Small Mammals

1
Small Mammals

• From foukeffa.org
• Written by Diane Runde
• Ag Student Texas AM
• GA Ag Ed Curriculum Office
• To accompany the Georgia Agriculture Education
  Curriculum Course 02423
• July 2001

2
Wolverine

• Largest member of weasel family Dark brown fur w/
  light tan stripe on each side 25-35 pounds
  glutton
• eats mice, gophers, birds, eggs
• delayed implantation -
• litter 2-3 young
• no enemies

3
Badger

• Mascot of Wisconsin
• Sandy Brown w/ white strips down nose
• Excellent diggers
• Eats rodents
• Delayed implantation
• Live in dens
• Live 12 years

4
Porcupines!

• One of the largest rodents up to 40 lbs. and 36
  inches long, It lives in forested areas from
  Alaska to new Mexico basically it lives
  everywhere. It spends most of its time in trees
  and is a veggie eater. It breeds in November and
  its young are born with quills and can basically
  take care of its self from about a week and can
  live up to 8yrs old. It has natural enemies the
  lynx, the coyote, the mountain lion, and
  wolverines.

5
Opossum

• They are the only marsupial in N. America
• a salt and pepper look. Their face is white with
  a black stripe with bald ears and tail
• weigh about 12lbs and is 36in.
• eat fruits,nuts,insects, and eggs

6
Raccoon

• Medium sized predator, with black mask.
• Very adaptable. Found almost anywhere in America
  and Canada.
• Eats a lot of plants and animals.
• Has young Jan-Mar.

7
Muskrat

• Relative of beaver, 25 inches long, 3 pounds.
• Found near water- marshes, swamps, riverbanks.
• eats aquatic plants, fish, and veggies.
• 2 to 4 litters a year, 4 to 8 per litter.

8
Beaver

• Wide spread flat brown tail rich dark fur.
• Rivers,streams,woodland areas.
• Eats aquatic plants,water willies, and bark.
  Mates for life.
• Largest rodent in America.

9
Long-tailed Weasel

• Description- most common, dark brown with white
  belly, 12 - 20 inches long
• Habitat- woodlands, fields, abandoned farmsteads
• Feeding Habits- mice, chipmunks, domestic poultry
• Life Cycle- 3 to 6 young, live 5 years

10
Mink

• Member of weasel family, 20 to 30 inches long,
  average 3lbs.
• Habitat- woodlands, everywhere but southwest
• Eat frogs, fish, snakes, muskrats, much more
• breed in January and February

11
Bobcat

• The Bobcat is medium sized, grey to red brown w/
  a black streak.
• It lives in woodlands,marshes
• Eats small mammals
• there are four bobcats every four days.

12
Lynx

• Lives in Alaska and Canada is 13 feet long and
  about 15-30 lbs. Is reddish -brown and has ear
  tufts.
• Eats grouse, squirrels, rodents, and snowshoe
  hare
• They carry their young for 60 days and lives for
  8-12 years

13
Black-tailed Prairie Dog

• Yellowish, Brownish, to buff colored.
• Live in Mexico and Canada.
• Eats large grasses and insects.
• Gestation period every 35-40 days.

14
Woodchuck

• Light brown rodent that lives alone
• lives in open woodlands field edges
• Eat grass,cloves,alfalfa
• babies carried for 28 days and live to be about
  9yrs. old
• about 32in and about 10lbs

15
Cottontail Rabbit

• Brown w/ white cotton ball tail, 13-17 inches
  wide
• lives in farmsteads, fields and bushy areas
• eat- grass,shrubs,herbs, and vegetables
• breeding begins Feb. through Sept.

16
Jack Rabbit!!

• 17-20 inches, brown color
• southern deserts and prairies
• Eats Grasses, brush, and herbs
• lives 6 yrs.
• Clocked at 45 mph

17
Swamp Rabbit

• Larger than cottontail
• darker brown, less gray tinge
• weighs 3 to 6 lbs.
• 16 to 18 inches
• low- lying poorly drained areas
• southern states
• dense thickets
• Eats many green grasses and bark
• breeding season Feb. to Mar.
• two or more litters per season
• two to four per litter
• 39 to 40 day gestation

18
Snowshoe Hare

• Brown color in summer, changes to white in fall
• dense vegetation
• grasses, herbs, eat during summer
• 2-3 liters each year
• live to 3 years of age

19
Red Squirrel

• Rusty red color. 14 inches
• evergreen forests Alaska to Rocks
• Eats variety of nuts
• Single litter
• 6 inch tail

20
Grey Squirrel

• Gray, white, or black
• .75 to 1.75 pounds
• 18 inches
• lives in woods
• Eats acorns, nuts
• sex all year round
• Lives 15 years

21
Red fox

• Light to dark red coat and a bushy tail
• yellow eyes, pointed ears, long narrow muzzle
• weighs 8-10 lbs..
• Open woodlands and fields, brushy areas
• Eats pheasants, rabbits, snakes, mice
• Mate in January, 2 months later they have an
  average of 2-5 pups

22
Grey Fox

• Salt and pepper gray with a black tipped tail
• weighs 8-10 lbs..
• Lives in central America, Southern and
  Northeastern U.S
• Eats mice, rabbits, squirrels
• Mate in Jan. two months later they have 2-5 pups

23
Striped Skunk

• Most common
• black and white
• anywhere in North America
• Eats insects, mice, rats
• winter breed, 3-8 young
• live 10-12 years
• 6-14 lbs., 30 in long

24
Coyote

• Reddish brown-gray
• excellent senses
• smell, hearing, and eyesight
• virtually anywhere
• Eats rodents, rabbits, fruits
• 6-10 pups, breed in Jan.
• Live 15 years
• run up to speeds of 40 mph