Pinery€¦ · Perhaps the most fascinating survival tactic is what gives flying squirrels their name — only they don't really fly. Rather, they glide from tree to tree. They are

ONTARIO

PARKSPinery

BittersweetTrail

Welcome

Bittersweet Trail

Old Ausable River Channel

The Bittersweet Trail, named for the Bittersweet shrubthat was once common here, is a 1.5 km loop trail

that winds through an Oak-Pine forest and returns viathe banks of the Old Ausable River Channel. Stairs,benches and look-outs ensure a leisurely walk that willrequire a minimum of forty-five minutes of your time.

This interpretive guide will introduce you to some of the32 species of mammals that have been found in PineryProvincial Park to date. Watching mammals requiresdedication and countless hours of observation to resultin a sighting. This is because many species of mammalsare most active when humans are least active - at night-time. When searching for mammals, consider night-time

to mean any time from duskthrough till mid morning. Of themammals that are active during theday, most of them are inactiveduring the middle part of theafternoon; therefore the hoursbetween 12 pm and 3 pm areperhaps better spent trying toidentify wildflowers.

...mammalsare inactiveduring the

C^dle part ofte after-noon...

You will soon learn that much of the time you spendsearching for mammals will involve identifying mammalsigns such as scats (droppings), tracks and burrows.Learning and identifying mammal signs can be veryrewarding, especially when you are privileged enough tosee a mammal as a resultof your observations.

As you begin your trek,keep your eyes focusedfor mammal signs, yourears tuned for sounds,and your mind open fornew adventures.

Red Squirrels feed on nuts, seeds, berries,fungi and sometimes other mammals.

Bittersweet Trail

Post 1: What's in a Name?

Eastern Chipmunks are a familiar sight in Pinery and they possesscharacteristics that identify them as members of the mammal group.

Most of us are very familiar with mammals. Ingeneral, we are introduced to this group of

animals at an early age and from then on most peoplecan pick a mammal out of a crowd. But what is itthat makes a mammal a mammal? There are severalcharacteristics, or things in common to all species ofmammals found on Earth. Two of the mostrecognizable things are that all mammals have hair orfur and that, uniquely, mammals nourish their youngwith milk. Take a minute to think of examples ofmammals and their characteristics; you might comeup with some examples that do not seem to fit withthe rest of the group, but indeed all mammals arealike in some ways.

2 Pinery Provincial Park

...Finerhome to 32species oflammals.

As mentioned, Pinery is home to 32species of mammals. While thatmight not seem like very manywhen you compare it to the 800plant species in the park or thethousands of insects species, it is animpressive list since there are only78 species of mammals in all ofOntario.

Pinery contains many different habitats or areas witha supply of food, water, shelter and space, formammals. Within each habitat, mammals often playan important role in maintaining a healthy balance.As you walk the trail and learn about each species inthis guide, consider what roles they might play andwhat type of habitat they need to survive.

An an

i2

3

4

5

6

mal is a mammal if it...

has hair (at least for part of its life).

is nourished with milk by its mother.

has a muscular diaphragm for breathing.

has a lower jaw made of two bones.

has red blood cells that have no nucleii.

has warm blood(birds also have warm blood).

Bittersweet Trail

Post 2: Night Gliders

The large eyes of Southern Flying Squirrels gather light at night, whenthe squirrels are most active.

Squirrels are a very familiar sight in Pinery; Greyand Red Squirrels are perhaps the most frequently

encountered mammals in the park. They have adistant cousin, however, that is a lot more secretiveand quite difficult to see. The Southern FlyingSquirrel is a small squirrel that has developed somevery unique survival tactics.

To begin, flying squirrels are completely nocturnal,meaning they are only active after dark. Most squirrelspecies around the world are diurnal, meaning theyare active during the day. There are many possiblereasons to explain why a mammal is nocturnal. Twocommon arguments are that at night you can find


food that may not be available during the day (e.g.moths) and that there are fewer predators active atnight.

