State of Illinois Illinois Department of Natural Resources · 2013-05-01 · Stephen Swanson, The Grove Nature Center, Glenview Alexia Tryzna, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago

State of IllinoisIllinois Department of Natural Resources

Wild Mammals of Illinois

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

IDNR Education Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

Wild Mammals of Illinois List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv

Unit 1

What Makes a Mammal a Mammal?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Mammal Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Mammals Night and Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Raising Mammal Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Unit 2

Mammals on the Move . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Hibernation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

The Right Teeth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

The Predator-Prey Relationship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Unit 3

Endangered and Threatened Species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Maintaining Mammals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Species Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThis conservation education program is provided by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).The Department would like to recognize all those who gave so generously of their time and talents to makeWild Mammals of Illinois a reality.

Original Planning Committee (1991)Kathy Andrews, Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Dr. John Beaver, Western Illinois UniversityElaine Svezia-Beckman, Illinois State Museum

Jerry Cullen, Southern Illinois UniversityDan Dawson, University of Illinois Extension Service

Anita Descourouez, The Grove Nature Center, GlenviewJoe Halbert, Gardner-South Wilmington School District #73, Gardner

Dot Hill, Wilcox School, SpringfieldDr. Cliff Knapp, Northern Illinois University

Charlene Koelling, Porta High School, PetersburgKim Majerus, Environmental Education Association of Illinois, Champaign

Ruth McInerney, Shabbona Elementary School, ShabbonaLouis Obernuefemann, Belle Valley Elementary School, Belleville

Larry Reiner, Northeast Du Page Special Recreation Association, AddisonLaurel Ross, North Park Village Nature Center, Chicago

Marie Sivak, Illinois State Board of EducationStephen Swanson, The Grove Nature Center, GlenviewAlexia Tryzna, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago

Karen Zuckermann, Hollis Grade School, Peoria

Other people participating as reviewers were staff members of the IDNR Divisions of Natural Heritage andWildlife Resources, IDNR internal education committee, Illinois State Board of Education and Ball andChatham Elementary Schools, Chatham.

Original Development TeamPhil Wilson, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Project Manager

Glenda H. Burke, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Education Chief

Revisions (2002)Revisions were made to the original text of Wild Mammals of Illinois in 2002 by the following people. Theirefforts to update the enclosed materials are greatly appreciated.

Kathy Andrews, Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesBob Bluett, Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Faye Frankland, Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesJoe Kath, Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Valerie Keener, Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesCarol Mahan, Carl L. Barton Middle School, Freeburg

Revisions (2009)IDNR Education Section

Equal opportunity to participate in programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and those funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies is available to all individualsregardless of race, sex, national origin, disability, age, religion or other non-merit factors. If you believe you have been discriminated against, contact the funding source's civil rights office and/or the EqualEmployment Opportunity Officer, IDNR, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271; 217/785-0067; TTY 217/782-9175. This information may be provided in an alternative format if required.Contact the DNR Clearinghouse at 217/782-7498 for assistance.

Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois • IOCI 0269-11

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The Illinois Department of Natural Resources’(IDNR) Education Section developed this unit onWild Mammals of Illinois for use in Illinois class-rooms. Additional supplemental resources to helpyou teach about mammals in Illinois are alsoavailable from the IDNR.

Illinois Wild Mammals Resources TrunkPosters, field guides, lessons, skulls, pelts, rubbertrack replicas and rubber scat replicas are justsome of the items contained in this “trunk.” Thetrunk is a large plastic container filled with hands-on resources that will help make mammal lessonsmore meaningful for students. Illinois WildMammals Resources Trunks are available for loanfrom locations throughout Illinois. Visithttp://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education and click on“Items for Loan” to access the list of lending sitesand the trunk content list.

Biodiversity of Illinois CD-ROMsThe three CD-ROMs in the Biodiversity of Illinoisseries are Illinois-specific, supplemental, searchableand networkable. Designed in a field guide format,they contain images, life history information, sounds,Illinois range maps, endangered/threatened status,habitat descriptions and other information for more

than 1,000 species. The CD-ROMs run on bothWindows® and Macintosh® operating systems.

Biodiversity of Illinois, Volume I: Aquatic Habitats

Biodiversity of Illinois, Volume II: WoodlandHabitats

Biodiversity of Illinois, Volume III: Prairie and EdgeHabitats

Teachers in Illinois may request one set of theCD-ROMs. Send request on school letterhead tothe address shown on page iii.

PublicationsPosters, activity books, books and other items canbe ordered or downloaded through the IDNRPublications page athttps://dnr.state.il.us/teachkids/ordertype.asp.

IDNR Education Section

ii

https://dnr.state.il.us/teachkids/ordertype.asp

http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education

Illinois’ NaturalResourcesTrading CardsThe cards andaccompanyingposters provide

images and information to be used in a variety ofways in the classroom. Each card contains animage, habitat association, common name andscientific name (where applicable) on the front sidewith additional relevant information on the backside. The poster shows the front side of each of the63 cards in the set and provides suggestions forusing the cards to help meet the Illinois LearningStandards. Illinois’ Natural Resources TradingCards Sets #1-5 are available. Teachers in Illinoismay request one pack of each of the trading cardsets and one copy of each of the accompanyingposters. Send request on school letterhead to theaddress shown below.

Exploring Illinois’ NaturalResources DVDFive videos covering the topics ofbirds, mammals, trees, aquaticsand biodiversity are included on

this DVD. Teachers in Illinois may request one copyof the DVD. Send request on school letterhead tothe address shown on this page.

Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip GrantTake your students to visit Illinois’ natural or cultur-al heritage with an Illinois Biodiversity Field TripGrant. Visit http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education fordetails and an application form.

