The Three Parts of a Diorama

Alaskan Brown Bear diorama at the AMNH

1. James Perry Wilson painting background

2. Ray De Lucia (standing) working on foreground

3.  Robert Rockwell creating brown bear sculpture

The classic dioramas (especially those created before the 1960's) at the American Museum of Natural History, the Field Museum, and other pretigious natural history institutions are usually comprised of three interwoven components:

Background:  A team of artists, photographers, and scientists study and record the environment of the animal/animals to be displayed. At the museum a chief artist reproduces that environment in the background painting. Prominent artists at the AMNH include James Perry Wilson (1889-1976), Sean Murtha (1968--), William Leigh (1866-1955), Francis Lee Jaques (1887-1969), Chris Olsen (1880-1965).
Foreground: Scientists study and record the immediate environment of the animal/animals on display.  Artists at the museum reconstruct the actual environment—the ground, rocks, plants, etc. George Petersen (1905-1991) and Raymond DeLucia (1916-1997) are two well-known foreground artists at the AMNH.
Taxidermy:  Scientists collect animal specimens that are shipped back to the museum where the “Akeley Method” is used to create the animal for the diorama. The skeleton of the animal is placed in the desired position for the diorama on a metal armature. The skeleton is then covered with clay so that a sculpture of the animal can be created.  A plaster mold is made of the sculpture.  That mold is removed and the interior is lined with materials such as fiberglass and papier mache.  That material is removed from the mold and what remains is an exact lightweight mannequin copy of the original sculpture.  The hide/skin of the animal is stretched over the mannequin; what you see is the animal in an actual pose in an actual environment.  Prominent taxidermists at the AMNH include Carl Akeley (1864-1926) and Robert Rockwell (1886-1973). Today, no animal is harmed in the making of dioramas; often times, models and replicas are now used.

The following sequence of photos illustrate the Akeley Method as it was used to create a diorama lion for the AMNH in 1930.  A similar process was used for the animal displays in the Hall of North American Mammals.

1. James L. Clark sculpts the clay mannequin form based on detailed notes and anatomical drawings made in the field.  There is a scale model nearby for reference.

3. The papier-mache mannequin is removed from the plaster mold.

5. The finished papier-mache mannequin is a perfect hollow, lightweight replica of the clay original.

7. James Clark grooms the finished lion mount.

4. The papier-mache mannequin is assembled by John Hope.

6. The tanned lion skin is glued, pinned, and stitched over the papier-mache mannequin.

The lion as it appears in the diorama in the Hall of African Mammals (standing on right).

VIDEOS RELATED TO THE DIORAMAS in 
the BERNARD FAMILY HALL OF NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS @ THE AMNH

OVERVIEW OF 43 DIORAMAS: https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent-exhibitions/mammal-halls/bernard-family-hall-of-north-american-mammals
RESTORING THE HALL OF NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS (17 short videos): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpFUloMYO7E&list=PL5E68FF5D56EB4025
BACKGROUND PAINTINGS OF DIORAMAS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klR1ALOjLM8
CREATING FOREGROUNDS FOR DIORAMAS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1snrSnK-C8

NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS WEB RESOURCES:

LIST WITH LINKS TO OVERVIEWS OF MAMMALS: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mammals_of_North_America
AMNH HALL OF NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS:  https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/north-american-mammals
TWELVE IMPORTANT N.A. MAMMALS: https://www.thoughtco.com/important-animals-of-north-america-4066792

Giant Caribou

Musk Oxen

Alaskan Brown Bear

Alaskan Moose

Jaguar

Big Horn Sheep

Bison and Pronghorn [detail]

