Virginia Opossum

description: pointed white face, naked tail, cat-sized, eyeshine dull orange, nocturnal

range: West and East coast and E. of the Rockies through Central America (probably were introduced to CA)

non-migratory

habitat: farming areas, woodlands, often along streams, also does well in urban areas

diet: omnivorous- insects, carrion, fruits, vegetables, nuts, small animals

litter: 1-4

repro: Jan-July, several litters/year, stay in pouch for 2 months

status: INCREASING

sometimes hunted for sport or fur; edible, but not commonyl eaten; may "play possum" when cornered; opposable thumb in rear feet

Gray Wolf

description: color ranges form white to black, usu. grey, round ears, long brushy tail held high when running, very large

range: Canada, Alaska, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Oregon, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, N. Mexico, SW and N. Mexico

non-migratory

habitat: very adaptable, mountains, temperate forest, grasslands; key is that they need LARGE tracts of land with prey to follow

diet: medium to large ungulates including caribou, elk, moose, deer; also small mammals and birds

*hunt in packs

litter: 5-7, milked and fed regurgetated meat

repro: cooperative breeding=only alpha male and female of pack breed (seasonal pair bond), mate for season Jan-March, pups born April-May

complex social systems- packs of 2-12 or more

status: INCREASING, endangered in contiguous US, except Minnesota where listed as threatened, de-listing planned for Great Lakes, not listed in Alaska (aerial gunning)

Red Wolf

description: reddish grey to nearly black, small rounded ears, larger than coyote but smaller than gray wolf

range: historic: Southearstern US

current: North Carolina

non-migratory

habitat: brushy forested areas, river bottoms, coastal prairies

diet: small mammals and birds, crabs, occasionally deer (usu. fawns)

litter: 2-10 pups, born April-May

status: status as a distinct species is controversial, genetic testing shows red wolf as coyote/gray wolf hybrid (interbreeds with both)

ENDANGERED at federal level

Coyote

description: reddish grey with reddish brown legs/feet/ears, belly and throat whitish, large ears, runs with tail down, larger than foxes/ smaller than wolves

range: across US and into Canada, Alaska and Central America

non-migratory

habitat: prairies, open woodlands, brushy or rocky areas, urban and suburban areas (usu. some sort of cover for dens)

diet: opportunistic-birds, small rodents, rabbits, berries and other vegetation

litter: 1-19, born April-May

repro: dominant pairs breed, hybridize with domestic dogs

form social groups, though usu. smaller and less cohesive than wolves, these groups maintain exclusive terretories (hunting route usu. 10 miles)

status: INCREASING, prob. due to lack of competition with larger carnivores (example of mesopredator release hypothesis)

Arctic Fox

description: bluish brown in summer/ white in winter, short rounded ears, no white tip on tail

range: N. Canada and North/West Alaska, also in Eurasia, Greenland, and Iceland

non-migratory

habitat: tundra (N. latitudes, treeless), mostly near shores

diet: scavenger- dead amrine mammals and fish (follows polar bears in winter), also lemmings, hares, birds, eggs, berries

litter: 6-12, born April-June

repro: monogamous, father brings food to pups

status: STABLE (may cyle with lemmings)

Red Fox

description: reddish-yellow, white belly, white tail tip, *legs and feet black, (NOT always red)

range: throughout Canada and Alaska, Eastern US and plains states; introduced in East and West and interbred with native populations

non-migratory

variable habitat, mix of forests and open places (some cover for denning)

diet: small mammals, birds, eggs, berries

litter: 1-10 pups, born March-May

repro: seasonally monogamous

subspecies: Sierra Nevada Red Fox

Kit Fox

description: small grey fox (25% smaller than red fox), very LARGE ears, black-tipped tail

range: Southwestern US and Mexico (Kit Fox hybridizes with Swift Fox where their ranges overlap)

non-migratory

habitat: low desert vegetation, junipers, open sandy ground

diet: redoents and rabbits

litter: 3-5 pups, born March-April

monogamous

status: DECLINING (due to predator control programs, trapping for fur, and competition with coyotes)

this is an "umbrella species"

*San Joaquin subspecies is federally endangered (loss of habitat due to farming, development, and rodenticides)

Gray Fox

description: grey and black body, reddish below, bushy gray tail with *black stripe* along top and black tip

range: most of US except NW, central and South America

non-migratory

variable habitat: woodlands, brushy areas, chapparal (usu. some cover and some trees)

diet: small mammals, birds, eggs, insects, fruits, acorns

litter: 1-7, born March-May

repro: monogamous, mals tends to young but does not stay in den

status: STABLE and widespread, hunted and trapped for fur (classified as furbearer in CA)