Field Trip Tips Web PageLet the IDNR help you plan yourfield trip with this interactive site.Field trip destinations are correlatedwith topics that can be studied,

lesson plans and supplemental resources. Go tohttp://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education to access theWeb page.

iii

Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesEducation Section

One Natural Resources WaySpringfield, IL 62702-1271

[email protected]

217-524-4126

mailto:[email protected]



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Wild Mammals of IllinoisOrder Didelphimorphia

Family DidelphidaeVirginia opossum Didelphis virginiana

Order SoricomorphaFamily Talpidae

eastern mole Scalopus aquaticusFamily Soricidae

masked shrew Sorex cinereusAmerican pygmy shrew Sorex hoyisoutheastern shrew Sorex longirostrisnorthern short-tailed shrew Blarina brevicaudasouthern short-tailed shrew Blarina carolinensisNorth American least shrew Cryptotis parva

Order ChiropteraFamily Vespertilionidae

southeastern bat Myotis austroripariusgray bat Myotis grisescenslittle brown bat Myotis lucifugusnorthern bat Myotis septentrionalisIndiana bat Myotis sodaliseastern red bat Lasiurus borealishoary bat Lasiurus cinereussilver-haired bat Lasionycteris noctivaganseastern pipistrelle Pipistrellus subflavusbig brown bat Eptesicus fuscusevening bat Nycticeius humeralisRafinesque’s big-eared bat Corynorhinus rafinesquii

Order CingulataFamily Dasypodidae

nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctusOrder Lagomorpha

Family Leporidaeswamp rabbit Sylvilagus aquaticuseastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus

Order RodentiaFamily Sciuridae

eastern chipmunk Tamias striatuswoodchuck Marmota monaxFranklin’s ground squirrel Spermophilus frankliniithirteen-lined ground squirrel Spermophilus tridecemlineatuseastern gray squirrel Sciurus carolinensiseastern fox squirrel Sciurus nigerred squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicussouthern flying squirrel Glaucomys volans

Family Geomyidaeplains pocket gopher Geomys bursarius

Family CastoridaeAmerican beaver Castor canadensis

Family Cricetidaemarsh rice rat Oryzomys palustriswestern harvest mouse Reithrodontomys megalotiscotton mouse Peromyscus gossypinuswhite-footed mouse Peromyscus leucopusdeer mouse Peromyscus maniculatusgolden mouse Ochrotomys nuttallieastern woodrat Neotoma floridanaprairie vole Microtus ochrogastermeadow vole Microtus pennsylvanicuswoodland vole Microtus pinetorummuskrat Ondatra zibethicussouthern bog lemming Synaptomys cooperi

Family Muridaebrown rat Rattus norvegicushouse mouse Mus musculus

Family Dipodidaemeadow jumping mouse Zapus hudsonius

Wild Mammals of IllinoisOrder Carnivora

Family Canidaecoyote Canis latransred fox Vulpes vulpesgray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteuswolf Canis lupus

Family Mustelidaelong-tailed weasel Mustela frenataleast weasel Mustela nivalisAmerican mink Neovison visonAmerican badger Taxidea taxusNorth American river otter Lontra canadensis

Family Mephitidaestriped skunk Mephitis mephitis

Family Procyonidaeraccoon Procyon lotor

Family Felidaebobcat Lynx rufus

Order ArtiodactylaFamily Cervidae

white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginanus

Extirpated MammalsNorth American porcupine Erethizon dorsatumwhite-tailed jackrabbit Lepus townsendiicougar Puma concolorAmerican marten Martes americanafisher Martes pennantiAmerican black bear Ursus americanuselk Cervus elaphusAmerican bison Bison bison

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BACKGROUNDClassifying animals into categories and groupsbased on their similarities and differences is thefirst step in studying and understanding theirorigins, development and interdependence.

Mammals have the following characteristics:

1. They are covered with hair or fur.

2. They are warm-blooded (mean-ing their internal body temperatureis maintained at a constant levelregardless of external conditions).

3. They are usually born alive and relatively well-developed,having grown inside the mother's body in a special organcalled a uterus. The time spent developing in the uterusbefore birth is called the gestation period and variesin length from species to species (from about 13 daysin the Virginia opossum to 210 days in the white-taileddeer).

4. After birth the young are fed with milk that is pro-duced by mammary glands.

5. They have larger and more complex brains thanany other group of animals.

Focusing on these five characteristics will enhance the students' awareness ofand interest in mammals of Illinois. It will also provide a frame of reference forexploring the similarities and differences among members of the animal kingdomand how those characteristics relate to the environment and lifestyle of individualspecies.

1 Wild Mammals of Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural Resources

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT ONE • LESSON ONE

What Makes a Mammal a Mammal?

WHITE-TAILED DEER

GRADE LEVELS: 4 - 6

CORRELATION TO ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:English language arts: 4.B.2b, 5.A.2b, 5.C.2ascience: 12.A.2a, 12.B.2b

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, analysis, comparison& generalization, identification, creativity

OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to identify the fivecharacteristics by which mammals are determined.

Wild Mammals of Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural Resources 2

PROCEDURE AND DISCUSSIONReview the student information with the class, providing studentswith (or inviting them to provide) examples of each of the five mam-mal characteristics. Encourage them to look for differences withinindividual characteristics, such as long, shaggy hair versus short,stiff fur; fully developed young at birth, such as deer, versus lessdeveloped young at birth, like rabbits and mice. A list of mammalspecies found in Illinois is included with these lessons to help youlead the discussion on the Activity Page. Use the Biodiversity ofIllinois CD-ROM series, the Illinois’ Natural Resources Trading Cards,the Illinois Furbearers poster and the Illinois Wild Mammals posterfrom the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to see photo-graphs of mammals.

1. What five characteristics do mammals have in common?

Mammals have hair or fur; are warm-blooded; most are born alive;the young are fed milk produced by the mother’s mammaryglands; and they have a more complex brain than other animals.

2. How do mammals feed their young?

With milk produced by the mother in special organs called mam-mary glands.

3. Why are mammals described as warm-blooded?

They maintain a constant internal body temperature, regardless ofthe outside temperature.

4. What is a gestation period?

A gestation period is the length of time a mammal develops andgrows inside its mother's body before being born. In humans thegestation period is nine months; in dogs it is approximately 60days; in cows, 280 days; in rabbits, 26-30 days; and in mice, 20-30 days depending on the species.

5. Where do mammals grow and develop before they are born?

In a special organ, called a uterus, in the mother's body.

