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North Fork Salt River Basin - Mammals Only in the last 50 years has man learned much about bats and their life history. Their nocturnal habits, affinity for eerie places like caves, and silent, darting flight have made them the subjects of a great deal of folklore and superstition through the years. Active at a time when most people prefer to be indoors and able to function when and where man's most important sense, sight, is denied him, it is no wonder that bats seem supernatural. Actually, bats are superbly adapted creatures that have evolved to exploit resources such as night-flying insects and dark caverns that are unavailable to diurnal and sight-dependent animals. Bat populations have been declining at an alarming rate in recent years. Some of the more important causes of this decline are destruction of habitat, pesticides and disturbance. Loss of roosting and foraging habitat has resulted from reservoir construction, watershed development, forest conversion, urbanization and cave commercialization. Lethal levels of pesticides have been found in dead bats in several studies. Vandalism and disturbance have eliminated or greatly reduced bats in a number of caves. Three species of bats in Missouri are on the federal Endangered Species List and are protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973. All bats are protected by the Wildlife Code of Missouri. Once upon a time, there were few if any wild black bears in Missouri. If there were any bears living here, they kept themselves well hidden in the deepest recesses of our Ozark woodlands. About 40 years ago, however, Missouri's neighbors in Arkansas were involved in a grand experiment: from 1958 to 1968, wildlife officials there restocked 254 Minnesota and Manitoba black bears to join the 30 to 40 Arkansas bears estimated at the time to be roaming the state. Arkansas bears did what came naturally - they bred and bore little bears. Bear densities increased and, at some point, the more adventurous bears among them - mostly young males - began seeking out territories with fewer bears and less competition. Some traveled north and most Missourians who spotted them were thrilled. A couple of them, unfortunately, shot first and asked questions later, more to prove that they had actually seen a bear than because of any imminent threat. Many of those first bears shot in Missouri were the actual bears released in Arkansas. Missouri black bears now number between 150 and 300 individuals and, because photos of sows with young cubs have not been taken, no hard evidence yet exists to prove, beyond a doubt, that any litter has been born in the state. That may be because black bears are generally secretive. http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2000/04/40.htmBeavers The beaver is the largest rodent in North America, the adult reaching 4 1/2 feet (1,371 mm) long and weighing up to 90 pounds (40.8 kg). Its common name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word beofor. Description. Beavers are easily distinguished by their large size, webbed hind feet and large horizontally flattened tail. The body fur is dark brown above and lighter brown below; the tail is blackish. Distribution and abundance. Originally, the range of this species included most of North America, but as a result of extensive trapping and other byproducts of civilization, most were exterminated in the eastern and southern portions of this range. In Missouri, beavers were common in every major watershed prior to the Civil War, but by 1875, the population had started to dwindle. By 1895 only a few colonies remained, and these were primarily along the Missouri River in northwestern Missouri and possibly in remote sections of the Ozarks. http://www.-conservation.mo.gov/nathis/mammals/beaver/ This animal's common name is from the Aztec Indian word coyotl and preferably should be pronounced in the Mexican Spanish version "ki-o-tee" rather than in the corrupted form "ki-ot." Description. The coyote is extremely dog like; of the various domestic breeds, it most closely resembles a small German shepherd. It is easily distinguished from red and gray foxes by its larger size, coloration, shorter tail and round pupil of the eye (the foxes having vertical eye pupils). Typically, the upper parts are light gray to dull yellow with the outer hairs broadly tipped with black; considerable variation does occur, ranging from nearly black to nearly white. The length varies from 39 1/2-54 inches (1,003-1,371 mm); extremes in adult weight are 18 and 48 pounds (8.1 and 21.7 kg). Distribution and abundance. The range of the coyote includes most of North America. The coyote occurs throughout the state, being most abundant in the Prairie Region of northern and western Missouri. This species has been increasing in recent years, partially due to its adaptability and aggressive nature. As the red fox decreased, coyotes filled the vacant range; they also were able to dominate the less aggressive gray fox. http://www.conservation.mo.gov/nathis/mammals/coyote/ Before you trap a mole, you ought to learn a little bit about the animal that you're after. The common Missouri mole is a small, seldom-seen fossorial mammal found throughout the state. "Fossorial" means that the animal spends most of its time underground. Description. The mole is about the size of a chipmunk and weighs about 100 grams (or four ounces). Its most distinctive feature is the adaptive, palm like, short front feet which are held in a hands-over-the-head position with the palms facing outward. The mole uses these to get through the soil in about the same way a person swims underwater. Except for its flexible, pig like snout, the head is featureless, appearing to be lacking a neck, eyes and ears. Although the mole can only detect light and dark with its eyes, its sense of hearing, touch and smell are acute. Dining habits. Moles are carnivorous. Grubworms and earthworms constitute the bulk of their diet. The mole also preys on other soil-dwelling creatures such as beetles, spiders, centipedes, ant pupae and cutworms. In fact, a mole can harvest more than 140 grubworms and cutworms daily (many of which are destructive to your backyard plants). Moles may be found wherever the soil is sufficiently thick, pliable and adhesive enough to support a tunnel system and is adequately populated with good hearty food. http://www.