Badger Nickname: ___ Characteristics: –___ legs, Long ___, Long heavy ___ for digging, ___ stripe over nose to ears Diet: –___, voles, chipmunks, ground squirrels, ___, snakes, ___ and ground nesting birds Live: –Burrows- Dig their own ___ Litter: ___ to ___ young (1 month ___)

Beaver Characteristics: –Largest ___ in North America –Stout build, Luxurious brown ___, Broad flat ___ tail, Powerful hind legs with ___ feet Diet: –Summer: ___ plants, bark –Winter: tree ___ & trunks aspen, willow and alder Live: –Open or ___ areas with ___, lakes, ___ or swamps –Build homes called ___, or burrow –Live in a ___ (___ centered) Mainly ___ Litter: Typically ___ (MN is avg of __) (___ days gestation) Keep their thick fur dry by ___ it Tail is used as a ___ or a ___ Can be ___ on water to ___ other beavers of ___r Human Impact: ___ ___

Eastern Chipmunk Characteristics: –___ dark ___ stripes, separated by _ ___ ones (not extending to the base of the tail) Stripes extend over face. –___l cheek ___ which allow them to carry a large amount of food. Diet: –Various ___, seeds & fruits, hazelnuts, ___, pine seeds, black ___, mushrooms, small ___ and voles Live: –___, Brushland species, use other ___ as shelter also can ___ Litters: –___/year, ___ young per liter. Human Impact: –Source of ___. –Sometimes are ___ in gardens

Cottontail Characteristics: –Grayish brown, ___appearance due to black and gray tips on hair, Underside is ___, White tail Diet: –___, ___ vegetation (S), twigs and ___ bark (W) Live: –___ brushy areas, wooded swamps, woodland ___ and ___ forest Very active at ___ Litters: –__ to __+ per litter, MN – 4/year, 7/year in Southern States Human Impact: –Popular ___ animal, Pest in ___

Coyote Nickname: ___ ___ Characteristics: –Medium, ___ dog, ___ tail, pointed ears & nose, Back and sides ___, undersides and throat ___, ___ down the back Diet: –Primary ___ eaters (mice, voles, ground squirrels, hares, rabbits porcupines, birds, deer, livestock) but do eat a variety of ___ Live: –Do well in a variety of areas, most commonly in ___ MN and ___, rarer in farmed prairies –___ their own dens (W) Litters: –___ (60 – 63 day gestation) Human Impact: –Farmers and hunters dislike coyotes because of their alleged killing of livestock and game. Theses claims are shown to be erroneous.

Snowshoe Hare Characteristics: –___ to grayish brown, ___ white (S) –Tip of the ___ is black, tail is dark above and white below –Silky white hairs (W) Diet: –Forbes, ___, & shrubs (S) –Bark, twigs of ___ plants Live: –Woods, ___, coniferous ___ and bogs Nocturnal Litters: –___ /littler, ___/year (___ d gestation) Human Impact: –Historically Important ___ source –Fur trade is now popular –Eats ___ crops (problem for gardeners)

Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel Nickname: ___ ___ Characteristics: –___ strips run from the neck to the base of the tail, ___ narrow pale yellow and ___ broad dark brown, with pale yellow dots down the middle. Ears are short. Tail is ___ of the total length. Diet: –___ of herbaceous plants and trees & shrubs, ___ vegetation, ___: ___, cutworms, kill and eat ___ & voles, ground nesting birds (___) Live: –___, build burrows out in the ___, Litter: –___young, ___ litter Human Impact: –___ pests, they also feed on weed seeds as well as ___. They have a HUGE role in controlling ___ populations!

Franklin Ground Squirrel Nickname: ___ Characteristics: – Back and sides are ___ or ___ gray, Olive cast on the ___, ___ –solid gray –Like a gray squirrel but smaller, ___ ears, less ___ tail, more ___ face Diet: ___ –Seeds and other variations, any kind of ___ it can find, ___, ___, birds, ___ voles and mice Live: –___ prairie, brushy and partly wooded areas, ___ edges, (campsites, state parks, open dumps) Litter: –___ young/litter/year Human Impact: –Can be a pest on the farm, in the garden, and in the henhouse, but can control insect populations

Gray Fox Characteristics: –Same size as a ___ ___(but not as heavy), Mainly ___, has a ___ strip going down its back and down the tail which has a ___ tip, the underfur, legs, feet, back of ears and sides of neck is ___ buff Diet: –___ or ___ meat (whichever is available) & various ___. ___ can make up half of it’s diet. Live: –Wooded areas or heavy brush, Litter: –___ young/year, ___ litter/year (___ days gestation) Human Impact: –Gray Fox pelts = no $. –Not good hunting