ACTIVITY PAGE EVALUATION Evaluate the students on the content of their report, attentionto detail and ability to follow instructions.

EXTENSIONSTake a walk to a local park, wooded area or schoolyard and look for mammals and mammal signs (nests,dens, mole hills, tracks, droppings, etc.). Place emphasis on mammals by contrasting them with birds, rep-tiles, fishes, amphibians and insects.

Have the students begin a journal to keep records of wild mammal activities and habits around theirschool, home and community. Use this journal throughout their study of Wild Mammals of Illinois.

VOCABULARYgestation period—the length oftime a mammal develops inside themother's body prior to birth

mammals—animals having thesefive characteristics: hair or fur;warm-blooded; usually born alive;young are fed on milk produced bythe mother; larger brain than otheranimals

mammary gland—a special organin female mammals that producesmilk to feed the young

uterus—the organ in a femalemammal in which the young devel-op prior to birth

warm-blooded—maintaining aconstant internal body temperature

CHALLENGE YOURSELFEVALUATION 1. Answers will vary.2. Answers will vary.3. Three places where wild mammalslive in Illinois include forests (trees),grasslands, underground, in waterand in thickets.

4. Other animals catch food and bring itto their young. Some animals don’tstay with their young at all, and theyoung are on their own.

5. The characteristics that make amammal a mammal include pres-ence of hair or fur, warm-blooded,young born alive, mammary glandsand complex brain.

There are many different kinds of ani-mals in Illinois. Insects, spiders, fishes,amphibians, reptiles, birds and manyothers are all animals. Another group ofanimals is the mammals. Let's take acloser look at the mammals. Whatmakes an animal a mammal? Any ani-mal is a mammal if:

1) it has hair or fur;

2) it is warm-blooded (which means itsbody temperature is kept at the samelevel regardless of the outside tem-perature);

3) its young are born alive (not hatchedfrom eggs). Before they are born,they develop inside the mother'sbody in a special organ called auterus. The time spent developing inthe uterus before being born is calledthe gestation period and variesfrom mammal to mammal;

4) after birth the mother feedsthe young with milk that ismade in specializedorgans called mammaryglands; and

5) it has a larger andmore complex brainthan any of the otheranimal groups.


What Makes aMammal a Mammal?

STUDENT’SGUIDE

EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL

CHALLENGE YOURSELF1. Name five animals in Illinois that are mammals. Name five

that are not.

2. What kind of hair or fur do the mammals you've namedhave?

3. Name three places where mammals live in Illinois.

4. Mammals are the only kind of animals that feed milk totheir young. How do other kinds of animals feed theiryoung?

5. What characteristics make a mammal a mammal?

VOCABULARY

gestation period mammalsmammary gland

uteruswarm-blooded

What You Do1. Discuss the mammals that are found in Illinois (see list on

pages iv-v). Ask students to talk about the Illinois wildmammals they have seen or are familiar with. If they talkabout any mammal species that are domesticated, itis a good time to point out the differences betweenwild and domesticated mammals.

2. Provide newspapers for the students to look at. Havethem look for mammals (other than humans) in thenews. Also have them review the structure of thenewspaper’s front page.

3. Each student should select one Illinois mammalspecies and research it. Make sure that each stu-dent selects a different species. The students shouldcollect information about the mammal’s life history,range, endangered/threatened status and any otherinformation they can find. They should compile thisinformation in the form of a newspaper front page,complete with illustrations.

4. Each student should show the completed page to the classand present a short report on the information.


What you will need• paper• art supplies or computer access• old newspapers• research materials such as the “Species Sheet”pages from this educational unit, field guides, theBiodiversity of Illinois CD-ROMs from the IDNR,the Illinois Wild Mammals resources trunk fromthe IDNR, Internet access

ACTIVITY PAGE:Mammals in the News

WILD MAMMAL NEWS

What’s the difference between wild and domesticated mammals?Wild mammals are those species that depend upon themselves to find the food, water andshelter that they need. In Illinois, raccoons, deer mice, foxes and bobcats are some wildmammals. Domesticated mammals are those that have been bred for special purposes.They are related to mammals that were once wild. Cows, horses, sheep and pigs are allexamples of domesticated mammals. Domesticated mammals receive some of their survivalrequirements from humans. “Tame” mammals are pets. They are domesticated animals.However, not all domesticated mammals are tame. With most mammal species, a single ani-mal may become “tame” while the rest remain wild. Some mammals that were once domesti-cated have become wild again. They are called “feral,” such as feral hogs and feral cats.


TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT ONE • LESSON TWO

Mammal Signs BACKGROUND Wherever they live, mammals produce evidence of their pres-ence. This evidence is most commonly seen in the form offootprints or tracks in the soil or snow, indications offeeding activity and obvious kinds of habitation. Anywalk in the wild will present numerous examples ofeach . . . if you know what you're looking for andwhere to look.

Areas of soft soil, mud, sand or snow are the bestplaces to look for tracks. Along stream banks orat the edge of any body of water you're likely tofind the footprints of many kinds of animals whichcome there to drink or feed. Using a field guide,you should be able to identify many of the tracks.

Evidence of feeding activity includes any collec-tion of nuts, seeds or fruits stored in a concealedspot (under logs and tree roots, or inside log pilesand hollow stumps). Tooth marks on anythingindicate feeding–look for gnawed mushrooms orchewed nuts, fruits, leaves or twigs. Areas of barkare often chewed or stripped off as food–look fortooth marks on the exposed wood.

Signs of habitation can be especially interesting. Anynatural cavity in a tree, stump or fallen log is likely tocontain signs of use by some animal. Look for tracks,droppings and bits of food around the opening or signsof nesting within (piles of leaves, grasses or twigs).

Many mammals live underground, and any undevelopedarea will reveal many openings to such dens and burrows.

Finally, some mammals build easily recognizable homes of their own. Squirrel nests are a common andhighly visible sight in the trees of woodlands, parks and urban areas. Lakes, ponds, streams and swampsare likely to contain muskrat or beaver lodges.