Grizzly Bear

Mountain Lion

Gray Wolf

Here are the descriptions of all the remarkable animals that you'll discover in the Bernard Family Hall of North American Mammals @ the AMNH.
COUGAR (MOUNTAIN LION)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cougarhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/c/cougar/        The cougar (Puma concolor), also commonly known as the mountain lion, puma, panther, or catamount, is a large felid of the subfamily Felinae native to the Americas. Its range, from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes of South America, is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. An adaptable, generalist species, the cougar is found in most American habitat types. It is the second-heaviest cat in the New World, after the jaguar. Secretive and largely solitary by nature, the cougar is properly considered both nocturnal and crepuscular, although daytime sightings do occur. The cougar is more closely related to smaller felines, including the domestic cat. © Wikipedia
JAGUARhttps://defenders.org/jaguar/basic-factshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar        The jaguar is the largest cat in the Americas and the third-largest after the tiger and the lion. The jaguar has a compact body, a broad head and powerful jaws. Its coat is normally yellow and tan, but the color can vary from reddish brown to black. The spots on the coat are more solid and black on the head and neck and become larger rosette-shaped patterns along the side and back of the body. The jaguar enjoys swimming and is largely a solitary, opportunistic, stalk-and-ambush predator at the top of the food chain. As a keystone species it plays an important role in stabilizing ecosystems and regulating prey populations. Jaguars are also important in human culture, frequently playing a central role in stories, songs and prayers of indigenous people. Yet today, jaguars have been almost completely eliminated from the United States. © Defenders of Wildlife © Wikipedia
WESTERN GRAY SQUIRRELhttp://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/western_gray_squirrel_k6.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_gray_squirrel        The western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus) is an arboreal rodent found along the western coast of the United States and Mexico. In some places, this species has also been known as the silver-gray squirrel, the California gray squirrel, the Oregon gray squirrel, the Columbian gray squirrel and the banner-tail. Western gray squirrels are the largest native tree squirrels in the Pacific Northwest. They are salt-and-pepper to steel gray on the back with contrasting white underparts. These squirrels are distinguished by their very long and bushy white-edged tails, large feet and prominent ears, which are reddish-brown at the back in winter. The long tail is used for balance when dashing between tree branches. © Nature Mapping Foundation
CANADA LYNX & SNOWSHOE HAREhttps://defenders.org/canada-lynx/basic-factshttps://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Snowshoe-Hare        The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) is a medium-sized cat characterized by its long ear tufts, flared facial ruff, and short, bobbed tail with a completely black tip. It has unusually large paws that act like snowshoes in very deep snow, thick fur and long legs, and its hind legs are longer than its front legs, giving lynx a stooped appearance.  Lynx have excellent eyesight: they can spot a mouse at 250 feet! Also, the black tufts of hair at the tops of their ears serve to enhance their already phenomenal hearing.  Lynx, like other forest hunters, play an important ecological role. As a mid-size carnivore, lynx target smaller prey species that reproduce relatively quickly. They also require a mixed habitat that includes younger forests with thick vegetation for hunting small prey, and older forests with a full canopy and good cover for denning. © Defenders of Wildlife        The snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), also called the varying hare, or snowshoe rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet. The animal's feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and walks. Its feet also have fur on the soles to protect it from freezing temperatures. Snowshoe hares have an interesting adaptation that helps protect them against predators. Depending on the season, their fur can be a different color. During the winter, snowshoe hares are white, which helps them blend in with the snow. When the seasons change to spring and summer, snowshoe hares turn a reddish-brown. This color helps them camouflage with dirt and rocks. Not every part of the snowshoe hare changes color throughout the year. An important identification trick is to look at a snowshoe hare's ears. The tips of the ears are always black no matter the season. © Wikipedia & © National Wildlife Federation
SEWELLEL [MOUNTAIN BEAVER]https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent-exhibitions/mammal-halls/bernard-family-hall-of-north-american-mammals/sewellel-mountain-beaverhttps://blogs.scientificamerican.com/tetrapod-zoology/mountain-beaver-boomer-sewellel/        The sewellel, neither a beaver nor a high-mountain dweller, is a rather singular animal. It’s the last living member of a once-successful family of rodents called the Aplodontiidae. The sewellel is a “living fossil,” showing primitive skeletal features that other rodents have lost. Its kidneys are also unusual: they are inefficient at maintaining the body’s water balance. Thus the sewellel needs to live close to water so it can drink a lot—a third of its weight in water per day. © AMNH
NORTH AMERICAN BEAVERhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_beaverhttps://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/american-beaver         The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) is one of two extant beaver species. It is native to North America and introduced to Patagonia in South America and some European countries (e.g. Finland). The beaver is the largest rodent in North America; its Eurasian counterpart, the European beaver, is the second-largest in the world. The beaver is semiaquatic. It has a large, flat, paddle-shaped tail and large, webbed hind feet. The unwebbed front paws are smaller, with claws. The eyes are covered by a nictitating membrane which allows the beaver to see under water. The nostrils and ears are sealed while submerged. A thick layer of fat under its skin insulates the beaver from its cold water environment. The beaver's fur consists of long, coarse outer hairs and short, fine inner hairs. The fur has a range of colors, but usually is dark brown. Scent glands near the genitals secrete an oily substance known as castoreum, which the beaver uses to waterproof its fur.      © Wikipedia
RACCOONhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/r/raccoon/https://wdfw.wa.gov/living/raccoons.html        The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is a native mammal, measuring about 3 feet long, including its 12-inch, bushy, ringed tail. Because their hind legs are longer than the front legs, raccoons have a hunched appearance when they walk or run. Each of their front feet has five dexterous toes, allowing raccoons to grasp and manipulate food and other items. Raccoons prefer forest areas near a stream or water source, but have adapted to various environments throughout the United States. Raccoon populations can get quite large in urban areas, owing to hunting and trapping restrictions, few predators, and human-supplied food. Adult raccoons weigh 15 to 40 pounds, their weight being a result of genetics, age, available food, and habitat location. Males have weighed in at over 60 pounds. A raccoon in the wild will probably weigh less than the urbanized raccoon that has learned to live on handouts, pet food, and garbage-can leftovers. As long as raccoons are kept out of human homes, not cornered, and not treated as pets, they are not dangerous. © Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