Red Fox Characteristics: –Some shade of yellowish red, ___ of black in the middle of the back, ears, legs & bushy tail, ___t and ___ of tail - ___ Diet: –Primarily ___ – woodchucks, ground and tree squirrels, rabbits and hares, muskrats, mice and voles, song and game birds, snakes, turtles and frogs Live: –Prefer ___ ___ country compared to forest. –Den – build themselves Hunt at ___, can be out in early ___. Litter: –___/litter/year (___ days gestation) Human Impact: –___ for fur, Foxes get a bad name from those with ___ houses. –Can be exposed to ___

Jackrabbit Characteristics: –Brownish ___ above and white on bottom (___ species of rabbit) ___ patch on the back of ___, White in the ___ Diet: –___, cloves and ___ (S) –___, twigs, ___ (W) Live: –___ Country ___ and ___ Litter: –___/litter (___ days) ___/year Human Impact: –Provide ___ and ___

Mink Characteristics: –Have ___ bodies, short ___, like weasel, but ___ and ___ Diet: –Little ___ and ___ Live: –___ or ___ near ___, marshes and banks of streams Litter: –___/year, ___ days Human Impact: –Use fur to ___ and ___ hen houses

Mole Characteristics: –___ body, dark brown, grayish fur ___ tail Diet: –___ plant parts, ___, ___ Live: –___, open, grassy, shrubbery Litter: –___ young(28days) __ per year Human Impact: –___ to lawns, gardens ___ population increase of insects

Moose Characteristics: –___, blackish brown (S) light brown Diet: –___, ___, aspen, mountain maple, white ___, summer ___ plants Live: –___ Terrain, ___ low land Litter: –___ calves/year (___) Human Impact: –Good ___, Common game animals, good __

Deer mouse Characteristics: –___ on belly ___ every where else –___l is about ___% of its total length Diet: –___ and ___ Live: –___, edges of forest Litter: –___ per year Human Impact: –Help control ___population

House Mouse Characteristics: –Large ___, long tail, short haired, small and slender Diet: –___, seed, grains, ___, ___, butter Live: –___ structures (provide food and shelter but little water) farms, ___, houses Human Impact: –Mice are used as ___ animals, some people like as ___

Jumping Mouse Characteristics: –___ tail of the mouse family, ___ legs are ___ than ___ legs, looks like a mouse, yellowish and olive brown top and sides, ___ belly Diet: –___, animal ___, insects ___ of diet, fruits and seeds Live: –___ and open, ___ from water, raised ___ on prairie Litter: –___/litter, ___ to ___ days Human Impact: –Little damage to ___ crops, ___ animals, control insect populations

Meadow Vole Characteristics: – dark brown ___ and lighter sides, gray-brown ___ w/ silver tint ___ are ___ hidden in the fur –adult tail is about ___mm or more Diet: – variety of ___ plants and ___ Live: –___ Litter: –___young(___days) Human Impact: –Damage ___, gardens, and ___ trees

Muskrat Characteristics: –Large, brown ___ ___w/ long black compressed vertically ___ tail Diet: –Primarily a ___, cattails, brushes, sedges, duck potatoes and ___. Live: –Near ___, will build a ___ like structure – with __ Litter: –___/litter possible ___ litters/year ___ weeks Human Impact: –Seriously damage ___ by ___ trees

Norway Rat Characteristics: –___ or rarely black –Long ___ tail Diet: –___, plant and animal matter, small ___ and birds, small ___ –___ are a fine provider of food Live: –Large ___ of people or ___enterprise Litter: –___ young, ___litters/year, ___days Human Impact: –More ___ loss than any other mammal except for ___ –Destroys ___ and ___ –Vectors of many ___ –Prey on small stock such as baby chicks and may attack ___

Opossum Characteristics: –___ is white, overall gray, long guard hairs have ___ tips, stout with ___legs, big toes, long ___ tail, short hairless ___, tail and ears become ___ in cold (freeze) Diet: –___, Insects, frogs, birds, mammals, bird eggs, fruits Live: –___ or ___ areas – burrows, tree holes, Litter: –Up to ___ at each time May have more but will not get food (___ days) Human Impact: –Sometimes raid henhouses, popular ___ ___

Otter Characteristics: –Has long, thick ___ tail, ___ is broad and blunt, Its ___ and ___ are small –Dark ___ Diet: –Aquatic ___, eat primarily ___ and aquatic invertebrates Live: –___, streams and near ___ water in some coastal areas. Litter: –___/litter ___ litter/year, ___ months Human Impact: –They generally ___ people.