RACCOON

GRADE LEVELS: 4 - 6

CORRELATION TO ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:English language arts: 3.C.2ascience: 12.A.2a

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, data collection &interpretation, analysis, comparison & generalization,grouping, identification

OBJECTIVE: Students will become familiar with evidenceshowing that mammals inhabit a given area.


PROCEDURE AND DISCUSSIONReview the student information with the class. Emphasize thevariety of mammal living conditions, the diversity of their livingarrangements, their adaptability and the importance of obser-vation and attention in recognizing the signs of habitation(homes).

1. What are the three categories of evidence indicating thepresence of animals?

tracks; evidence of feeding activity; and signs or places ofhabitation

2. Where is the best place to look for mammal tracks?

Tracks are most easily found in soft, damp soil, mud, sandor snow, especially at the edge of any body of water whereanimals come to drink.

3. Where are you most likely to find collections of nuts,seeds and fruits?

Collections of nuts, seeds and fruits gathered for food arecommonly found under logs and tree roots or inside logpiles and hollow stumps.

4. What would indicate that a mammal has been living inan opening or hollow space?

piles of leaves, grasses, twigs; food remains; scratch marksor bits of hair or fur

EXTENSIONVisiting the wooded areas of a local park or even a large field or clearing will provide ample opportunityfor students to apply the information contained in this lesson. They can look for examples of all three cate-gories of evidence.

CHALLENGE YOURSELFEVALUATION1. The three clues that may be used to

determine the presence of mammalsare tracks, homes and feeding.

2. The least useful clue in a dry, rockyarea is tracks. Tracks can only bemade where the ground or groundcovering is soft.

3. Mammal tracks are often seen inlarge numbers around waterbecause the soil is soft, and the ani-mals come there to drink and/or eat.

4. You would be most likely to find col-lections of nuts, seeds or fruits leftby mammals under logs or treeroots, or inside log piles or hollowstumps.

5. Scientists study mammal signsbecause many times you don’t seethe animal, but you do see its signs.The signs can tell you much informa-tion about the animal.

ACTIVITY PAGE EVALUATIONAnswers will vary but should include thecoyote walking, then running, capturinga cottontail and returning to its den.

VOCABULARY burrow—a tunnel or system of tunnels dug undergroundby an animal and used for a home

den—a hollowed chamber or space used as a home byan animal

tracks—the footprints left by an animal in soft soil, mud,sand or snow


Mammal Signs STUDENT’SGUIDE

TRACKSWhen an animal walksacross soft ground, mud,sand or snow, it will leavefootprints or tracks. Nearthe edge of any body ofwater, such as a stream,a pond, a river or a lake,you're likely to find thetracks of many kinds of ani-mals that have been thereto eat or drink. Using a fieldguide, that contains pictures of differentanimal footprints, you can identify manyof these tracks.

HOMESMammals' "homes" are especially inter-esting. Any natural hollow place in a treestump or fallen log is likely to containsigns that some mammal has used it fora home. Tracks and signs of feeding nearthe opening, or piles of leaves, grassesand twigs inside used as bedding canshow that a mammal lives here.

Many mammals, like woodchucks andmoles, live in burrows that are under-ground. In some areas, openings to reachdens (small chambers) and burrows(systems of tunnels) can be seen.Some mammals even build themselvesrather fancy homes. Squirrel nests are acommon sight in trees. Lakes, ponds,streams and swamps are likely to containmuskrat or beaver lodges built of mud,cattails, sticks and logs.

FEEDINGUnder logs and tree roots, or inside log piles andhollow stumps, you're likely to find collections of

nuts, seeds and fruits gathered by somemammal.

Tooth marks can be found on many things,including gnawed mushrooms, chewed nuts andfruits, and nibbled leaves and twigs.

Bark on trees and bushes may bechewed or stripped off as food. Tooth

marks can be seen on theexposed wood. Generally thehigher off the ground the bark

has been removed, the larger the mam-mal that ate it, or the deeper the snow was.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF1. What three clues may be used to determine the presence ofmammals?

2. If you were in a dry, rocky area, which of the three clues doyou think would be the least useful to you in finding evi-dence of mammals? Why?

3. Why are mammal tracks often seen in large numbersaround water, such as at a pond or along a river bank?

4. Where are you most likely to find collections of nuts, seedsor fruits left by mammals?

5. Why would scientists want to study mammal signs?

VOCABULARY burrowden

tracks

Wherever they live, mammals produce signs that show they are present. Learning about and looking forthese signs can tell you whether mammals are living in an area even if you never actually see them.These same clues will often tell you exactly what kinds of mammals are present.

CHEWED BARKCHEWED BARK


WHAT YOU DORead the following story, then follow the directions.

Trail of TracksA scientist went for a walk inthe country on a sunnyday after a recentsnowfall. She hadbeen studying coy-otes for severalmonths in the areaand wanted to seeif there were signsof their activity in thesnow. She had notbeen walking long whenshe saw a set of coyotetracks. She followed thetracks. At first, the tracks wereeasy to see. They were closetogether and evenly spaced.Soon she found a place wherethe tracks became farther apart.Then she saw some eastern cot-tontail (rabbit) fur and a little blood onthe snow. The coyote tracks became closertogether again. The tracks led to a hole in theground. The snow was packed down all around the hole. Many tracks were seenaround the hole.

What did the tracks tell the scientist about the coyote and its activities? Write astory to explain what the coyote did while roaming in the snow.

ACTIVITY PAGE:Mammal Signs

What you will need• paper• pencil or ink pen


TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT ONE • LESSON THREE

Mammals Night and DayBACKGROUNDAll mammals require some period every day or night for restand sleep. Whether a mammal sleeps primarily during the dayor at night depends on an individual species' particular habitsand survival techniques. All mammals adapt to either daytimeor nighttime activity.

Those mammals that rest during the day and engage in feed-ing, mating and other activities at night are called nocturnal.Those that rest at night and are active during the day arecalled diurnal.

Nocturnal mammals, like bats and raccoons,have evolved in ways specifically suitedto life in the dark. Bats useecholocation, a uniquesystem in which theirextremely sensitive earshelp them navigatethrough the dark. Mostother nocturnal mammalshave light-sensitive eyesand darkly colored fur ornatural camouflage making itdifficult for predators to findthem. These mammalsspend most of the daysleeping in dens orburrows.

