 125 opossum pouches and 7 cage liners. She also made 75 craft kits with helpful educational resources and held two classes at the Saint Louis County Library Thornhill and Grand Glaize locations, where she reached more than 50 community members on the importance of opossums to our local environment. To complete her project, Meghana created a website with resources such a links to wildlife conservation databases all around the United States. This website reached over 100 people and was shared with the Missouri Wildlife Rescue Center to be shared with surrounding rescue centers in the Midwest.

Gold Award Girl Scout: Meghana H., Juliette

Issue: Opossums in Missouri are in need of conservation. Root Cause: Many people view opossums negatively, and cause road collisions and intentional harm, leading to an influx of injured and rehabilitated opossums. Measurability: Meghana has tracked the results of her project by tallying donations and conducted surveys. Sustainability: The items donated to the wildlife center are reusable, and the craft kits contain detailed instructions.