Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Colorado Wildlife Federation
The Colorado Wildlife Federation is Colorado’s oldest and most effective wildlife conservation organization. We are advocates for our state’s wildlife.
Our mission is to serve as determined stewards of our state’s wildlife and the winter range, migration corridors, reproduction areas and waterways they depend on to survive.
Wildlife Not a pet Not tamed or
domesticated Examples:
Wolf Mountain lion Bear Squirrel Fox
Photo by: Maria Stelacio
Photo by: Maria Stelacio
What four things do all animals need?
Food \ water Shelter Space Oxygen/ air
Habitat A place where a plant or animal lives The life range of a plant or animal
which includes: Food / water Shelter Space Oxygen / air
Examples of habitats: Forest Ocean Tree Open field
photo by: Maria Stelacio
Picture the prairie 200 years ago. What would you see? grass bison prairie dogs Native Americans teepees open spaces very few trees flat land / no
mountains
History of Colorado Prairie 1800’s
northern Colorado: Cheyenne & Arapahoe
southern Colorado: Kiowas & Comanches
eastern Colorado: Pawnee & Sioux
sonofthesouth.net/.../cheyenne/cheyenne.jpggetboulder.com/images/summer05/arapahoe.jpg legendsofamerica.com/.../ChiefSantana.jpg
co.kerr.tx.us/.../Comanche_Iindian_Group.jpg
castlejb.com/jbpages/indiancity/pawnee.jpg legendsofamerica.com/photos-nativeamerica..
History of Colorado prairie 1803
Louisiana purchase explorers: Lewis and Clark; Zebulon
Pike, Stephen H. Long 1820 – 1840
mountain men and trappers 1859
Colorado gold rush farmers, ranchers
photo by: Maria Stelacio
sonofthesouth.net/.../zebulon-pike.jpg
lewisclarknw.com/images/LewisClark.jpg
dupagehistory.org/.../image014.jpg
History of Colorado prairie Increase in people resulted in decrease in animals
Fewer beaver, pronghorn, black-footed-ferret Today no wild bison and no wolves in Colorado
photo by: Maria Stelacio
Pronghorn Fastest land animal in North America
Speeds up to 60 mph Important adaptation because…
Few trees Flat Very little cover
digital-images.net/.../1/Pronghorn_0211.jpg canadianfauna.com
Red Fox Not native to United States
From Europe Adaptable No competition from wolves Found near streams and wetlands king.portlandschools.org/files/houses/y6/anim
cwsd.org
Ring-necked Pheasant Brought to North America from China Adapted well to prairie
sdakotabirds.com/species/photos/ringed_necked
fws.gov/jclarksalyer/deslacs/jpg/ringneck.jpg
utahbirds.org/.../WesternMeadowlarkJH2.jpg
Very common bird of Colorado prairie
Unique song Males use to defend territory
Eats insects and seeds Nest
Dome shaped structure on ground
Western Meadowlark
Coyote
savethecoyote.org/images/coyote-3.jpg
larryhotz.com/wp-content/files/coyote.jpg
Found just about anywhere in Colorado
Adaptable No longer competes with wolf for
food
Lark Bunting Colorado State Bird Breeds on short grass prairie in summer Winters in Texas and Mexico
birdwatching-bliss.com/.../lark_bunting.jpg
ucsc.edu/.../img/2008/01/female_LkBu-300.jpg
Burrowing Owl
environmentaldefense.org/content_Images/B...
nabci-us.org/images/burrowing%20owl%20wit...
Nests in holes in ground Uses holes of prairie dogs, kangaroo rats
& ground squirrels Lines nest with manure Eats insects along with voles, mice,
small birds, lizards and toads
Prairie Dogs
nps.gov/.../images/Prairie-Dogs.jpg
Important part of prairie habitat
Major food source for birds of prey
Declining numbers threaten bird populations
parks.ci.lubbock.tx.us/Prairie%20Dog%20scan%2
Ferruginous Hawk Rely on prairie dogs for food Largest hawk in North America
hawkquest.org/mews/Ferruginous_Hawk.jpg
scienceblogs.com
Prairie Chicken In spring mating ritual takes place on booming grounds Greater Prairie Chicken
CDOW allows hunting as of 2001 Lesser Prairie Chicken
State threatened speciestarleton.edu/~Sudman/prairie.jpg
ksbirds.org/.../gpc_2007/portrait_7531s.jpg
nature.org/.../images/male_lpc_display.jpg
Red-headed Woodpecker
audubon2.org/watchlist/images/birds/Red-heade
birdsource.org
•Relies on trees•Settlers planted trees on prairie
Rattlesnakes
photo taken by: Maria Stelacio
•Live at elevations up to 9,500 feet•Hibernates in rodent burrows•Largest predator is humans
• People rarely die• 1/3 of bites are dry
•Venomous• Injects venom with fangs• Takes time to build up venom• Can inject venom an hour after
death•3 types in Colorado
• Prairie rattlesnake• Midget rattlesnake• Massasauga
photo taken by: Maria Stelacio
Bullsnake Non venomous constrictor Many killed every year by people Important part of ecosystem
Eats rodentsFood for raptors
texassnakes.net/bullsnake.jpg
Bats
education.luther.edu
tpwd.state.tx.us
•Eat insects•Some migrate & some hibernate•18 species of bats in Colorado
• Big brown bat• Long-legged myotis• Big free-tailed bat• Pallid bat• Brazilian free-tailed bat• Red bat• California myotis• Silver-haired bat• Western pipistrelle
•Eastern pipistrelle•Spotted bat•Fringed myotis•Townsend’s big-eared bat•Hoary bat•Western small-footed myotis•Long-eared myotis•Little brown bat•Yuman myotis
On behalf of the Colorado Wildlife Federation
thank you.
Created by: Maria Stelacio Technical assistant: Quinn P McGarrigle
•
Credits
