It's a sad day for animal lovers in the D.C. area.
Basil, the one-eyed opossum who called the Smithsonian National Zoo home, has died.
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WATCH HERE"We are very sad to share that Basil—a rescued Virginia opossum who was favorite of many Small Mammal House visitors—died May 1," the National Zoo shared in an online statement.
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SIGN UP Keepers were making their rounds on the morning of May 1 when they discovered Basil "tremoring, tense and unable to move," according to the zoo.
Zoo veterinarians examined Basil and gave him treatments at the zoo hospital, but learned that he had "heart and gallbladder diseases," in addition to "known neurological issues," the zoo's statement reads.
"Due to his poor prognosis and declining quality of life, the animal care team decided to humanely euthanize Basil," the zoo said.
The one-eyed king of the zoo was about 2.5 years old, zookeepers estimate. It's hard to know exactly, because Basil was born in the wild, but the zoo told News4 that he was definitely far past the average opossum life expectancy of 1-2 years old.
Basil won hearts — and the NBC Washington bracket for D.C.'s next animal obsession — in 2023, when the zoo's more widely known pandas left town after more than two decades in the city.
The bracket competition was fierce, but Basil, whose favorite activities included "being cozy" in his favorite fuzzy blankets and snuggly exhibit logs, came out on top.
Basil's time at the National Zoo began when a good Samaritan discovered the little guy after he lost an eye in a predator attack in summer 2023. The injured opossum was brought from his home in the Northern Virginia wilderness to City Wildlife, an organization that rehabilitates hurt and orphaned wildlife in the D.C. area.
Though Basil recovered overall, his eyesight remained limited — meaning he couldn't be released back into the wild. City Wildlife therefore transferred him to the National Zoo's Small Mammal House.
It wasn't long before Basil found fame. News4 chose the opossum as one of 16 competitors for our bracket competition later that year, and he scurried all the way to the final four.
From there, some incredibly wholesome, hand-painted exhibit decorations from his zookeepers helped push him into the final round. ("There's only one I in winner," indeed.)
Even going up against one of the U.S.'s oldest animal mascots, the bald eagle, this hometown hero got the votes — though it certainly didn't hurt that he got an endorsement from sitting U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) on Halloween.
Basil didn't let his fame change him, though. He ruled humbly as king of the zoo in the pandas' absence, and happily ceded attention back to the bear-y cute royal family when new pandas arrived last fall.
If you're feeling blue in Basil's absence, you're not the only ones: His zookeepers will miss him even more.
"Basil will be remembered as one of our most gentle and sensitive animals," said animal keeper Mimi Nowlin. "His calm nature and sweet disposition made it easy for staff to work with him. He was endearing in the way he formed quiet bonds with his keepers and won over guests with his sweet face. Even with just one eye, he had a way of looking at you that made you feel calm and seen. He loved his fishy treats. Although he was often seen curled up resting in the coziest corner of his habitat, Basil always woke up for a snack."
The zoo hopes that Basil's legacy is one as adorable ambassador for his species, proving that opossums are not scary, but hardworking.
"Basil helped share a vital message with visitors: opossums are not as scary or aggressive as they’re often perceived," the zoo said in a statement. "Rather, they are shy, solitary, and non-threatening animals. In fact, an opossum in your backyard is doing important work! As scavengers and natural pest managers, they help control populations of rodents and insects (including ticks), keeping ecosystems healthy."
"As an animal ambassador, Basil reminded us all how vital it is to appreciate and protect local wildlife,"
the statement ends. "We miss him dearly."
There won't be any public events honoring Basil at the zoo, but the zoo encourages visitors to share any beloved Basil tales in the comments of their social media posts.
As for whether another opossum could be on the way, that depends on whether City Wildlife rescues any more scraggly looking mammals in the area.
"We hope to eventually house another opossum, but Virginia opossums are not part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, so they are not bred in zoos for conservation," a zoo spokesperson told News4. "Like Basil, any future opossum would likely come to us from a wildlife rehabilitation center—such as DC’s City Wildlife—if deemed non-releasable due to injury or early-life trauma. We would be honored to care for another opossum when the time is right."