*only American canid that climbs trees

Island Gray Fox

description: smallest fox in US, gray with shorter legs and tail

range: found only on CA's Channel Islands

habitat: all types of habitat found on Channel Islands (grassland)

diet: small mammals, insects, fruit, mice, birds

litter: 1-5

repro: probably monogamous

nocturnal, crepuscular (active at dusk), solitary

status: DECLINING (<40 today)

multiple subspecies on different islands, 4 of 6 subspecies listed as endangered

causes: diseases introduced form domestic dogs, Golden Eagle predation (after Bald Eagle left due to DDT), competition with feral cats or introduced herbivores

Mountain Lion

description: largest cat in US, tawny to greyish coat, LONG black-tipped tail

range: Western north America, Florida, Central and South America (originally throughout US)

require LARGE home ranges, may disperse up to 100 miles

non-migratory

habitat: varied- mountains, forestsm swamps

diet: mostly deer, also hares, rodents, bighorn sheep, moose, domestic animals

ambush predator, "cache-ing" (partially bury carcass)

litter: 1-6 cubs, usu. 2

repro: polygamous/ promiscuous

solitary, nocturnal and secretive

status: common in W. US, rare in E. US, Florida and Eastern subspecies are endangered

increasing in CA, game species in most Western states

protected in CA since 1972 (but around 100 killed each year under depredation permits)

Canada Lynx

description: short tail with COMPLETELY black tip, *long tufts on ears, large feet for walking in the snow

range: Northern North America (Canada, Alaska)

non-migratory

habitat: forests, swamps

diet: mostly snowshoe hares, also rodents and birds

*populations fluctuate with hare abundance, approx. 9 year cycle

litter: 1-6 (usu. 2)

reproduction: polygamous/ promiscuous

solitary and nocturnal

status: game species in Canada, trapped for fur

threatened in US due to habitat loss

extirpated in much of former US range

Bobcat

description: short tail, black only on top of tail, shorter ear tufts

range: most of US, S. Canada, N. Mexico

non-migratory

habitat: forests, chapparal, swamps, brushy areas (usu. with some cover)

diet: small mammals and birds, sometimes carrion

litter: 1-7, born April-May

repro: polygamous/ promiscuous

nocturnal and solitary

status: STABLE, common in some areas, scarce in others

valued for fur, hunting/trapping/commerce in fur is regulated, fully protected in 10 states (furbearer in CA)

Black Bear

description: black to reddish, straight profile, *no hump at shoulders, sometimes white area on chest, drown face, smallest bear

rabge: widespread in US and Canada, range expands to Mexico (places with mtns. and forests)

non-migratory

wide varietyof habitats: mountains, forests, shrubby areas, swamps, NOT in plains or desert

diet: omniverous- berries, nuts, insects, small mammals, grass, honey, carrion, garbage (naturally, tend to eat what's available seasonally)

litter: usu. 2 cubs born in winter den, Jan-Feb

repro: mate in spring, females reproduce every ohter year, young stay with mother for 2 years

generally nocturnal, solitary except females with cubs, semi-hibernate in winter North

status: STABLE or INCREASING, important game animal, can damage orchards, behavioral problems from contact with  humans (have learned to break into cars, coolers, etc. and will teach to their young)

Grizzly Bear

description: yellowish brown to nearly black, *hump above shoulders, white/ silvery tips on hairs ("grizzled"), BIG

range: now mostly restricted to wilderness areas, also in E. Europe and Siberia

non-migratory, but HUGE home ranges

habitat: high mountains and tundra

diet: meat (fish to rodents to elk), fruit, grass, grubs, carrion, omniverous and will eat what's available

litter: usu. 2 cubs born in January (during hibernation)

repro: polygynous/ promiscuous

status: threatened in US due to habitat loss, still fairly common in Canada and N. Russia

game animal, regulated hunting in most of range, may prey on livestock

active at any time of day, solitary or small family groups, hibernate in winter

Polar Bear

description: all white or yellowish

range: arctic coasts and islands  (above Canada), (similar to arctic fox)

non-migratory

habitat: ice, rocky shores

diet: carniverous (mostly seals)

litter: usu. 2 cubs born in winter den

reproduction: polygynous/ promiscuous

solitary except for mating or female with cubs; hibernate

status: DECLINING but still abundant (20-25K)

listed as threatened due to decrease of sea ice coverage (climate change), almost completely portected from hunting (some cultural hunts do occur)