-conservation.mo.gov/-nathis/mammals/moles/moles.htm The appropriate common name refers to the mild and inoffensive odor of this rodent. Although superficially rat like in appearance, the muskrat is not a close relative of the despised house rat. Description. This medium-sized mammal has short front legs with small feet, stronger hind legs with large feet, and a vertically flattened, scaly tail which is slightly shorter than the combined length of head and body. The hind feet are partially webbed. The back is blackish brown and the sides are lighter brown with a reddish tinge; the underparts are still lighter, shading to white on the throat. Adults are 16-25 1/4 inches (406-641 mm) long and weigh from 1 1/2-4 pounds (680-1,814 g). Distribution and abundance. The muskrat is widely distributed throughout Alaska, Canada and the United States; as a transplant, it is also established in Europe and Asia. Although it is one of the most abundant, commercial furbearers in Missouri, it never has been as common here as in some other parts of its range. The construction of thousands of farm ponds throughout the state during the past 40 years has accounted for an appreciable increase in muskrat numbers and distribution. http://www.conservation.mo.gov/nathis/-mammals/muskrat/ The opossum is a unique Missouri mammal because it is a representative of a large group of primitive mammals, the pouched mammals, or marsupials, that live mostly in Australia. The females of this group typically have a prominent marsupium, or pouch, on the belly where the young are carried and nourished for a time after their birth. The common name, opossum, is a corruption of the Algonquian Indian name, apasum. Description. The opossum is 2-3 feet (609-914 mm) long. Its head is white to yellowish with a pink nose, black eyes and bluish black, naked ears. The long, rather coarse body fur is predominantly grayish white but tends to be darker on the front and hind legs. The long, scaly tail is black at its base, grading to yellowish white or pink for the rest of its length. Opossums weigh 4-l5 pounds (1.8-6.8 kg), males being larger than females. Distribution and abundance. Opossums live throughout Missouri but are least abundant in the northwestern and southeastern parts of the state. http://www.conservation.mo.gov/nathis/mammals/-opossum/ The common name for this animal is from an Indian word and is variously spelled as arocoun, arakun, arathkone and aroughcun. Description. The upper parts are grizzled brown and black, strongly washed with yellow. A prominent black band or mask occurs across the eyes and cheeks, and the tail is distinctly marked with alternate rings of yellowish gray and brownish black. This mammal is 26-38 inches (660-965 mm) long; males weigh 8-25 pounds (3.6-l1.3 kg) and females 6 3/4-7 1/2 pounds (3.0-7.9 kg). Distribution and abundance. Raccoons occur throughout Missouri but are most common in the Prairie Region and less abundant in the Ozark Highland and Mississippi Lowland. http://www.conservation.state.mo.us-/nathis/mammals/raccoon/ There are two species of skunks in Missouri, the more familiar striped skunk [Mephitis mephitis] and the lesser known spotted skunk [Spilogale putorius]. The common name, skunk, is of Algonquin Indian origin while the words "striped" and "spotted" refer to the predominant markings. The spotted skunk is also called a civet cat, which is incorrect because this mammal is not closely related to the true civets of the Old World or to cats. Description. Both skunks are predominantly black with their typical white markings. The striped skunk is the larger of the two, varying in length from 20-30 inches (508-762 mm), and in weight from 3 1/2-10 pounds (1.5-4.5 kg). The spotted skunk is only 14-22 inches (355-558 mm) long and weighs from 3/4-2 3/4 pounds (340-l,247 g). The skunk's disagreeable scent, or musk, is secreted by two internal glands located at the base of the tail in both sexes. These glands open to the outside through small nipples; when the tail is down, the nipples are hidden, but when it is raised, the nipples are exposed. The skunk exercises voluntary control over these scent glands and can aim behind, to either side of or in front of itself by changing the direction of aim of the nipples. The scent glands contain about one tablespoon (15 g) of thick, volatile, oily liquid which is enough for five or six rounds. http://www.conservation.mo.gov/nathis/mammals/skunk/ Among the members of the Squirrel Family living in Missouri, the Eastern gray [Sciurus carolinensis] and fox squirrels [Sciurus niger] are the most common. Their common names are descriptive of the general coat color, the grayish of one and the "reddish fox" coloration of the other. Description. The gray squirrel varies in length from 14-21 inches (355-533 mm) and in weight from 3/4-1 1/2 pounds (340-680 g); the fox squirrel is generally larger, having a length from 19-29 inches (482-736 mm) and a weight from l-3 pounds (453-1,360 g). http://www.conservation.mo.gov/nathis/mammals/-squirrel/ The woodchuck, or groundhog, is one of the best known wild mammals in Missouri, but few realize this rodent is a member of the Squirrel Family. Its common name, woodchuck, is an anglicized corruption of an Indian name for this species. The origin of its other name, groundhog, is obvious from the animal's squat appearance, waddling gait and habit of living in the ground. Description. This common Missouri rodent varies from 16-27 inches (406-685 mm) in length; it has short, powerful legs and a medium-long, bushy, and somewhat flattened tail. The long, coarse fur of the back is a grizzled grayish brown with a yellowish or reddish cast. Woodchucks weigh 4-14 pounds (1.8-6.3 kg), being lightest in spring when they are just out of hibernation and heaviest in fall prior to hibernation. http://www.conservation.mo.gov/nathis/mammals/woodchuck/ |
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Page last updated August 26, 2008 |
