There are many mammals in the Spring River Basin. Mammals in Missouri include opossums, beavers, muskrats, bobcats, raccoons, red foxes, gray foxes, coyotes, badgers, mink, long-tailed weasels, river otters, and skunks.  Deer, squirrel, rabbits, and chipmunks are also mammals.   Did you know that bats are mammals? 

The gray bat and the black tailed jack rabbit, both found in the Spring River Basin, are listed as endangered by the state.

Distributions of mammals within the Spring River Basin vary by geographic location.   Compared to the remainder of Missouri, the Spring River Basin has a low number of opossum, beaver, mink, muskrat, and raccoon.  Red fox and badger are present in moderate numbers, while river otter and long tailed weasel are mostly absent from the basin.  Gray fox and bobcats are relatively abundant in the Spring River Basin.

Clean water is very important to mammals.   Some mammals like beaver, river otters, and raccoons eat food from the river.  They eat small fish, crayfish, and mussels.  Other animals need clean water to drink and rely on plants living next to rivers.  

Black-tailed jack-rabbit

Source: http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/jackrabbit.htm

Gray bat

Source:  http://www.batcon.org/discover/species/0001411.jpg

Raccoon

Source: http://www.raccoons-raccoons.com/

Muskrat

© Mark F. Wallner

Source: http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/detail.asp?allSpecies=y&searchText=muskrats&curGroupID=5&lgfromWhere=&curPageNum=1

To learn more about muskrats, visit http://dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/wildlife/factshts/muskrat.htm and http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/mammals/muskrat/

Long-tailed weasel

© Robert E. Barber

Source: http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/detail.asp?allSpecies=y&searchText=long-tailed weasel&curGroupID=5&lgfromWhere=&curPageNum=1

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Missouri Department
of Natural Resources

Missouri Watershed Information Network (MoWIN)
Send comments to: mowin1@missouri.edu
205 Agricultural Engineering
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: (573) 882-0085
Toll Free: (MO only): 1-877-H20-shed (426-7433)
Fax: (573) 884-5650

Page last updated August 26, 2008