Perhaps the most fascinating survival tactic is whatgives flying squirrels their name — only they don'treally fly. Rather, they glide from tree to tree. Theyare equipped with loose skin folds along the sides oftheir bodies (called patagia) that, when stretched tight,form a gliding wing on which to soar. They can steerand control their descent with a flattened tail.

Their diet consists of just about anything as they areomnivorous. Throughout the season, they will feedon a variety of insects, berries, mush-rooms, seeds, other mammals andbaby birds.

Flying squirrels are solitary, except forwhen they breed, in April andAugust, and during the winter. Oncewinter begins, groups of SouthernFlying Squirrels huddle together intree cavities to share warmth.

Loose folds of skin allowSouthern Flying Squirrels toglide from tree to tree.

If you venture out after dark, somekeen observation might result in afleeting glimpse of a Southern Flying Squirrel. In theblink of an eye, you might see a small white rectanglezip overhead as you drive or walk along one of thepark roads or trails. Also keep your ears tuned to highpitched, short squeaks in the tree tops. Flying squirrelscommunicate with each other and warn other squir-rels of predatory owls with these bursts of sound.

Bittersweet Trail

Post 3: A Long Tale AboutTwo Coats

Longtail Weasels are sleek predators that often hunt in the undergroundburrows of small mammals.

Very few mammals migrate and most of them livethe majority of their lifespan in one area. As a

result, mammals have had to adapt to deal with thechallenges of the changing seasons. On a warmsummer day, it's hard to think about winter, butpreparation for winter is going on all around you.Some species, like bears and ground squirrels,hibernate and avoid the hardest time of year. Others,like the Longtail Weasel, seem not to be affected at allby winter. In the fall, their coat changes to purewhite except for a black tip on their tail. Their whitefur conceals them well as they leap and bound on andbeneath the snow in search of a meal; the black tip isthought to draw a predator's attention away from the


weasel's head. The change in the colour of their coatis about all that is different for weasels in winter; theyhunt and forage without much concern for the cold.

During the summer, Longtail Weasels sport a coat ofrich brown fur on the upper parts and golden orangebeneath. This colour combination gives themexcellent camouflage as they dart about grassymeadows in search of prey. Longtail Weasels aremostly nocturnal but they will venture out during theday if prey is scarce. They can easily subdue preylarger than themselves; however, they usually feed onmice, voles and squirrels. Since Longtail Weasels feedon chipmunks, more weasels are seen when chip-munks are abundant in Pinery.

Weasel signs are not uncommon; you might comeacross small, black, twisted droppings perched on thetop of a log, or perhaps their paired tracks leadingyou off in all directions during winter. Keep youreyes open and you may be rewarded with a sighting.

When mammals, like this Longtail Weasel, die, they are quicklyrecycled back into the ecosystem as nutrients for other organisms.

Bittersweet Trail

Post 4: Live Fast,Die Often

Deer Mice are always alert to the possibility of attack by a predator fromabove.

If you return to Pinery in the winter, a trip alongone of the park's ski trails will often cross paths

with a set of tiny footprints with a line runningbetween them....a tell tale sign of a Deer Mouse.The tracks are left by tiny hind feet and the line bytheir tail dragging along the snow for balance.

Deer Mice have a very wide range in North Americaand are one of the most successful species of mice.You can easily detect their presence in winter as theyare one of very few rodents to forage on top of thesnow. This habit puts them at risk of being eaten bymany predators. One such predator is the GreatHorned Owl, and when teased apart, many owl


pellets contain Deer Mouse skulls.

Deer Mice are found just abouteverywhere in Pinery.Unfortunately for them, theyoccupy the bottom rung of thefood chain and many other animalseat them.

Female Deer Mice reproduceseveral times a year and have up to9 young per litter. This fast repro-ductive cycle means they can quicklyincrease in numbers should food become available.

Owl pellets immersed in soapywater can be teased apart toreveal bones and fur.