FISHERS & PORCUPINEShttps://defenders.org/fisher/basic-facts-about-fishershttps://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/species/porcupine        The fisher (Pekania pennanti) is a small, carnivorous mammal native to North America. It is a member of the mustelid family (commonly referred to as the weasel family). The fisher is closely related to, but larger than the American marten (Martes americana). The fisher is a forest-dwelling creature whose range covers much of the boreal forest in Canada to the northern United States. Fishers prefer large areas of dense mature coniferous or mixed forest and are solitary animals. They are mainly nocturnal, but may be active during the day. They travel many miles along ridges in search of prey, seeking shelter in hollow trees, logs, rock crevices, and dens of other animals. Fishers eat snowshoe hares, rabbits, rodents and birds, and are one of the few specialized predators of porcupines. Fishers are effective hunters, but are also known to eat insects, nuts, and berries when prey is not available. © Wikipedia & © Defenders of Wildlife        The common porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is a large, short-legged rodent with up to 30,000 bare-tipped quills (modified hairs) covering the upper parts of the body and the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the tail. The quills are scattered among much longer, course guard hairs; the underfur is woolly. The quills are arranged in rows across the body, the longest quills are on the rump, the shortest on the face. Quills used in defense are replaced commencing about 10-42 days after loss. The overall color of the porcupine is dark brown or blackish. The front feet have four toes, the rear feet five; all have strong, curved claws. The soles are naked. Porcupines do not hibernate and are active throughout the year. Activity is mostly nocturnal or crepuscular, but those feeding in trees may be observed at any time as they usually do not retire to dens during the daylight hours. Some use is made of dens in winter. Porcupines make a variety of vocalizations and sounds with the teeth, some which can be heard at considerable distance. They seemingly are intelligent and are able to learn quickly; they have good memories and especially remember being mistreated. © Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife
GRAY FOX & OPOSSUMhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_foxhttps://www.livescience.com/56182-opossum-facts.html        The gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) is a carnivorous mammal of the family Canidae, widespread throughout North and Central America. This species and its only congener, the diminutive Channel Island fox (Urocyon littoralis), are the only living members of the genus Urocyon, which is considered to be the most basal of the living canids. Though it was once the most common fox in the eastern United States, and still is found there, human advancement and deforestation allowed the red fox to become more dominant. The Pacific States still have the gray fox as a dominant. It is the only American canid that can climb trees. © Wikipedia        There are more than 60 species of opossum. The common opossum's scientific name is Didelphis marsupialis. These types of opossums have a cone-shaped nose with a pink tip, a long hairless tail, and white, gray and black fur. Opossums are the only marsupial found naturally in North America. The common opossum is found in the United States, Mexico, Central America, South America and Canada. Though they aren't picky about where they hang out, opossums love trees and will stay aloft in trees as much as possible. They also prefer areas that are wet, like marshes, swamps and streams. Opossums are known for scavenging though trash. They are omnivores, which means they eat both vegetation and meat, and they aren't picky. In the wild, they will munch on nuts, grass and fruit. They will also hunt insects, mice, wild birds, snakes, worms and chickens. In the city they will eat roadkill and garbage. © Live Science
DALL SHEEPhttp://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm%3Fadfg%3Ddallsheep.mainhttps://www.denali.org/denalis-natural-history/dall-sheep/        The Dall Sheep (Ovis dalli) is a species of sheep native to northwestern North America, ranging from white to slate brown in color and having curved, yellowish-brown horns. The sheep inhabit the subarctic mountain ranges of Alaska, the Yukon Territory, the Mackenzie Mountains in the western Northwest Territories, and central and northern British Columbia. Dall sheep are found in relatively dry country and try to stay in a special combination of open alpine ridges, meadows, and steep slopes with extremely rugged ground in the immediate vicinity, to allow escape from predators that cannot travel quickly through such terrain. During the summer when food is abundant, the sheep eat a wide variety of plants. The winter diet is much more limited, and consists primarily of dry, frozen grass and sedge stems available when snow is blown off, lichen, and moss. Many Dall sheep populations visit mineral licks during the spring, and often travel many miles to eat the soil around the licks. © Wikipedia
GRIZZLY BEARhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/g/grizzly-bear/https://defenders.org/grizzly-bear/basic-factsBROWN BEAR vs. GRIZZLY BEAR: http://alaskatours.com/alaska-stories/grizzly-bear-or-brown-bear        Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) have concave faces, a distinctive hump on their shoulders, and long claws about two to four inches long. Both the hump and the claws are traits associated with a grizzly bear’s exceptional digging ability. Grizzlies are often dark brown, but can vary from very light cream to black. The long guard hairs on their backs and shoulders frequently have white tips and give the bears a "grizzled" appearance, hence the name "grizzly." The correct scientific name for the species is “brown bear,” but only coastal bears in Alaska and Canada are referred to as such, while inland bears and those found in the lower 48 states are called grizzly bears. Grizzly bears are omnivores, and their diet can vary widely. They may eat seeds, berries, roots, grasses, fungi, deer, elk, fish, dead animals and insects. Grizzly bears have a better sense of smell than a hound dog and can detect food from miles away. In the late summer and early fall, grizzlies enter hyperphagia, a period of 2-4 months when they intensify their calorie intake to put on weight for winter denning. During this time period they can gain more than three pounds a day! Most adult female grizzlies weigh 130–180 kg (290–400 lb), while adult males weigh on average 180–360 kg (400–790 lb). Average total length in this subspecies is 198 cm (6.50 ft), with an average shoulder height of 102 cm (3.35 ft) and hindfoot length of 28 cm (11 in). Newborn bears may weigh less than 500 grams (1.1 lb). © National Geographic & © Defenders of Wildlife
ALASKAN MOOSEhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_moosehttps://alaskatrekker.com/alaska-wildlife/alaska-moose/        The Alaska moose (Alces alces gigas) or giant moose or Alaskan moose is a subspecies of moose that ranges from Alaska to western Yukon. The moose is the world’s largest member of the deer family. The Alaska moose race is the largest of all the moose. Moose are generally associated with northern forests in North America, Europe, and Russia. In Europe they are called “elk.” Alaska moose inhabit boreal forests and mixed deciduous forests throughout most of Alaska and most of Western Yukon. Like all moose species, the Alaska moose is usually solitary but sometimes will form small herds. Typically, they only come into contact with other moose for mating or competition for mates. During mating season, in autumn and winter, male Alaska moose become very aggressive and prone to attacking when startled. © Wikipedia  & © Alaska Trekker