Diurnal mammals, liketree squirrels, haveevolved beneficial ways fordaytime living. Most havedeveloped protective col-

oration or camouflage appropriate totheir daytime habitat which makes themless visible to predators. Such mam-mals' eyes are adapted to bright light,and each mammal has its own specialmeans of escape or protection frompredators. For instance, squirrels arevery fast and agile, allowing them tooutrun or outmaneuver their enemies.Diurnal mammals take their rest atnight in dens or burrows.

COYOTECOYOTE

GRADE LEVELS: 4 - 6

CORRELATION TO ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS: English language arts: 4.B.2bscience: 12.B.2a, 12.B.2b

SKILLS/PROCESSES: comparison & generalization,grouping, fact finding, creativity, relationships

OBJECTIVE: Students will understand the differencebetween nocturnal and diurnal behavior among mammals.


PROCEDURE AND DISCUSSIONReview the student information with the class. Emphasize thenocturnal versus diurnal behavior and the advantages and disad-vantages of each.

1. What characterizes a nocturnal mammal?

A nocturnal mammal is active at night and rests or sleeps dur-ing the day.

2. What characterizes a diurnal mammal?

A diurnal mammal is active during the day and rests or sleepsat night.

3. What is echolocation, and what mammal uses it?

Echolocation is a sound-and-hearing technique used by batsto "see" in the dark.

VOCABULARYcamouflage—coloration that blends into the natural back-ground

diurnal—of or occurring during the day

echolocation—a technique of sound and hearing used bycertain animals to navigate in the dark

nocturnal—of or occurring during the night

EXTENSIONMany zoos and museums have special exhibits of nocturnal animals in which nighttime conditions are main-tained during the day. Visit one of these displays and let the students observe the activity of these animals.

CHALLENGE YOURSELFEVALUATION1. Nocturnal mammals have eyes thatare sensitive to dim light, naturalcamouflage for night activity or darkfur, sleep in dens or burrows andmay use echolocation. Diurnal mam-mals have eyes that are adapted tobright light, camouflage for daytimeactivities and have the ability tomove quickly.

2. Answers will vary.

3. Echolocation is a system of usingsounds to “see” at night. Bats usethis system.

ACTIVITY PAGE EVALUATIONEvaluate students based on participa-tion in discussion.

protective col-oration or camou-

flage that blends inwith their environment,

and their eyes are adapt-ed to bright light. Many

can move very fast in order toescape from predators.

By adapting to both day and night, mammalsare able to fill the world with activity 24 hoursa day.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF1. What are some differences between nocturnal and diurnalmammals?

2. Write a paragraph explaining what changes you would haveto make to become nocturnal.

3. What is echolocation, and what mammals use it?

VOCABULARYcamouflagediurnalecholocationnocturnal


Mammals Nightand Day

STUDENT’SGUIDE

Like all animals, mammalsmust spend part of everyday or night resting orsleeping.

Those mammals that restduring the day and areactive at night are called noc-turnal.

Nocturnal mammals, likebats, raccoons andweasels, have developedmany special ways of sur-viving in the dark. Bats use a soundsystem called echolocation and verysensitive ears to “see” or navigate in thedark. The sounds they make bounceback to them. Their ears pick up thesounds. Their ears send a message totheir brain. The brain determines whereobjects are located based on the soundsent and the sound bounced back. Mostnocturnal mammals have eyes whichare very sensitive to dim light. They havedark-colored, or naturally camouflagedfur, which makes them difficult to see atnight. Nocturnal mammals spendmost of the day sleeping in theirden or burrow.

Those mammals that restat night and are activeduring the day arecalled diurnal.Diurnal mammalslike squir-rels, havedevelopedways of sur-viving in thedaylight.Most have

EASTERN COTTONTAIL

LITTLE BROWN BAT


ACTIVITY PAGE:Creature of the Night

What you will need• group size: 20 or more studentsbut can be modified for fewerstudents • a blindfold

WHAT YOU DOGo outside to a flat, open area and have students form a large circle. Choose someone to be a bat, threeor four other students to be insects and another three or four students to be trees. All of these studentsshould go to the center of the circle.

The bat must put on the blindfold. The trees should then take up random positions in the circle and remainin those spots throughout the game. The insects are free to move about anywhere in the circle.

The object of the game is for the bat to tag insects while avoiding trees. In order to do this in the “dark,”the bat must continually call out “bat.” Every time the bat makes this call, the insects and trees mustrespond by calling out “insect” or “tree.” When insects are tagged by the bat, they should rejoin the circle.If the bat blunders into a tree, the bat is out and someone else must put on the blindfold.

Rotate play until everyone has had a chance to be the bat, an insect or a tree.

As a group, discuss what it was like to be a bat in this activity. How is it similar to what a real bat wouldexperience while hunting for insects at night?

BACKGROUNDMost mammals are viviparous, whichmeans they give birth to living young,as opposed to hatching their youngfrom eggs. (Exceptions are the duck-billed platypus and the echidna ofAustralia. These mammals lay eggs.)Some young mammals, like mice, rab-bits and bats, are born blind and totallyhairless, while others, such as deer, aredeveloped enough to move about withthe parent soon after birth.

After birth, all newborn mammals arenourished with milk produced in themother’s mammary glands, (see Unit1, Lesson 1). This milk iscomposed of water, fats,proteins, sugars and mineralsalts. Mammalswhose younggrow thefastest pro-duce milk with the highestprotein content.

Weaning gen-erally occursafter the youngcan eat solidfood. Small rodentsgenerallynurse for aweek and ahalf to three weeks.


SUGGESTED GRADE LEVELS: 4 - 6

CORRELATION TO ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:mathematics: 6.B.2, 10.A.2a, 10.A.2c, 10.B.2b, 10.B.2dscience: 12.A.2a

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, data collection &interpretation, analysis, fact finding, evaluation,computation/calculation, charting/graphing

OBJECTIVES: Students will become familiar with theprocesses of mammalian birth and nurturing.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT ONE • LESSON FOUR

Raising Mammal YoungBadgers can eat solid food in the first month but are suckledfor four or five weeks.