Pocket Gopher Characteristics: –___ mouse relative –Heavy ___, shiny brown coat Diet: –___, ___, seeds Live: –___, grassy areas Litter: –___ young/year Human Impact: –___ and ___ hard soil, are __ on gardens and farms

Porcupine Characteristics: – back and sides have ___ ___ Diet: –___ of ___ trees and ___ vegetation Live: –___ of tree ___ in forests Litter: –___(200days) Human Impact: –Pest eating ___ and peoples ___

Raccoon Characteristics: –Black ___ across the eyes Diet: –___, fish, ___, eggs, birds, ___, animal and vegetable ___ Live: –___, forests, ___, abandoned ___, hollow trees Litter: –___ young (___-___ days) Human Impact: –___, pest to ___, eat ___,

Shrew Characteristics: –___, mistaken for vole or mouse, ___ snout, small eyes, ears are not ___ Diet: –___, earthworms, ___, ___agriculture Live: –___habitats Litter: –___litters/year (___- ___days)

Spotted Skunk Characteristics: –Black w/ white ___, white patch on ___, tail long bushy ___ white Diet: –Small ___, insects, small ___, birds, eggs, ___, snakes, frogs, ___, fruit, ___ Live: –___ and ___ areas, around ___, dens Litter: –__litter with ___ young, (___- ___ days) Human Impact: –Can transmit ___, and kill chickens, –Effective ___t killer –Fur is of ___ value

Striped Skunk Characteristics: –___ and less ___ like than spotted skunk –___ except for white ___ that fork from a white patch on ___ –___ tail Diet: –___, fruits, small ___, ___ Live: –Open ___, ___ Litter: –___ young(___days) ___per year Human Impact: –___ hen houses, gets rid of other ___ pests

Flying Squirrel Characteristics: –___ is brownish gray, belly is ___ at ___ and colors lead in Diet: –___, ___ nuts, buds, flower, ___ Live: –Abandoned ___ holes Litter: –___ (___day) ___ per year Human Impact: –___

Fox Squirrel Characteristics: –Feet, underside, tops of ears, tail are dull ___, the rest is ___ Diet: –___, fruits, ___, will eat ___ if available Live: –Forests, ___, grasslands, ___ in general Litter: –___ young(___days) ___ litters a year Human Impact: –___ animal, damage ___

Gray Squirrel Characteristics: –Mostly ___ w/ few ___ hairs –very ___ tails Diet: –___, buds, ___ of trees and shrubs, ___ Live: –___ nut ___ trees Litter: –__-__young(___-___days)___ per year Human Impact: –Pests and people like to ___ them

Red Squirrel Characteristics: –Heavy ___ coat ___ to ___ color on back and sides white ___ –In winter has tuffs of fur on ears in ___ has ___ line on sides Diet: –___, acorns, ___, flowers, ___, insects ___ Live: –___, ___ Litter: –___-___young ___-___ litters per year Human Impact: –Damage ___, resorts, food ___ areas

Weasel Characteristics: –___ tail w/ ___ tip, ___ feet, ___ underside, short ___, short ___ Diet: –Small ___, rabbits, ___, voles Live: –Open ___, brushy ___ areas prefers to be near ___ Litter: –___-___young(___-___ months)___ a year Human Impact: –Fur trade – ___ worth $$, Control populations of ___ and ___

Whitetail Deer Characteristics: –Head, neck, back and sides are a ___ brown (S), ___ grey in ___(W), coat __ in the W, ___ are thick and hollow, throat and belly – white, fawns are ___, males have ___ Diet: –___, twigs (S) twigs, young ___, conifer ___ in (W) –___, acorns, corn Live: –___ cover, deciduous, ___ wooded ___ in (S) ___ (__) Litter: –Mature does have ___ young –___ have 1 (___-___ days) Human Impact: –#1 cause of car ___, hunting, people enjoy ___ them

Woodchuck Nickname: ___ Characteristics: –___, short ears, short l___, medium- length, somewhat bushy ___. ___ and ___ appearance. Top of the head – dark, Underside and upperparts of legs – ___, Feet are ___. Diet: –___ vegetation Live: –___, open woodlands, ___ and edges of woodlands. ___ extensively. Litters: –___-___young (___-___ days gestation) Human Impact: –Can be a ___ pest in the garden, The fur has little ___, but are good ___.