American Marten

description: dark brown body with cream colored patch on chest, cat-like ears, sort of larger

range: Canada and Alaska, northeastern US, mtns. of western US

non-migratory

habitat: dense forests at higher elevations, usu. old growth, *avoids open areas, adapted for movement in trees (chase squirrels)

diet: general, may hunt under snow (follow rodent into burrow)

litter: 2-5 kits, born in April

repro: general, den in hollow tree, hollow logs (may use old pileated woodpecker nest)

status: managed furbearer (harvested for fur in many parts of range, though NOT CA)

DECLINING in western US due to habitat fragmentation

Fisher

description: dark brown (no white), elongated body, short ears (relatively small)

range: forested regions of Southern Canada and northeastern US, mountains of western US (not Alaska)

formerly inhabited much of eastern US

non-migratory

habitat: dense forests, found at lower elevations than Martens (usu. hardwoods)

adapted for movements in trees (chase squirrels)

diet: general, snowshoe hares and procupine are primary food in most of its range

effective and really the only predator of porcupines (eats its face off)

litter: 2-6 kits, born March-April

repro: general, den in hollow tree

status: STABLE to INCREASING in NE and midwest (trapping season reopened in these areas), overtrapping and habitat loss cause declines in early 20th cent. (many trapping seasons eliminated in US)

reintroduced in some palces for porcupine control

Ermine

(aka "short tailed weasel")

description: dark brown with white underparts in summer (2 color phases: white in winter), black tip on SHORT TAIL

range: northern latitudes around globe

non-migratory

habitat: riparian woodlands, marches, shrubby fencerows, forest edges, usu. near water

diet: general, may hunt under snow during winter

litter: 4-9, born in May

repro: general, den in burrow (takeover dens of prey)

status: STABLE, trapped for fur

may be ag. pest because they raid henhouses, beneficial: rodent control

Long-tailed Weasel

description: yellow-white underparts (tends to have less neat edge and continues onto face), *LONGER tail than an ermine

range: most of North America to South America (lower than ermine)

non-migratory

habitat: near water

diet: general

litter: 4-8, born April-May

repro: general, den in burrow (eat rodent and take over its burrow)

status: STABLE, trapped for fur

occasionally raid henhouses, good mousers

Black-footed Ferret

description: buff coloered body with black head, *feet, and tip of tail

reange: originally inhabited most of prairie, now only exists in 3 introduce populations

habitat: prairies, usu. around prairie dogs towns

diet: small mammals, >90% prairie dogs

litter: 2-5, born in June

repro: general, but no delayed implantation, den in burrow (usu. prairie dogs')

status: federally ENDANGERED (one of 1st species protected by ESA)

declared extinct in wild in 1996, currently 3 reintroduced populations (need lots of prairie dogs, which can be problematic)

American Mink

decription: dark brown with *white chin patch*, fur is shiny even when not wet

range: across N. America except SW deserts

non-migratory

habitat: near water, primarily in forested regions

diet: varies by season

summer: MUSCRATS, crayfish, small frogs

winter: exclusively mammals, MUSCRAT

*think "muscrats and mink"

litter: 2-6, born April-May

repro: general, but no delayed implantation, den along stream or lake bank in a log, beaver or muscrat den

status: managed furbearer, populations STABLE (most mink pelts come from fur farms)

Wolverine

description: dark borwn body with 2 braod yellow stripes, LARGE "snowshoe" feet

range: northern forests, holarctic

always on the move

non-migratory

habitat: boreal forests and high mountains, COLD areas, very little info on natural history

diet: generalist carnivore, will eat carrion, capable of taking down prey as large as elk

litter: 2-5, born Jan-April

repro: general, females only mate every 2-3 years, den in any sheltered place

status: absent from musch of former range, extremely rare in lower 48, managed furbearer in Alaska and Montana

difficult to moniter because they have LARGE home ranges

American Badger

description: yellowish grey, flattened (vertically) body, black and white patterened face (black with 3 white stripes)

range: primarily occupies Great Plains, has expanded its range over the past century

habitat: dry, open country, adapted for burrowing lifestyle (burrows are used for resting, denning, escaping extreme weather)

diet: primarily burrowing animals

litter: 1-5, born in early spring

repro: general, dens in burrows

status: STABLE game species over range (not in CA), occasionally taken for fur

help control rodents, burrows can be a hazard to livestock

Western Spotted Skunk

description: white spot on head and *under each ear, 4 white stripes down sides and back

range: W. US and Mexico

non-migratory

habitat: brushy or wooded areas, prairies

diet: small mammals and insects, occasionally fruit, eggs

litter: 4-7 born May-June

repro: general, den in burrows or cavities

status: Channel Islands subspecies on concern in CA (relatively rare), some value for fur, can rain henhouses, good mouser

Striped Skunk

description: black body with white stripe on head broadening into 2 stripes on back

range:across north America into north Mexico, including urban areas

non-migratory

habitat: open ares with wooded areas intermixed

diet: omniverous, fruits, small mammals, insects, eggs, amphibians, crayfish

litter: 4-7 born mid May

repro: general, females may den together in winter, den in burrow

status: common fur animal though pelt values have declined, good mouser, may rain henhouses, urban nuisance, kept as pets when de-scented, may harbor rabies