As physical development progresses, behavioral developmentalso occurs. Behavior patterns are either instinctive, learned ora combination of both. Instinctive behavior is automatic andtriggered internally, while learned behaviors are picked upthrough imitation of the parent and through play among sib-lings or other young.

As young mammals mature, their dependency on parentsdecreases, and they become independent.

RACCOON WITH YOUNG


PROCEDURE AND DISCUSSIONReview the student information with the class. Emphasize ingeneral the mammalian nurturing process and variations fromspecies to species.

1. What characterizes a viviparous animal?A viviparous animal gives birth to live young (not hatchedfrom eggs).

2. What do newborn mammals eat? Where does it comefrom? What is it made of?Newborn mammals drink milk produced in the mammaryglands of the mother. This milk is composed of water, fats,proteins, sugars and mineral salts.

3. What two kinds of behavior do young mammals develop?Young mammals develop both instinctive and learnedbehavior.

4. How do young mammals learn those behaviors whichare not instinctive?Young mammals learn by imitating their parents and playingwith other young.

VOCABULARYinstinctive behavior—an inborn, automatic response orbehavior pattern

learned behavior—behavior acquired through imitationand play

mammary gland—a specialized gland in female mam-mals which produces milk to feed the young

viviparous—giving birth to live young (not hatched fromeggs)

wean—the progression of a young mammal fromdependence on its mother’s milk to independent eating

CHALLENGE YOURSELFEVALUATION1. Viviparous means giving birth to liveyoung. No, the duck-billed platypus andechidna are egg-laying mammals.2. Newborn mammals drink milk astheir food. The milk is produced by thefemale’s mammary glands. It is made ofwater, fats, proteins, sugars and mineralsalts.3. The two types of behaviors youngmammals develop are called instinctiveand learned.

ACTIVITY PAGE EVALUATIONNumbers correspond to paragraphs.1. See “Species Sheets” for informationabout each mammal. Students shoulddevelop a table to record the informa-tion.

2. total offspring which could be pro-duced in one year = litter size x num-ber of litters per year; total offspringwhich could be produced in two years= litter size x number of litters peryear x 2

3. Students should make a graph toillustrate the requested informationper species. A line graph is probablytheir best choice since they will begraphing three different features(weight, litter size and age at maturi-ty) on the same graph.

4. a: least b: fastest c: 40 d: Many of the young die beforereaching maturity. Many others areeaten by other species.e. Answers will vary.

EXTENSIONSRaise a family of mice or other small mammal in the classroom. Record and chart their progress.

Have students conduct more research about instinctive versus learned behaviors in mammals.


STUDENT’SGUIDE

Raising Mammal Young

Most mammals are viviparous. Thatmeans they give birth to living young.(Exceptions are the duck-billed platypusand the echidna in Australia. Thesespecies lay eggs.)

Just how fully developed these newbornmammals are depends on the particularspecies. Some, like mice, rabbits, squir-rels and bats, are born blind and hair-less. They must be kept warm, carefullyprotected and fed by their mother orparents until they grow enough to carefor themselves.

Others, like deer, are developedenough at birth to walk around withtheir parents almost immediately.

All mammals feed on milk produced inthe mother’s mammary glands. Thismilk is made of water, fats, proteins,sugars and mineral salts.

Some mammals nurse for only a fewdays (like field mice) and some for afew weeks (like bob-cats and coyotes).Sometime after theyoung begin toeat solidfood, themother’smam-maryglands nolonger pro-duce milk and theyoung are weaned,meaning they no longer depend ontheir mother’s milk.

As the young grow, they also begin to

develop the behavior patterns they will need to survive on theirown, such as how to find food or build a shelter. These behav-ior patterns are either instinctive or learned. Instinctivebehavior is “built in,” which means the animal is born knowinghow to do it. Learned behaviors are picked up from imitatingthe parents or playing with other young.

As the mammal matures, its dependency on its parentsdecreases, and eventually it strikes out on its own.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF1. What does viviparous mean? Are all mammals viviparous?

2. What do newborn mammals eat? Where does it come from?What is it made of?

3. What two kinds of behavior do young mammals develop?

VOCABULARYinstinctive behaviorlearned behaviormammary gland

viviparouswean

EASTERN COTTONTAILWITH YOUNG


What you will need• paper or graph paper• ruler• writing implements (colored pencils, too, if possible)• copies of Species Sheets

ACTIVITY PAGE:Graphing Mammal Reproduction

WHAT YOU DOUse the “Species Sheets” to gather the following information about each mammal: weight; age at maturity;gestation period; litter size; number of litters per year. Record the information in a table. Leave twocolumns open at the end of the table. Label one of them “Number of Offspring After One Year” and labelthe other one “Number of Offspring After Two Years.”

Calculate the total offspring that could be produced in one year for an individual mammal of each species.Now find the total offspring that could be produced in two years. (Some of these species do not live fortwo years but calculate the numbers anyway.)

Make a graph to show the differences in weight for each species. On the same graph, using a differentcolor, show the litter size for each species. Be sure to put a key on your graph to show what the colorsstand for. Now add a third color for age at maturity.

Study your table and graph, then answer the following questions.

a) Which mammals produced the most offspring: those that weighed the most or the least?

b) Which mammals produced the most offspring: those that matured the fastest or the slowest?

c) How many white-footed mice offspring were possible after two years?

d) Why do you think that the actual numbers of white-footed mice in nature are lower than in your results?

e) Write a paragraph explaining the trends you observed.



CORRELATION TO ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:English language arts: 3.C.2ascience: 12.B.2b

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, data collection &interpretation, comparison & generalization, identifica-tion, application

OBJECTIVE: Students will become aware of the varietyof mammalian locomotive techniques and adaptations.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT TWO • LESSON ONE

Mammals on the Move

BACKGROUNDAlmost all animals are mobile. To findfood, shelter and mates, avoid preda-tors and interact with their environment,animals must have the ability to move.