BIGHORN SHEEPhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/b/bighorn-sheep/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bighorn_sheep           The bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) is a species of sheep native to North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to 14 kg (30 lb), while the sheep themselves weigh up to 140 kg (300 lb). Recent genetic testing indicates three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: O. c. sierrae. Sheep originally crossed to North America over the Bering land bridge from Siberia; the population in North America peaked in the millions, and the bighorn sheep entered into the mythology of Native Americans. © Wikipedia
GIANT CARIBOUhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reindeerhttps://www.britannica.com/animal/reindeer        Reindeer, (Rangifer tarandus), in North America called caribou, species of deer (family Cervidae) found in the Arctic tundra and adjacent boreal forests of Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia, Alaska, and Canada. Reindeer have been domesticated in Europe. There are two varieties, or ecotypes: tundra reindeer and forest (or woodland) reindeer. Tundra reindeer migrate between tundra and forest in huge herds numbering up to half a million in an annual cycle covering as much as 5,000 km (3,000 miles). Forest reindeer are much less numerous. © Britannica
ALASKAN BROWN BEARhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Peninsula_brown_bearBROWN BEAR vs. GRIZZLY BEAR: http://alaskatours.com/alaska-stories/grizzly-bear-or-brown-bear/        The Alaska Peninsula brown bear is any member of the grizzly bear subspecies (Ursus arctos horribilis) that lives in the coastal regions of southern Alaska. Alaska Peninsula brown bears are a very large brown bear subspecies, usually ranging in weight from 800 to 1,200 pounds (363 to 544 kg). They are found in high densities along the southern Alaskan coast due not only to the large amount of clams and sedge grass but also to the annual salmon runs; this allows them to attain huge sizes, some of the biggest in the world. They may gather in large numbers at feeding sites, such as Brooks Falls and McNeil Falls, both in Katmai National Park near King Salmon. There is debate as to if Alaska Peninsula brown bears should be referred to as "grizzlies" along with all other North American subspecies of the brown bear. There is confusion experienced when referring to inland and coastal ones separately, but biologists still maintain that coastal ones are truly brown bears. However, it is considered correct to place all North American members of U. arctos in the subspecies horribilisexcept the giant Kodiak bears of Kodiak Island. To avoid confusion, many simply refer to all North American members, including Kodiaks, as "grizzly bears."  © National Geographic & © Defenders of Wildlife  (c) WIKIPEDIA
MULE DEERhttps://www.nps.gov/romo/learn/nature/mule_deer.htmhttps://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/long-fact-sheets/Mule%20Deer.php        Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are very common throughout the western United States. They are named for their oversized ears that resemble a mule's ears. Compared to its cousin, the white-tailed deer, mule deer are larger in size, and have a black-tipped white tail and white patch on the rump. They can be three feet tall at the shoulder and weigh anywhere between 100 and 300 pounds. They have excellent hearing and eyesight that warns them of approaching dangers. Males, called bucks, have forked antlers. They shed antlers in mid-February and their next set begins to grow immediately after. Antlers are covered with velvety skin until fully formed, when the buck scrapes this layer off. Females are called does and do not have antlers. © National Park Service
AMERICAN BISON & PRONGHORNhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/a/american-bison/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_bisonhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/p/pronghorn/        The American bison or simply bison (Bison bison), also commonly known as the American buffalo or simply buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds. They became nearly extinct by a combination of commercial hunting and slaughter in the 19th century and introduction of bovine diseases from domestic cattle, and have made a recent resurgence largely restricted to a few national parks and reserves. Their historical range roughly comprised a triangle between the Great Bear Lake in Canada's far northwest, south to the Mexican states of Durango and Nuevo León, and east to the Atlantic Seaboard of the United States (nearly to the Atlantic tidewater in some areas) from New York to Georgia and per some sources down to Florida. Bison were seen in North Carolina near Buffalo Ford on the Catawba River as late as 1750.  Two subspecies or ecotypes have been described: the plains bison (B. b. bison), smaller in size and with a more rounded hump, and the wood bison (B. b. athabascae)—the larger of the two and having a taller, square hump. The wood bison is one of the largest wild species of bovid in the world, surpassed by only the Asian gaur and wild water buffalo. It is the largest extant land animal in the Americas. The American bison is the national mammal of the United States. © Wikipedia        Pronghorn, (Antilocapra americana), also called American antelope, North American hoofed mammal, the sole living member of the old ruminant family Antilocapridae (order Artiodactyla). It is the only animal that has branching horns and sheds them annually. This graceful denizen of open plains and semideserts is reddish brown and white in colour, with a short, dark brown mane, white underparts, two white bands on the throat, and a large circular white patch of long hair on the rump. The rump patch can be suddenly erected to warn other pronghorns of danger; the flash of white from the rump patch can be seen by a human for 3–4 km (2–2.5 miles). Its common name to the contrary, it is not closely related to the antelopes. © Britannica
MUSK OXhttps://www.britannica.com/animal/musk-oxhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/m/musk-ox/        Musk ox, (Ovibos moschatus), plural musk oxen, shaggy-haired Arctic ruminant of the family Bovidae (order Artiodactyla). Musk oxen are stocky mammals with large heads, short necks, and short, stout legs. Their name derives from their musky odour and from their superficial resemblance to the ox, though they are not closely related to cattle. Musk oxen are closely related to the mountain goat, chamois, and serow and are placed in the bovid subfamily Caprinae, along with the true goats and sheep. Bulls from the southern Barren Grounds in Canada stand about 135 cm (53 inches) at the shoulder and weigh about 340 kg (750 pounds); cows weigh about 250 kg (550 pounds). Northern musk oxen are smaller than those that live farther south. Horns are present in both sexes and are as much as 60 cm (24 inches) long in old males. The male’s horns have a broad base and proceed sideways from the midline of the skull, dip downward at the sides of the head, and curve upward at the ends. Females and young have similar, but smaller, horns. The musk ox’s coat is of long, dark brown hair that reaches nearly to the feet; its hair conceals the short tail and nearly covers the small ears. Shorter hair covers the face. Underneath the shaggy coat is a thick wool, called qiviut (or qiveut), which is shed in summer and is used by Arctic craftsmen to make a fine yarn similar to cashmere or guanaco.  Musk oxen travel in herds, often of 20–30 individuals. They are not aggressive, but when attacked the adults encircle the young and present a formidable front of horns that is effective against Arctic wolves and dogs. © Britannica
