Gnawing Mammals North American Wildlife What is a
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Gnawing Mammals North American Wildlife
What is a mammal? • • Warm blooded Bony skeletons Give birth to live young Nourish young using mammary glands • Have a backbone • Usually have coats of hair
Rodents • • • Largest group of gnawing mammals Four large incisor teeth in front of mouth Very diverse group Most are herbivores Sometimes considered to be pests (destructive gnawing habits) • Main source of food for predatory birds and larger mammals
House Mouse • • Smallest of all rodents are mice 6 -8 inches long. 5 -1 ounce Hairless tails Brown or grey Eight litters year/ 8 -11 pups each litter Very large range- can live anywhere that food and shelter can be found
Meadow Jumping Mouse • • • Light brown Long hind legs/tail 7. 5 -9 inches long “Kangaroo Mouse” Nocturnal- active at night Hibernate
Pine Vole • 4 -6 inches • Brown with stubby tail • Spend a lot of time underground in tunnels that they construct • Different from mice in that it has blunt face, small eyes, large ears and hairy tail.
Meadow Vole • Called a field mouse • 5 -8 inches • Do best in meadows/grasslands • Destructive to crops, fruit orchards • Predators include weasels, coyotes, foxes, skunks and bobcats
Muskrat • • • Is a large vole Lives in marshes and streams Furbearing Up to 24 inches Nocturnal Has two scent glands located near the tail- produces a musky oil to waterproof
Squirrels • Tree • Spend most of time in trees • Stay awake during winter and compile stashes • Homes are in trees • Smaller litters • More litters in a year • • • Ground Burrow in ground Hibernate Large litters More predators Rely on fat supplies during winter
Eastern Grey Squirrel • • • Hunted Tree squirrel 1 -2 litters year/ 5 -6 pups each litter Born in treetops nests of twigs Eats hickory nuts and acorns Gather and hoard for winter food supply • 16 -21 inches • Black or black and tan
Chipmunks • Small ground squirrels • Eat insects and weeds • Hibernate • Alternating light and dark stripes on back • Burrow
Marmots • • Burrowing- build dens lined with grass Vegetarians Hibernate Communicate with shrill whistles to warn or danger • Bite off green vegetation and lay it in sun to dry- use for bedding • Do not need a lot of water
Woodchuck • • • Marmot AKA Groundhog 20 -27 inches 5 -10 pounds Hibernate Burrowing
Prairie Dogs • Closely related to marmots • Tails covered with hair • Eat grasses, insects, grasshoppers • Worst enemies are rattlesnakes and ferrets • Burrowing • Sound alarm signals to each other
Rabbits, Hares, Pikas • Not true rodents • Have second set of upper incisor teeth • Are still gnawing mammals
Many Differences • Rabbits • Born without hair • Eyes are closed at birth • Hares • Hind legs longer • Wider ears then rabbits • Born with full coat • Eyes open at birth • • Pikas Short legs Short ears No visible tail
Porcupines • Sharp quills • Cannot throw its quills • Mountain lion and bobcat are predators • Cause damage to trees by eating bark • Likes salty items
Gophers • Solitary animals • Tunneling • Make mounds of dirt that is removed from tunnel • Nocturnal • 6 -13 inches • Short stubby hairless tail • Cheek pouch to carry food
Beavers • • • Largest rodent in North America Tunnels on banks of streams Constructs dams Feeds on bark Important to stream and river ecosystems • 3 -4 feet • Weigh up to 70 pounds • Waterproof reddish brown coats
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