Mammals live in a variety of environ-ments and have adapted different strate-gies for locomotion. These strategies areas varied as the animals themselves butare directly related to the specific kind ofenvironment in which they live.

Most mammals have four limbs withtheir appendant paws, claws andhooves, which are their means of loco-motion. These limbs and appendagesare specifically adapted to eachspecies’ particular needs.

Mammals that live underground in bur-rows, such as moles and badgers, have

claws on their forelimbs designed for digging and crawlingthrough dirt.

Predatory mammals that chase their prey, like bobcats, havefeet with thick, rough pads for traction and sharp claws forgrabbing. Deer and other grazers have flat, hard hooves forsolid support on soft earth and kicking for defense. Beaversand muskrats, which spend most of their lives in water, havewebbing between their toes. Mammals that climb, like squir-rels, have very sharp, short claws for holding.

Perhaps the most fascinating examples of locomotive adapta-tion among mammals are bats and flying squirrels. In the for-mer, the forelimbs, especially the “finger bones” and the skinbetween them, have evolved into fully functional wings. Flyingsquirrels have large flaps of skin connecting their “wrists” totheir “ankles” enabling them to glide great distances betweentrees and branches.

In most cases, the greater a mammal’s need for speed, thelonger its legs will be in proportion to the rest of its body.

EASTERN COTTONTAIL


PROCEDURE AND DISCUSSIONReview the student information with the class. Emphasize thereasons for a mammal’s need to move, the variety of adapta-tions evolved to meet this need, and the relationships of thoseadaptations to the individual species’ habits and environment.

1.Why do mammals move around?

Mammals move in order to find food, shelter and mates.

2.What can claws be used for?

Claws can be used for digging, running, grabbing, holding,climbing, scratching and self-defense.

3.What are limbs and appendages?

Limbs are the “arms” and “legs” of an animal, andappendages are their “hands” and “feet” or claws, paws andhooves.

4.What adaptation would most benefit an animal that digstunnels?

Long, hard claws for scraping and shoveling soil.

VOCABULARYappendages—the “hands” and “feet” of an animal; in thecase of mammals they are usually paws or hooves

limbs—the “arms” and “legs” of an animal

CHALLENGE YOURSELFEVALUATION1. Mammals need to move to find food,shelter and mates and to avoid pred-ators.

2. Appendages are “hands” and “feet” orclaws, paws and hooves.

3. Claws can be used for digging, run-ning, grabbing, holding, climbing,scratching and self-defense.

4. Hooves would not be sensible for asquirrel because squirrels need tograsp tree trunks, branches and otherobjects as they climb. They also needto hold onto and pick up food. Hooveswould not allow these activities totake place.

5. Some mammals need thick pads onthe feet for traction.

6. A. squirrel, small foot with claws forgraspingB. skunk, large foot with claws fordiggingC. coyote, thick pads and short clawsD. deer, hooves

ACTIVITY PAGE EVALUATIONAny answer which contains supportinginformation will work. There is no bestmethod.

EXTENSIONDraw, paint or construct a make-believe mammal. Have students describe their mammal’s special adapta-tions for locomotion and explain where it might live.

Mammals on the Move

STUDENT’SGUIDE


All mammals need to move around. Tofind food, shelter and mates, to avoidpredators, and just to live in theirworld, they must be able to move.

The ways in which they move are asvaried and interesting as the mam-mals themselves.

Most mammals have four limbs,but these “arms” and “legs” comein many shapes and sizes, and theappendages (their “hands” and “feet”)can be paws, claws or hooves. Theexact form these limbs andappendages have depends on the spe-cific needs and habits of the individualspecies.

For instance, mammals that dig bur-rows and tunnels have large claws ontheir forelimbs for scraping and crawlingthrough the soil. Mammals that chaseand hunt have feet with thick, roughpads for traction and short, sharp clawsfor grabbing. Those species that graze,like deer, have flat, hard hooves forsolid support on soft ground and forkicking in defense. Those that spend alot of time in the water, such as beaversand muskrats, have webbing betweentheir toes for more efficient swimming.In addition many mammals have clawsthat help them to climb and forepawsthey use to pick up, hold and handlefood or other objects.

Two of the most fascinating adaptationsof mammal limbs are found in bats andflying squirrels. In bats, the forelimbs,especially the “finger” bones and theskin between them, have evolved intowings for flying. Flying squirrels havelarge flaps of skin between their “wrists”and “ankles” enabling them to glidegreat distances between trees andbranches.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF1. Why do mammals need to move around?

2. What are appendages?

3. What can claws be used for?

4. Why wouldn’t hooves be sensible for a squirrel?

5. Why do some mammals need thick, rough pads on their feet?

6. Match the mammal from this list to the drawing of its foot.On the back of this page, tell why you placed the name witheach foot. coyote, deer, skunk, squirrel

A. ______________

B. ______________

C. ______________

D. ______________

VOCABULARYappendages limbs

EASTERN MOLE

ACTIVITY PAGE:Mimicking Mammals

What you will need• three long (8-12’) strips of paper• markers or crayons • resource materials, such as the IDNRBiodiversity of Illinois CD-ROM series, theIllinois Furbearers poster, the IDNR WildMammals of Illinois resources trunk, mammalor animal track field guides


WHAT YOU DOFind examples of various mammal tracks, and the patterns themammals leave as they walk.

Choose three of these species and adjust their track size andspacing to match your own proportions. Sketch the tracks onthe strips of paper, as if the animal had walked along itslength.

Placing your own hands and feet on the first four tracks, try towalk in their footsteps.

Some animals walk by moving both left feet, then both right feet.Others move right front and back left then left front and right

back. Still others hop. Try “walking” on allfours in all these combinations.

What do you think is the best method ofwalking? Why? Write a paragraph abouta mammal with the type of movementyou selected, explaining why its methodof moving is best. You may need to dosome research about the mammal tocollect more information about its life.