Young mice are on their own just three to five weeksafter birth and quickly establish their own territories.Once they have a territory, they develop a stronghoming ability and can return to their burrows even ifmoved more than a kilometre away - a pretty amazingfeat when you learn that deer mice are just 14-21cm in total length and weigh in at under 35 grams.

Deer Mice are named for their similar appearance toWhite-tailed Deer; they have white under-parts, blackeyes and tawny brown upper-parts. Thatcombination serves them well as they dart about insearch of seeds, nuts and berries, perfectlycamouflaged against the forest floor.

Many people are not fond of mice but here in Pinery,and in many parts of North America, they play a vitalrole in maintaining a healthy forest ecosystem.

Bittersweet Trail

Post 5: The Barking Dog

Coyotes are shy, intelligent creatures that are seldom encountered in thepark, despite the fact that they are routinely heard howling at night.

The Coyote is a small wild dog, weighing between10 and 22 kg. Despite its small stature, it is a

very interesting mammal. If you were in this areaprior to 1920, you would not have encountered anyCoyotes, which makes them one of Pinery's mostrecent additions.

Coyotes originated in the extreme southwesternregions of North America and, following theeradication of wolves, expanded into unoccupiedterritories. The Coyote now inhabits an impressiverange that spans from Mexico to Alaska and eastwardto Quebec; this is in spite of persecution fromhumans in the form of bounties. One of the first


records for the Coyote in Ontario came fromThedford, just a ten minute drive from Pinery.

Coyotes feed mostly on small mammals, but will alsoeat ailing White-tailed Deer, carrion (dead prey),reptiles, amphibians, berries, nuts and vegetation.Their varied diet is one reason why they are sosuccessful.

Coyotes generally live alone, but may run in smallpacks or family groups, especially when they huntlarger prey like White-tailed Deer. To communicatewith other pack members, Coyotes howl, yip andbark. Coyotes are believed to make the widest varietyof sounds amongst wild dogs, earning the scientificname of Canis latrans - the barking dog. You caneasily imitate their sounds by barking, yelping, howl-ing and generally making noise. You don't have to begifted to talk to Coyotes as they have been known tohowl in response to lawnmowers, chainsaws andcrying babies. If you are a little shy, you can partici-pate in a group howl dur-ing interpretive programswith a naturalist, whereCoyotes may answer back.

Intelligence and adaptabili-ty allow the coyote to sur-vive where other mammalshave not. Judging fromtheir past success, Coyoteswill remain part of Pineryfor some time to come.

Coyotes are much smaller than their wolfcousins and have a more slender snout.

Bittersweet Trail 11

Post 6: The Washer

Raccoons often seek shelter during the day high in tree canopies, awayfrom predators.

Some mammals have been unable to adapt to thepresence of humans. Others have adapted more

than we would like! One such example is theRaccoon. Raccoons have been able to adapt to thepresence of humans in remarkable ways, which isprobably due to their ability to thrive in just aboutany environment.

In the wild, Raccoons live a hard life as they competewith each other and other species for food, shelter,and space. Raccoons are perhaps one of the bestexamples of an omnivore and eat berries, nuts, seeds,insects, mussels, frogs, bird eggs, mammals and fish.During the summer Raccoons often feed near water,


foraging at the bank. While there,Raccoons engage in an interesting habitof swishing their paws around in thewater. This behaviour earned them thescientific name of Procyon lotor - lotor isLatin for washer. Scientists believe thata Raccoon's sense of touch is better inwater, allowing them to find food.

Pinery is taking steps to separate wild The facial markings of Rac-. . i A coons are thought to be for

animals and garbage in the park. A camouflage.Raccoon can easily find triple the num-ber of calories in a garbage or cooler than it wouldnormally find in a night of foraging in the wild.Sadly, once a Raccoon discovers human food andrefuse, they never return to feeding on natural foodscompletely. It should also be noted that a camp-ground full of garbage and coolers can support manymore Raccoons than a natural area of the same size.This means more of an impact on frog, clam, insectand bird populations due to higher predation rates.