OSBORN CARIBOUhttps://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent-exhibitions/mammal-halls/bernard-family-hall-of-north-american-mammals/caribou-osborn-caribou        DESCRIPTION OF DIORAMA FROM AMNH WEBSITE: The mating season for caribou, called the rut, has begun. Herd members are gathering in the open so they can find and compete for mates. At any other time of year, these two females and the juvenile (left) would probably avoid males (right). Two caribou here have not yet shed their antlers’ velvet. This fuzzy, blood-rich sheath of skin nourishes growth of the bone beneath. Caribou drop their antlers after the rut, but if these two females become pregnant, they will probably keep their antlers all winter. Antlered mothers can better defend themselves when competing for winter food—an advantage for their developing young. © AMNH
WAPITIhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elkhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/e/elk/        The elk or wapiti (Cervus canadensis) is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, in the world, and one of the largest land mammals in North America and Eastern Asia. This animal should not be confused with the still larger moose (Alces alces) to which the name "elk" applies in British English and in reference to populations in Eurasia. Elk range in forest and forest-edge habitat, feeding on grasses, plants, leaves, and bark. Male elk have large antlers which are shed each year. Males also engage in ritualized mating behaviors during the rut, including posturing, antler wrestling (sparring), and bugling, a loud series of vocalizations that establishes dominance over other males and attracts females. Although they are native to North America and eastern Asia, they have adapted well to countries in which they have been introduced, including Argentina and New Zealand. Their great adaptability may threaten endemic species and ecosystems into which they have been introduced. Elk are susceptible to a number of infectious diseases, some of which can be transmitted to livestock. Efforts to eliminate infectious diseases from elk populations, largely by vaccination, have had mixed success. Some cultures revere the elk as a spiritual force. In parts of Asia, antlers and their velvet are used in traditional medicines. © Wikipedia
WHITE-TAILED DEERhttp://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/whitetaileddeer.htmhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/w/white-tailed-deer/        White-tailed deer, the smallest members of the North American deer family, are found from southern Canada to South America. In the heat of summer they typically inhabit fields and meadows using clumps of broad-leaved and coniferous forests for shade. During the winter they generally keep to forests, preferring coniferous stands that provide shelter from the harsh elements. Males regrow their antlers every year. Although most often thought of as forest animals depending on relatively small openings and edges, white-tailed deer can equally adapt themselves to life in more open prairie, savanna woodlands, and sage communities as in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. White-tailed deer eat large amounts of food, commonly eating legumes and foraging on other plants, including shoots, leaves, cacti (in deserts), prairie forbs, and grasses. They also eat acorns, fruit, and corn. Their special stomachs allow them to eat some things humans cannot, such as mushrooms and poison ivy. Their diets vary by season according to availability of food sources. They also eat hay, grass, white clover, and other foods they can find in a farm yard. Though almost entirely herbivorous, white-tailed deer have been known to opportunistically feed on nesting songbirds, field mice, and birds trapped in mist nets, if the need arises. A grown deer can eat around 2,000 lb (910 kg) of vegetable matter annually. © Wikipedia
STRIPED SKUNKhttp://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/stripedskunk.htmhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/s/striped-skunk/        The striped skunk is easily identified by the white stripe that runs from its head to its tail. Its stripes start with a triangle at the head and break into two stripes down its back. The stripes usually meet again and form one stripe at the base of their tail. Their tails are usually a mixture of white and black fur. Each striped skunk has a unique stripe pattern. The striped skunk is about the same size as a house cat. It has a small triangular head and little ears. Its legs are short with webbed toes and claws the striped skunk uses for digging and looking for food. The striped skunk is omnivorous, it eats both meat and plants. Its diet includes insects, small mammals, fish, crustaceans, fruits, nuts, leaves, grasses and carrion (dead animals). What a skunk eats often depends on what it can find and the time of year. © New Hampshire PBS
COYOTEhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coyotehttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/c/coyote/        The coyote (Canis latrans) is a canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the gray wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely related eastern wolf and red wolf. It fills much of the same ecological niche as the golden jackal does in Eurasia, though it is larger and more predatory, and is sometimes called the American jackal by zoologists. The coyote appears often in the tales and traditions of Native Americans—usually as a very savvy and clever beast. Modern coyotes have displayed their cleverness by adapting to the changing American landscape. These members of the dog family once lived primarily in open prairies and deserts, but now roam the continent's forests and mountains. They have even colonized cities like Los Angeles, and are now found over most of North America. Coyote populations are likely at an all-time high. These adaptable animals will eat almost anything. They hunt rabbits, rodents, fish, frogs, and even deer. They also happily dine on insects, snakes, fruit, grass, and carrion. Because they sometimes kill lambs, calves, or other livestock, as well as pets, many ranchers and farmers regard them as destructive pests. © Wikipedia & © National Geographic
SPOTTED SKUNK & RINGTAIL (CACOMISTLE)https://www.nrri.umn.edu/carnivores-minnesota/species/spottedskunkhttp://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Spilogale_gracilis/https://www.britannica.com/animal/cacomistle        Spotted skunks (Spilogale) are largely nocturnal, medium-sized omnivores in the weasel family (Mustelidae).  Skunks are about the size of house cats, and have distinctive black and white fur patterns. Skunks detected in the Great Lakes region are usually striped skunks, as only 6 spotted skunks have been detected in Minnesota in the last 20 years despite intensive efforts (Minnesota DNR, 2017). Spotted skunks have a more complicated pattern of spots and broken lines, while striped skunks have two white stripes running from head to tail. There are four different species of spotted skunk: S. gracilis, S. putorius, S. pygmaea, S. angustifrons. © University of Minnesota        Cacomistle, also spelled Cacomixl, (Bassariscus), either of two species of large-eyed, long-tailed carnivores related to the raccoon (family Procyonidae). Cacomistles are grayish brown with lighter underparts and white patches over their eyes. The total length is about 60–100 cm (24–40 inches), about half of which is the bushy, black-and-white-ringed tail. The animals weigh about 1 kg (2.2 pounds) and have small faces with long ears and pointed snouts. They are arboreal and nocturnal and feed on a variety of small animals, fruit, and vegetation. The gestation period is about 51–54 days, and litters contain from one to five (usually three or four) young. The species B. astutus, widely known as miner’s cat, ringtailed cat, or ringtail, is found in rocky areas from the southwestern United States to southern Mexico. It is an agile animal with rounded ears and semiretractile claws. It is sometimes kept as a pet and is an excellent mouser. The species B. (formerly Jentinkia) sumichrasti ranges in forests from Central America to Peru. Larger, darker-furred, and more arboreal than the ringtail, it has pointed ears and nonretractile claws. © Britannica
