North Carolina Opossum Become German Star

Heidi the Cross-eyed Opossum lives at the Leipzig Zoo in Germany, where she is set to be a part of Gondwanaland, a new area of the zoo which will open in July. The two-and-a-half year old opossum has already inspired a song and a plush toy.

It is a long way from home. According to the zoo, Heidi and her sister, Naira, originally came from the US state of North Carolina, where they were turned over as foundlings to a facility for wild animals. The sisters then made their way to the zoo in Odense, Denmark, before ending up in Leipzig.

The reason for Heidi's crossed eyes is unclear, but zoo officials speculate that it might be because of fat deposits behind her eyes, caused by a bad diet early in life. The eyes might look off, but they cause the animal no pain, and don't affect her ability to get around, according to the zoo. She is, aside from her looks, a normal opossum.

See more pictures of Heidi at der Spiegel. Link -via J-Walk Blog