When you visit natural areas like provincial parks,consider yourself a guest. It is very important thatyou prevent animals from discovering food in yourcooler, tent or trailer. Raccoons can damage yourproperty and become aggressive if they believe youhave something to offer. Please be a responsiblecamper and store your food and garbage in the trunkof your car at all times. When you return to yourcampsite, imagine you have keen eyesight, an amazingsense of smell and the ability to open zippers, fliplatches and turn knobs. Are you Raccoon ready?


Post 7: White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer bucks grow antlers each year. A layer of skin calledvelvet nourishes the antlers as they develop throughout the summer.

Like the Coyote, White-tailed Deer are relativenewcomers to Ontario. When Europeans First

began to settle Ontario, Wapiti (Elk) were far morecommon than deer. Since that time, humans havecreated new habitats that favour deer. As a result,there are now far more deer in North America thanat the time of European settlement. This is obvious-ly a credit to a strong survival instinct andadaptation on the part of deer.

To many, a chance encounter with a deer is thehighlight of a trip to Pinery. Deer are interestingcreatures that run fast, jump high, grow antlers andcommunicate with scent. We could discuss many


aspects of deer biology here; instead, let us take adifferent view and think of them as lawnmowers.

Deer are large animals weighing in at up to 115 kgand they eat a lot. Typically, deer can eat 2 - 3 kg ofvegetation each per day, the equivalent of a blackgarbage bag full of clippings. During the summer,when trees and shrubs are in full leaf, this is not asmuch of a problem since plants usually grow twice asmany leaves as necessary. In winter,deer browsing can have devastatingeffects on the forest. Such was thecase in Pinery, where browsing reachedcatastrophic levels in the mid 1990's.Soon after, plant species began to dis-appear, birds that nest in shrubs beganto decline, and deer began to starve.

Park biologists had to step in andreduce the number of deer in the park.To some, this was a difficult thing tounderstand since deer are attractiveand shy creatures. It is interesting tothink about how deer would be seen ifthey had small eyes, scales instead offur and a strong odour. This is not tomake light of the dilemma we all facewith deer overpopulation, but to try toput the problem in a different context.

Newborn fawns rely upontheir camouflage for protec-tion until they are able totravel with their mothers.

Following the fall matingseason, antlers are quicklyshed by bucks, therebylightening their load.

Deer are interesting, well adapted and valued contrib-utors to the greater Pinery ecosystem. To learn moreabout them, please inquire at the Visitor Centre.


Post 8: The One and Only

Red Bats most frequently roost alone in trees. This Red Bat is preparingfor a night of foraging above the forests of Pinery.

Of only eight species of bats found in Ontario,four are recorded from Pinery. They are: Big

Brown Bats, Little Brown Bats, Red Bats and HoaryBats. Bats as a group are remarkable animals as theyhave adapted to become the one and only group ofmammals that can truly fly. Several other mammals,like the Southern Flying Squirrel, can leap and glide,but only the bats can fly. To do this, the structure oftheir front limbs changed and their finger bonesbecame elongated. Thin skin is stretched betweenthe bones to create a wing, and their arms do theflapping.

Bats generally have good vision, about equal to a


human, but use their sense of hearing to catch theirprey. Thankfully, the majority of the noises that batsmake are too high in frequency for us to hear. Beglad, because if we could hear them, it would soundlike the trees were full of smoke alarms! As batssearch for prey, they scream loud bursts of sound,sending sound waves through the air. When thewaves of sound strike either an insect, or an obstacle,they bounce back to the bat's ears. This system ofsending and receiving sounds is called echolocation.Bats will emit bursts of sound at between 5 and 200pulses per second; a bat emitting a pulse at an insect1 metre away will receive an 'answer' pulse in sixmilliseconds!