GRAY WOLFhttps://defenders.org/gray-wolf/basic-factshttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/g/gray-wolf/        Gray wolves (Canis lupus) range in color from grizzled gray or black to all-white. As the ancestor of the domestic dog, the gray wolf resembles German shepherds or malamutes. Though they once nearly disappeared from the lower 48 states, today wolves have returned to the Great Lakes, northern Rockies and Southwestern United States. Wolves play a key role in keeping ecosystems healthy. They help keep deer and elk populations in check, which can benefit many other plant and animal species. The carcasses of their prey also help to redistribute nutrients and provide food for other wildlife species, like grizzly bears and scavengers. Scientists are just beginning to fully understand the positive ripple effects that wolves have on ecosystems. Wolves eat ungulates, or large hoofed mammals, like elk, deer, moose and caribou, as well as beaver, rabbits and other small prey. Wolves are also scavengers and often eat animals that have died due to other causes. © Defenders of Wildlife
EASTERN COTTONTAILhttp://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/easterncottontail.htmhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/e/eastern-cottontail-rabbit/The eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America. The eastern cottontail can be found in meadows and shrubby areas in the eastern and south-central United States, southern Canada, eastern Mexico, Central America and northernmost South America. Optimal eastern cottontail habitat includes open grassy areas, clearings, and old fields supporting abundant green grasses and herbs, with shrubs in the area or edges for cover. The eastern cottontail home range is roughly circular in uniform habitats. Eastern cottontails typically inhabit one home range throughout their lifetime, but home range shifts in response to vegetation changes and weather are common. In New England, eastern cottontail home ranges average 1.4 acres (0.57 hectares) for adult males and 1.2 acres (0.49 hectares) for adult females. © Wikipedia
BLACK BEARhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_black_bearhttps://www.nps.gov/subjects/bears/black-bears.htm        The American black bear (Ursus americanus) is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most widely distributed bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in search of food. Sometimes they become attracted to human communities because of the immediate availability of food. The American black bear is the world's most common bear species. It is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a least-concern species, due to its widespread distribution and a large population estimated to be twice that of all other bear species combined. Along with the brown bear, it is one of only two of the eight modern bear species not considered globally threatened with extinction by the IUCN. American black bears often mark trees using their teeth and claws as a form of communication with other bears, a behavior common to many species of bears. © Wikipedia
BLACK-TAILED JACKRABBIT & ANTELOPE JACKRABBIThttp://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/blacktailedjack.htmhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope_jackrabbit        The black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) long ears with black tips and very long front and rear legs. It is about 18-24 inches long and weighs four to eight pounds. It has peppery brown fur and a black stripe that runs down its back. The black-tailed jackrabbit is not really a rabbit; it is a hare because its young are born with fur and with their eyes open. Males and females look alike, but females are usually larger. The black-tailed jackrabbit does not migrate or hibernate during winter and uses the same habitat of 0.4 to 1.2 mi2 (1–3 km2) year-round. Its diet is composed of various shrubs, small trees, grasses, and forbs. Shrubs generally comprise the bulk of fall and winter diets, while grasses and forbs are used in spring and early summer, but the pattern and plant species vary with climate. The black-tailed jackrabbit is an important prey species for raptors and carnivorous mammals, such as eagles, hawks, owls, coyotes, foxes, and wild cats. The rabbits host many ectoparasites including fleas, ticks, lice, and mites; for this reason, hunters often avoid collecting them. © New Hampshire PBS & © Wikipedia        The antelope jackrabbit (Lepus alleni), found in Southern Arizona and Northwestern Mexico, is a species of North American hare. Within this range, it occupies dry desert areas. This species is placed in family Leporidae, which is within order Lagomorpha. Male and female antelope jackrabbits are identical in appearance. This species is large in size with long, pointed ears and a distinct coat coloration. The antelope jackrabbit has a white belly, light grey sides, a back peppered with black, and orange coloration on the neck and chest. It is similar to species like the Black-tailed Jackrabbit and White-sided Jackrabbit. It is most active during twilight (crepuscular) and nocturnal, but can be active during the day when conditions are favorable (heavy cloud coverage). It feeds on cacti, mesquite leaves, and other vegetation. © Wikipedia
MOUNTAIN GOAThttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/m/mountain-goat/https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/mountain-goat.htm           The mountain goat is an even-toed ungulate of the order Artiodactyla and the family Bovidae that includes antelopes, gazelles, and cattle. It belongs to the subfamily Caprinae (goat-antelopes), along with over thirty other species including true goats, sheep, the chamois, and the muskox. Both billy (male) and nanny (female) mountain goats have beards, short tails, and long black horns, 15–28 cm (5.9–11.0 in) in length, which contain yearly growth rings. They are protected from the elements by their woolly white double coats. The fine, dense wool of their undercoats is covered by an outer layer of longer, hollow hairs. Mountain goats molt in spring by rubbing against rocks and trees, with the adult billies shedding their extra wool first and the pregnant nannies shedding last. Their coats help them to withstand winter temperatures as low as −50 °F (−46 °C) and winds of up to 160 kilometres per hour (99 mph). A billy stands about 1 m (3.3 ft) at the shoulder to the waist and can weigh considerably more than the nanny (around 30% more in some cases). Male goats also have longer horns and longer beards than females. Mountain goats can weigh between 45 and 140 kg (99 and 309 lb). The head-and-body length can range from 120–179 cm (47–70 in), with a small tail adding 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 in). The mountain goat's feet are well-suited for climbing steep, rocky slopes with pitches exceeding 60°, with inner pads that provide traction and cloven hooves that can spread apart. The tips of their feet have sharp dewclaws that keep them from slipping. They have powerful shoulder and neck muscles that help propel them up steep slopes. © Wikipedia
AMERICAN MINKhttp://www.animalspot.net/american-mink.htmlhttps://www.arkive.org/american-mink/neovison-vison/        The American mink (Neovison vison) is a semiaquatic species of mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe and South America. Because of range expansion, the American mink is classed as a least-concern species by the IUCN. Since the extinction of the sea mink, the American mink is the only extant member of the genus Neovison. The American mink is a carnivore that feeds on rodents, fish, crustaceans, frogs, and birds. In its introduced range in Europe it has been classified as an invasive species linked to declines in European mink, Pyrenean desman, and water vole populations. It is the animal most frequently farmed for its fur, exceeding the silver fox, sable, marten, and skunk in economic importance. © Wikipedia
