Cross-Eyed Opossum, Heidi, Dies In Germany

BERLIN -- Facebook friends and fans across the Twittersphere are mourning the loss of Heidi – the cross-eyed German opossum whose cute but confused countenance warmed hearts around the world.

The Leipzig zoo said Wednesday that the marsupial had been listless and unable to move for several weeks. A decision was made to put the three-and-a-half-year-old animal to sleep following repeated attempts to treat her.

"We carried out every possible test and treatment," zoo director Joerg Junhold said in a statement. "We made the final decision ... to relieve the animal from suffering and pain."

Within minutes of the announcement, Heidi was trending on Twitter and thousands of fans were leaving an outpouring of condolences on her Facebook page.

"How sad," wrote Rene Schaaf, from Heidi's home city of Leipzig. "This lovable creature enriched our daily lives, showing us that 'imperfect' can also be interesting and even beautiful."

Heidi first attracted attention at the end of last year after she was featured on a local television report about the nocturnal enclosure where she spent her final days.

A clip of the report went viral, giving rise to a fan page on Facebook that attracted more than 332,000 admirers from across the globe.

She was also featured on a TV show in the United States alongside the Oscars awards ceremony in February. The furry forecaster was asked to predict the winners – and correctly chose both the best actress and best actor.
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Click here to read more about Heidi.

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Comments

[mrhandyman3105]

12:26 PM on 09/30/2011

Too bad.

That's the same look Michele Bachmann has when asked a question she hasn't previously heard or seen.

[lee balki]

11:05 PM on 09/28/2011

Ooh.. Wasn't she the cutest!! And damn funny too..!

[hattie54]

08:44 PM on 09/28/2011

I read she was born in N.C.

Heidi was given to Leipzig by Denmark's Odense Zoo in May 2010, although she was originally raised in a wild animal sanctuary in the U.S. state of North Carolina after being found as an orphan. It is speculated by zoo officials that Heidi's most notable attribute – her crossed eyes – may be caused by fatty deposits behind her eyes, the result of poor diet from when she was younger. While this condition did not affect the opossum's health in any way, mainly because opossums are nocturnal, it would nonetheless made her vulnerable to predators in the wild.The zoo put Heidi on a strict diet shortly after her arrival; it was reported in late January that she had already lost 400 grams (about one pound).

[SaulBloodworth]

01:40 AM on 09/29/2011

"her crossed eyes – may be caused by fatty deposits behind her eyes,"

then how come Chris Christie is not cross-eyed?

[cef911f1]

08:54 PM on 09/29/2011

Because the fat is evenly distributed, i.e. all over.

[michaelb006]

08:28 PM on 09/28/2011

Hmmmm......wonder if she's faking it......

[Richie Arias]

08:18 PM on 09/28/2011

She always reminded me of anchor Sarah Palin...

[ARTHURANS34]

07:50 PM on 09/28/2011

Another democrat gone forever, boo hoo

[Max Headroom]

06:33 PM on 09/28/2011

From Wiki "The opossum lifespan is unusually short for a mammal of its size, usually only two to four years."

So, she lived a full life. We'll miss you Heidi. Thanks for making our lives better.

[3echo9]

04:38 PM on 09/28/2011

Sad. I’ll bet she didn’t even see it coming.

[LMPE]

03:45 PM on 09/28/2011

I had seen photos of Heidi, but never realized that she was a real opossum. I'd always assumed that it was a Photoshop.

[IfIonlyknew]

02:12 PM on 10/02/2011

Do you remember clarence the cross eyed lion from Tv too many years ago.

[ElleSea]

02:10 PM on 09/28/2011

Heidi did a lot for her kind in the world - a life well lived. Blessings Heidi. You will be remembered.

[newworldman777]

01:15 PM on 09/28/2011

Opossums are truly primitive creatures that are very difficult to tame. They are definitely not pet material...very dirty and antisocial.

I raised a litter of them many years ago, after my dog had killed their mother. They remained wild and unapproachable for the entirety of the time that I had them. They never warmed up to me, hissing at me threateningly whenever I drew near to them. I finally released them when they were half-grown, thinking that they would be happier trying to survive on their own in the wild rather than remaining in captivity. I never saw them again.

[whlusko]

04:13 PM on 09/28/2011

Sounds like your describing pre teens thru college...except for the part about the dog

[hattie54]

08:59 PM on 09/28/2011

I read a story of a man in Calif that had a pet possum.She was very friendly and was stolen when his apt got broken into.The guy was heartbroken.

[Anabelle Whitepaws]

12:55 PM on 09/28/2011

Awww... R.I.P. Heidi! I loved that cute, little opossum. Even had her as my screensaver.

[Elisabeth Neda Scott]

12:52 PM on 09/28/2011

I don't know about other cities, but in Chicago we have enough possums that if equally distributed, there could be one possum for every block in the city.

[Just Bob]

12:46 PM on 09/28/2011

She died, because the Krauts killed her.

[Meggie]

12:06 PM on 09/28/2011

We're so upset at this development we can't see straight.