Bats have long been featured in myths and horrorstories. In reality they are shy, misunderstoodcreatures with interesting features. If you are walkingthis trail at dusk, look skyward above the river andkeep your eyes, and thankfully not your ears, tunedfor bats.

Amazingly, this photograph captured a mouthful of food in the midst ofbeing swallowed by this Red Bat. Bats are captured to allow scientiststo study their habits, reproduction and feeding tactics.


Post 9: Stars in an OtherwiseDark World

Star-nosed Moles navigate through their world with a ring of soft, fleshytentacles and rely much less on their poor eyesight to aid them.

you consider all the mammals found inPinery, one stands out as a star - the Star-nosed

Mole. At just 75 grams, this chipmunk-sized mole isseldom seen; in fact many of the park records comefrom finding dead moles.

Star-nosed Moles live in underground feedingtunnels, searching for earthworms and insects. Insuch dark and dirty places eyes are of little use, sothrough time Star-nosed Moles developed a ring of22 soft fleshy tentacles on their noses that allow themto feel their way around. Their tentacles areextremely sensitive and they work both in the soil andunder water, as they often swim. They are able to


move each of their tentaclesindependently and can collapsethem when not in use. Allof this means that Star-nosedMoles are able to interprettheir surroundings with greataccuracy.

Star-nosedMoles are

able tonterpret theirsurroundings

with greataccuracy.

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,.Every adaptation has advantagesand disadvantages. The Star-nosed Mole's body structureincreases its chances ofsurvival underground. The trade-off is a decreasedability to move on land. Specialized limbs allow themole to dig extremely quickly, but make for clumsymovement on the surface. Although they do havevery small eyes, their ability to see is limited, furtherreducing their chances of survival if they are caughtabove ground.


Post 10: The Business ofBeavers

Beavers can modify their surroundings to create habitat for themselves,an ability that very few organisms beside humans can boast.

If you asked an engineer to design you an underwa-ter mammal, odds are that they would come back

with something very similar to a Beaver. This isbecause Beavers are amazingly well designed. SinceBeavers are members of the rodent group, manypeople assume that they are just overgrown rats. Onthe contrary, they are perfectly adapted for an aquaticlife and are responsible for creating habitat forcountless numbers of other species. You should alsoknow that, based upon sheer numbers, rodents arethe most successful group of mammals on the planet.

Beavers have thick, insulating fur that allows them toswim and stay active even during the middle of


winter - much like a wetsuit. Their large, webbedhind feet serve as propulsion devices to push themthrough the water - like swim fins. Protective flapsclose off their nostrils and ear openings when underwater - like nose and ear plugs. They have a uniquethird eyelid that is see-through and closes over theireyes during dives; called a nictitating membrane, it iscrucial to their ability to find food underwater andserves as a pair of goggles. Finally, they have a specialpair of lips that can seal off theirmouths when underwater, but still allothem to chew with their front teeth.When you put all of these adaptations \together, you can easily tell that Beavers *are very well adapted to life in water. ^

In addition to all of their physicaladaptations, beavers also have some veryunique behaviour as well. Beavers donot just look for ponds to live in — theycreate them! Amazingly, Beavers have

c 1 • on this trail, look for freshan acute sense ot hearing when it comes ones in the fall as Beavers

to running water; the sound of gurgling PrePare for winter,water flowing through a narrowing in a stream drivesthem to build massive earthen dams. They will toilaway constructing dams out of sticks and mudgathered from the area near the dam. Entire familygroups maintain the dam and help with ongoingrepairs. The aim of building the dam is to ensurethat their pond becomes deep enough to prevent itfrom freezing solid in winter. When Beavers createponds, they not only create habitat for themselves,but also for frogs, salamanders, insects, birds, plants

Beaver 'chews' are common


and countless other species.

Once a suitable pond has been formed, Beaversconstruct stick and mud lodges for shelter that haveunderwater entrances and elevated feeding andsleeping platforms. In most areas of Ontario, theselodges are constructed in the middle of a Beaverpond; however, here in Pinery, Beavers usually buildtheir lodges against the bank.