AMERICAN BADGERhttp://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/americanbadger.htmhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_badger        The American badger (Taxidea taxus) has a flat body with short legs and a triangular face with a long, pointed, tipped-up nose. It has long brown or black fur with white stripes on its cheeks and one stripe running from its nose to the back of its head. It has small ears on the side of its head and long, sharp front claws. The American Badger lives in open areas like plains and prairies, farmland, and the edges of woods. Small burrowing mammals like ground squirrel, rats, gophers and mice make up most of the badger's diet. It digs its prey out of the ground with its strong, sharp claws. The badger will sometimes dig into the burrow of an animal and wait for it to return. Coyotes often will stand by while a badger is burrowing and catch animals that come out of a tunnel trying to escape the badger. The badger also eats snakes, birds and reptiles. It will sometimes bury extra food to eat later. © New Hampshire PBS
ABERT’S SQUIRRELhttps://www.nps.gov/band/learn/nature/aberts-squirrel.htmhttp://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Sciurus_aberti/        Abert's squirrels (Sciurus aberti) are concentrated in the mountainous regions of the southwestern United States and in north central Mexico. Abert's squirrels are concentrated in areas with an abundance of ponderosa pine trees. Elevations of these pine forests range from 1,830 to 2,590 m, and the typical elevation for these squirrels is 2,160 to 2,380 m. Most of their nests are located in trees that grow within groups of about 200 ponderosa trees with interlocking canopies, which is needed for protective covering as well as mobility. Abert's squirrels are diurnal. They are active from just before sunrise until just before sunset. These squirrels are not territorial; multiple squirrels may live in the same nest. In addition to sharing nests, squirrels also seem to use more than one nest. They are found in high densities, 2 to 114 individuals in a square kilometer, within an area of ponderosa trees. Abert's squirrels rely on ponderosa pines for shelter, protection from predators, as well as for food. Their diets vary by season, but usually always include items from the ponderosa trees such as cones, apical buds, fungi, seeds, and the inner bark. © Animal Diversity Web
WOLVERINEhttps://www.britannica.com/animal/wolverinehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolverine        Wolverines (Gulo gulo) are large, stocky animals that look like small bears, but they are the largest members of the weasel family. These tough animals are solitary, and like to roam long distances. Individual wolverines have been known to travel 15 miles (24 kilometers) in a single day in search of food. Their feet are wide and furred, webbed, and front feet have long, strong claws, which help them climb. They often follow wolves to scavenge the remains of their prey. Males mark their territories with their scent, but they allow several female wolverines to live there. Females den in the snow to give birth to two or three young each late winter or early spring. Young wolverines, called kits, sometimes live with their mother until they are two years old. Wolverines' thick fur is brown with two yellowish stripes on back. © National Geographic Kids
ERMINE & SOUTHERN RED-BACKED VOLEhttps://www.britannica.com/animal/ermine-mammalhttps://www.nrri.umn.edu/carnivores-minnesota/species/erminehttp://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/red-backed_vole_712.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-backed_vole        Ermine, (Mustela erminea), also called stoat, short-tailed weasel, or Bonaparte weasel, northern weasel species in the genus Mustela, family Mustelidae. The species is called ermine especially during its winter white colour phase. The animal’s pelt was used historically in royal robes in Europe, and the term ermine also refers to the animal’s white coat, sold in the fur trade. Widely distributed across northern North America and Eurasia, ermines are most abundant in thickets, woodlands, and semi-timbered areas. These slender, agile, voracious mammals measure 13 to 29 cm (5 to 12 inches) in head and body length, have a tail length of 5 to 12 cm, and weigh less than 0.3 kg (0.7 pound). Females are smaller than males, and members of northern populations are smaller than their southern counterparts. Ermines feed on small mammals, birds, eggs, frogs, and occasional invertebrates. Small prey is seized at the base of the skull, larger prey by the throat. The litter contains 3 to 13 young, born after a gestation prolonged as much as 10 months because of delayed implantation in the wall of the uterus. © Britannica        Red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi) range from British Columbia to mainland Newfoundland and throughout the northern United States from the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachians. Red-backed voles are small dark gray mammals with a pronounced chestnut brown stripe running along the back from head to tail. They have dense, long, soft fur in winter that changes to shorter, coarser fur in summer. The face and sides appear yellowish brown and the underparts are dark slate-gray to almost white. Ears are short and round. Males and females are similar in size and color. Red-backed voles inhabit cool, mossy coniferous forests with stumps, logs, or brush piles used for nesting. Red-backed voles are omnivores and their diet changes with the season. They eat insects, seeds, grains, nuts, flowers, leaves, roots, bark, lichens, and fungi. © Washington Nature Mapping Program
AMERICAN MARTENhttps://www.nature.org/newsfeatures/specialfeatures/animals/mammals/pine-marten.xmlhttp://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Martes_americana/        American martens (Martes Americana) are found in the northern reaches of North America. The species is present from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia west to Alaska and south into sections of the rocky mountain range and California. Martes americana is found primarily in mature, northern forests. These animals are closely associated with lodgepole pine, Douglas fir, spruce, and mixed harwood forests. They tend to be found in structurally complex, mature forests, and can occur at all elevations where such habitat exists. They den in hollow trees, crevices, or vacant ground burrows. Male American martens measure 360 to 450 mm, with the tail adding 150 to 230 mm more. Weights of males range between 470 and 1,300 g. Females are slightly smaller and lighter, with head-body lengths between 320 and 400 mm, and tails measuring 135 to 200 mm. Females weigh betweeen 280 and 850 g. The fur is long and shiny. The head is gray, legs and tail are very dark brown or black, the chest has a cream colored patch, and the back is light brown. American martens are long, slender animals. Eyes are large and ears are cat-like. Claws are sharp and curved. Martes americana is an opportunistic feeder. The diet consists primarily of small mammals, including squirrels and rodents. Occasionally birds, fruit, nuts, insects, and carrion are eaten as well. American martens usually kill their prey with a quick, powerful bite to the back of the prey animal's neck. American martens sometimes have fast-paced chases in trees with a favorite prey item, red squirrels. © Animal Diversity Web