Northern River Otter

decription: dark brown above with silvery sheen below, streamlined for swimming, webbed feet, long tail is thick at base

range: North America (Alaska, Canada, most of US except SW)

non-migratory

habitat: streams and lake borders

diet: mainly aquatic organisms: amphibians, fish, crayfish, small mammals, invertebrates

litter: 2-6 born in later winter/early spring

repro: monogamous, male helps care for young

social animal *often seen in pairs or family groups

status: managed as furbearer in some states, STABLE, extirpated in midwest

Sea Otter

description: larger than river otter with *pale faces, largest mustelid

range: found in isolated populations along Pacific coast

migration: males make smallsouthern migrations in summer, mostly resident

habitat: near shore, marine environments supporting kelp beds

diet: bottom dwelling invertebrates (crabs, abalone, sea urchins, etc), use rocks to crack open shells of prey

litter: 1 pup born May-June

repro: carry pup on mother's chest until able to swim, live in family groups

status: nearly eliminated by fur harvests in 18/19th cent., Southern populations federally threatened

"keystone species" (declines in sea otters>increases in invertebrates that feed on kelp>restricts growth of kelp forest habitat)

populations have been recovering

usually see them on their backs, pelts are finest/worth the most $

Ringtail

description: long tail with black and white rings, large eyes with white around them

range: southwestern US up into Oregon

non-migratory

habitat: chapparal, rocky areas, woods, near water

diet: varied- small vertebrates, fruit, invertebrates

litter: 3-4 young, born May-June

repro: monogamous, usu. found in pairs, may be partially colonial

after 3-4 weeks male assists with rearing

status: unknown, but probably STABLE

nocturnal

love strawberry jam(for trapping)

Common Raccoon

decription: white and black rings on tail, *black mask*, stockier than ringtail and shorter tail

range: S. Canada to Northern S. America (across US)

non-migratory

habitat: near streams and lakes in wooded areas, urban areas

diet: omniverous-tend to consume more invertebrates than vertebrates (tend to feed along aquatic areas)

litter: 1-8 young born April-May

repro: breeding occurs later in southern parts of range

solitary and nocturnal

status: abundant

considered by some a nuisance in urban areas, can carry rabies, carry nematodehat gets into human brain (no cure)

Walrus

description: very large, LONG TUSKS

range: circumpolar at far nothern latitudes (all around North Pole)

migration: migrate south on pack ice in winter (closer to N. Pole in summer)

habitat: ice floes and islands in arctic

diet: primarily mollusks pried form rocks or grubbed from bottom with tusks

litter: 1 calf born April-June, stays with mother for 2 years (breeding every 2-3 years)

repro: every 2-3 years since calf stays with mother for 2 years, believed to be polygynous, copulate in winter, males comptete for access to females (older males often covered with scars)

form large social groups

status: STABLE, harvested for meat and ivory by native people (Walrus harvest important for Eskimo ecomony)

large body size allows research biologists to use long range tracking devices

Northern Fur Seal

description: pale brown face, short nose, covered with thick fur (2nd best pelt to sea otters)

range: N. Pacific ocean- breed on Pribilof islands off Alaska (May-Nov), move as far south as San Diego

migration: up to 6,200 miles per year

habitat: at sea unless breeding on rocky beaches

gregarious, usu. in pods

diet: fish and squid

litter: 1 pup born in June

repro: polygynous, males with harems of up to 40 females

status: DECLINING- severly overharvested (Russians, Americans, Japanese, Canadians), harvesting has been managed by international agreement since 1911 (1st international treaty in world)

currently, Pribilof island herd hunted only for subsistence

decline may also be due to decline in ocean food supply/competition for fish, or entanglement

California Sea Lion

description: brown or black when wet, high forehead, continual honking bark

range: Pacific coast and British Columbia to Mexico

breed on coasts and islands off S. CA and Baja CA

migration: males migrate as far north as B. Columbia

habitat: coastal ocean

diet: fish, also octopus and squid

litter: 1 pup, born in June

repro: polygynous

gregarious (see in small groups)

status: INCREASING- federally threatened, protected throughout range

might be affected by pollution off coast, lost some breeding ground but most are protected

Northern Elephant Seal

description: large snouts (esp. males), largest seals in their range

range: Pacific coast- south to CA, breeds in central CA (Ano Nuevo, Point Reyes, etc)

migration: widespread distribution

habitat: open ocean, sandy beaches

diet: fish, also squid and octopus

dive extremely deep for food (one of deepes divers, up to 1mi), don't eat at all when on land

litter: 1 pup

repro: breed Dec-March, polygynous

live in large groups on shore

shed their skin

status: INCREASING about as rapidly as it can, hunted nearly to extinction for oil in 1890s

Harbor Seal

description: grey or brown with *spots* (lighter in color)

range: Arctic Ocean and along both coasts of US

migration: limited seasonal movement (males)

habitat: coastal waters, river mouths, rocky islands and ledges, sand bars

diet: varies by season- fish, shellfish, squid

litter: 1 pup born on land in early summer

repro: polygynous, return to same breeding ground every year

solitary except when "hauled out" of water onto rocks

status: INCREASING (4 fold since MMPA), protected in US, formerly hunted for skins/furs/meat, often entangled in fishing nets, loss of breeding habitat