We could easily write an entire guide book on justBeavers. If you would like to know more please ask anaturalist. In the meantime, there are Beaver signs allaround you: gnawed tree stumps line this side of thechannel; there are the remains of a Beaver lodge justup-stream from this post; and, in most years, there isa dam holding back water under the bridge just downstream.

Fresh, leafy branches on a dam indicate that Beavers are active in thearea, and that the dam is being reinforced as the water level rises.


Post 11: In Your Hands

The park's trails are excellent places to see mammals, but a quiet paddleup the river allows you to move along silently as you search.

Imagine traveling back through time and then sit-ting on a dune and watching eons go by, as you

waited to return to the present. You would see LakeHuron rise and fall, sand dunes grow into toweringhills, fires sweep through the Oak Savanna andcountless species of mammals quietly meander byyour vantage point in the forest. Imagine a bearripping apart a rotting log to get at the grubs inside;or a wolf pack running like a river of fur through thetrees on a cold winter day; or squirrels 'growing' mis-placed acorns into towering oak trees.

It would be so very quiet.


Then the sound of an axe would echo through theoaks and a canoe would paddle by in the AusableRiver. Slowly more and more people would come topass you by and eventually, someone would sit downbeside you and ask "what are you looking at?"

Today, close to half a million people come to Pineryeach year. Sadly, they can no longer see a bear at alog or hear a lone wolf howling in the distance; bothare species that were unable to adapt and livealongside Pinery's most influential mammal - humans.Without a doubt, humans have had a very profoundinfluence on the park - from changing the course ofthe Ausable River, to logging the rolling hills, as wellas today's impact from the thousands of people thatvisit the park.

Many of us have come to cherish visits to Pinery, butwe must remember that humans have the ability todetermine the future for wildlife, both inside andoutside the park. Some of the mammals discussed inthis guide have developed a capacity to live in thepresence of humans. Others may not be able tocope, especially as parks become more popular.

Please act responsibly towards mammals wheneveryou encounter them, here at Pinery or near yourhome. You can add to conservation efforts in manyparks throughout Canada and the world. Rememberthat the safety and future of Pinery's mammals are inyour hands. If we ensure wild mammals can liveamongst us, our grandchildren, and theirs, will be ableto find a quiet spot on a dune, sit down, and watch.


Post 12:

We sincerely hopethat your walk

with this guide hasraised someun-answered questionsabout mammals inPinery.

Please speak to anaturalist at the VisitorCentre or at aninterpretive program formore information aboutmammals or otheraspects of the park thatinterest you.

If you wish to keepthis guide, please payfor it at the trailhead.Your payment coversthe cost of productionand supports theprojects of The Friendsof Pinery. If you preferto recycle this guideso that others may useit, please place it in thebox at this post.

If you would like tolearn more about theFriends of Pinery Park,or to become amember, please inquireat the visitor center orvisitwww.pinervpark.on.ca.

The Friends of Pinery Parkc/o The Visitor CentrePinery Provincial Park

R.R. #2, Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada,NOM 1TO

ISBN 1-895212-10-3Published in 2005 by Aylmer Express

Front Cover Photo B. Lasenby CopyrightRear Cover Photo Pinery Provincial Park.

The Friends of Pinery Park is a nonprofit charitableorganization dedicated to the development ofinterpretive, educational, historical &. scientificprojects and programs to ensure that PineryProvincial Park's natural legacy will remain for

future generations.

r-i." «v

"J^s guide was made possible tJ^p^1 the Kivinen Family in m< ^

who spent manv h

%*>!* / Dianne B. KivinerF jJune 1, 1941 - September B, 2005

Documents

Pinery€¦ · Perhaps the most fascinating survival tactic is what gives flying squirrels their name — only they don't really fly. Rather, they glide from tree to tree. They are