COLLARED PECCARYhttp://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/peccary.htmhttps://a-z-animals.com/animals/collared-peccary/        The collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) can be found in southeastern Arizona, extreme southeastern and southwestern New Mexico and southwest Texas south to Argentina. The collared peccary has a pig-like snout, a large head and shoulders and small legs with hoofed feet. It has grizzled gray and brown bristly fur. It has a collar of white or yellowish fur around its neck and small, straight tusks. It is two to three feet long and stands about one and a half feet to two feet tall. It has a musk gland at the top of its rump. It uses its musk to identify members of its group and to mark its territory. The collared peccary lives in brushy desert areas and rocky canyons. It is usually found near a water source. The collared peccary travels in herds looking for food like fruit, nuts, berries, cacti and grass. It will also root in the ground for fungi, roots and bulbs. Occasionally it will eat insects. reptiles and amphibians. It is especially fond of agave and prickly pear. In fact, it gets some of the water it needs from the prickly pear. © New Hampshire PBS
NORTHERN FLYING SQUIRRELhttp://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Glaucomys_sabrinus/https://www.arkive.org/northern-flying-squirrel/glaucomys-sabrinus/        The northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) is one of three species of the genus Glaucomys, the only flying squirrels found in North America. They are found in coniferous and mixed coniferous forests across much of Canada, from Alaska to Nova Scotia, and south to the mountains of North Carolina and west to Utah, Washington, and Oregon in the United States. They are light brown with pale underparts and grow to a length of 25 to 37 cm (10 to 15 in). They are good gliders but clumsy walkers on the ground. They feed on a variety of plant material as well as tree sap, fungi, insects, carrion, bird eggs and nestlings. They mostly breed once a year in a cavity lined with lichen or other soft material. Except when they have young, they change nests frequently, and in winter a number of individuals may huddle together in a shared nest. Unlike most members of their family, flying squirrels are strictly nocturnal. © Wikipedia
GROUNDHOGhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/g/groundhog/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog        Groundhog, (Marmota monax), also called woodchuck, is one of 14 species of marmots (Marmota), and is considered basically a giant North American ground squirrel. It is sometimes destructive to gardens and pasturelands. Classified as a marmot, the groundhog is a member of the squirrel family, Sciuridae, within the order Rodentia. According to popular legend in the United States, it emerges from hibernation each year on February 2, which is designated as Groundhog Day, and if it sees its shadow, winter will last six more weeks. Although groundhogs dig deep and extensive burrow systems, they are also good swimmers and can climb tall shrubs and sizable trees. They are most active in the morning and evening, eating grasses and other green plants, as well as some fruit and the bark and buds of trees. They feed heavily in summer and early fall, accumulating huge fat reserves for the winter. The animal is a true hibernator. It curls into what appears to be a lifeless ball, its body temperature drops nearly to the ambient temperature of the burrow, and its heart rate decreases from 75 to 4 beats per minute. © Britannica
NINE-BANDED ARMADILLOhttps://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Nine-Banded-Armadillohttp://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/armadillo.htmApproximately 20 species of armadillo exist, but the nine-banded (Dasypus novemcinctus) is the only one found in the United States. The term “armadillo” means “little armored one” in Spanish, and refers to the presence of bony, armor-like plates covering their body. Despite their name, nine-banded armadillos can have 7 to 11 bands on their armor. A common misconception is that nine-banded armadillos can roll up into spherical balls. In reality, only two species of armadillo (both three-banded) are able to roll up completely. Nine-banded armadillos are about 2.5 feet (0.7 meters) long from the nose to the tip of the tail and weigh an average of 12 pounds (5 kilograms). Nine-banded armadillos are found in the southeastern United States, but their range has been expanding continually northward for more than a hundred years. A few have even been spotted as far north as Illinois and Nebraska. These armadillos are generalist feeders and use their sense of smell to track down almost 500 different foods, most of which are invertebrates such as beetles, cockroaches, wasps, yellow jackets, fire ants, scorpions, spiders, snails, and white grubs. A lesser part of the diet is comprised of small reptiles and amphibians as well as eggs of mammals, reptiles, and birds. Less than 10 percent of the diet is from fruit, seeds, fungi, and other plant matter. © National Wildlife Federation
NORTH AMERICAN RIVER OTTERhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/n/north-american-river-otter/https://www.oregonzoo.org/discover/animals/north-american-river-otter        River otters live throughout most of the United States and Canada, wherever there is a food supply and easy access to water. They live in marshes, lakes, ponds, streams and estuaries at elevations ranging from the coast to the mountains.  River otters are quick and agile, swimming up to 7 miles an hour by paddling with their webbed hind feet and using their long, tapering tails. Their average dives last from 1-2 minutes, but during extreme dives they can stay underwater for 4-6 minutes. Their sensitive whiskers help them detect prey underwater. Their eyesight is very acute, and they see well both in the water and on land. Their sensitive whiskers also help them detect prey underwater. Their coats have two layers, guard hairs and under fur. The guard hairs protect the under fur from getting wet; this, in turn, provides an insulating barrier against cold water. A river otter ranges up to 40 miles of waterway, depending on the food available and the quality of the habitat. Their favorite food is the slowest fish in the environment, but they also eat mollusks, frogs, crayfish, turtles, insects and sometimes birds or small mammals. They are constantly on the move; they need to eat throughout the day to support their very high metabolism. © Oregon Zoo
BLACK-FOOTED FERREThttps://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/black-footed-ferrethttps://www.worldwildlife.org/species/black-footed-ferret        The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is the only ferret native to North America—the domestic ferret is a different species of European origin. Black-footed ferrets, a member of the weasel family, once numbered in the tens of thousands, but were driven to the brink of extinction by the 1960s. Although still endangered, they are starting to make a comeback. There are now over 1,000 mature, wild-born individuals in the wild across 18 populations, with four self-sustaining populations in South Dakota (two), Arizona, Wyoming and Saskatchewan. It was first listed as 'Endangered' in 1982, then listed as 'Extinct in the Wild' in 1996 before being downgraded back to 'Endangered' in 2008. The black-footed ferret has a tan body with black legs and feet, a black tip on the tail and a black mask. The ferret has short legs with large front paws and claws developed for digging. Its large skull and strong jaw and teeth are adapted for eating meat.  Prairie dogs make up more than 90 percent of the black-footed ferret's diet. A ferret can eat more than 100 prairie dogs in one year. Black-footed ferrets are also known to eat ground squirrels, small rodents, rabbits and birds. A healthy population of black-footed ferrets requires very large groups of prairie dog colonies. Scientists estimate that a healthy population of ferrets requires more than 10,000 acres of prairie dogs to survive long term. © Defenders of Wildlife & © Wikipedia

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