CORRELATION TO ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:English language arts: 3.C.2ascience: 12.A.2a, 12.B.2a

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, data collection &interpretation, comparison & generalization, grouping,fact-finding, identification, charting/graphing

OBJECTIVE: Students will become familiar with hiberna-tion and its function as a survival technique for certainmammals.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT TWO • LESSON TWO

HibernationBACKGROUNDSurvival may be difficult formammals in climates suchas we have in Illinois,particularly whenharsh, prolonged win-ters drastically reducethe natural food sup-ply. One of the mostfascinating tech-niques some mam-mals use to deal withsuch conditions is hiber-nation, a state of extreme-ly reduced metabolic processes.

Hibernation is seldom an all-or-nothingcondition. Many mammals use varyingdegrees and lengths of dormancy, orinactivity, to conserve energy and sur-vive periods of limited food supply.Skunks and raccoons, for instance,“den up” during extremely cold weather,remaining in their burrows and living offexcess body fat, while not actuallyhibernating.

True hibernation involves drastic reduc-tions in a mammal’s bodily functions aswell as physical activity. Body tempera-ture drops dramatically, as do heart andbreathing rates. From a normal bodytemperature of 950F, the temperature ofa hibernating mammal may be as lowas 360F. A normal heart rate of more

than 100 beats per minute may dropto only four or five, and breathingmay slow to less than one breath per

minute. Woodchucks are an exam-ple of a true hibernator.

Prior to the hibernation peri-od, these mammals accu-mulate a thick layer ofexcess body fat, whichsupplies them with theenergy needed to sur-vive. A hibernatingmammal may lose asmuch as one-third ofits total body weightduring hibernation.Others gather and store

a supply of food to eat during brief periods of wakefulness.

Scientists have discovered that even during hibernation thereare periods of wakefulness, which become more frequent asthe hibernation period comes to an end. External temperatureis a factor in these periods of sporadic activity. For eachspecies there is a critical temperature above which they willwaken, and all will waken temporarily if the temperature dropsso low that they are in danger of freezing. Wakening allowsmammals to move to a deeper, warmer chamber or to warmup a little—by shivering or moving around—until the tempera-ture moderates.

As spring approaches the air warms, food supplies are onceagain sufficient, and the hibernating mammals return to normalactivity.

HIBERNATINGMEADOW JUMPING MOUSE


PROCEDURE AND DISCUSSIONReview the student information with the class. Emphasizehibernation as a survival technique. Note that hibernation isdesigned to protect mammals from food shortages, not fromlow temperatures.

1. What is hibernation?

Hibernation is a state of reduced metabolism, similar to avery deep sleep, that allows a mammal to survive periods offood scarcity.

2. Why do some mammals hibernate?

Some mammals hibernate in order to survive during periodsof inadequate food supply.

3. How do hibernating mammals live?

During hibernation, mammals live on accumulated excessesof body fat.

4. What will cause a hibernating mammal to awaken?

For all hibernating mammals there is a critical temperatureabove which they will waken. They will also rouse temporari-ly if the temperature drops so low that they are in danger offreezing.

5. What is metabolism?

Metabolism is the rate at which a living creature uses theenergy it gets from its food.

VOCABULARYcritical temperature—the temperature at which a hiber-nating mammal will automatically waken (varies fromspecies to species)

dormancy—a condition of inactivity or sleep

hibernation—a state of reduced metabolism, like a verydeep sleep, which allows an animal to survive periods offood scarcity

metabolism—the rate at which a living creature uses theenergy it gets from its food

EXTENSIONThe woodchuck, or groundhog, and February 2 have become very closely associated. ResearchGroundhog Day and its origin. Is it based on scientific research?

CHALLENGE YOURSELFEVALUATION1. Some animals hibernate to surviveduring periods when food is not read-ily available.

2. Hibernating mammals live on storedbody fat.

3. A hibernating mammal will awaken ata critical temperature or if the outsidetemperature becomes too low and itsbody might freeze.

4. In hibernation, the animal’s metabo-lism slows down as does the heartrate, body temperature and breath-ing. Hibernation lasts for months dur-ing which the animal lives off its bodyfat. Hibernation is controlled by tem-perature. In sleep, the metabolism ofthe organisms does not change dras-tically. Sleep is a state that an organ-ism can enter and leave easily. Sleepdoes not last for long periods of time.

5. Hibernating animals spend severalmonths doing nothing. They mustcomplete all of their other life func-tions while not in the hibernatingstate.

ACTIVITY PAGE EVALUATION1. Plants, insects and seeds make upthe diet of the hibernating species.

2. They hibernate so long because dur-ing the time they are hibernating theirfood supply is gone. They wait for it toreturn.

3. Answers will vary.

Hibernation STUDENT’SGUIDE


During harsh, cold winters like we havein Illinois, many of the foods mammalsneed become scarce or are not avail-able. In order to survive these periods oflimited food supply, some mammalshibernate. Hibernation is like a verydeep, long sleep. This condition of dor-mancy, or inactivity, allows a mammalto live a long time on very little food.

The rate at which a living creatureuses the energy it receives from foodis called metabolism. During hiberna-tion a mammal’s rate of metabolism isslowed substantially.

Also during hibernation, a mammal’sbody temperature drops greatly as doesits heart rate and breathing rate. While anormal body temperature may be 95°F,during hibernation it can drop as low as36°F. A normal heart rate of over 100beats per minute may drop to only fouror five per minute. Breathing may slow toabout one breath per minute.

Before they begin hibernation, mam-mals eat so much that they develop athick layer of fat. This fat will supplythem with the energy they will needduring their long “nap.” Some hibernat-ing mammals will lose as much as one-third of their total body weight duringhibernation. Mammals that do not hiber-nate deeply gather and store food toeat during wakeful periods.

Hibernation is never continuous. Thereare always periods of wakefulness,which become more frequent as thehibernation period comes to an end.For each species that hibernates thereis a critical temperature above whichthey will wake, and they will wake tem-porarily if the temperature drops so lowthat they are in danger of actually freez-ing. Upon waking they can move to a

deeper, warmer chamber or warm up a little by shivering ormoving around until the temperature rises.

As spring approaches and the air warms, food is once againavailable, and the hibernating mammal will waken and returnto normal activity.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF1. Why do some animals hibernate?

2. What do hibernating mammals live on?

3. What will waken a hibernating mammal?

4. How do you think hibernation is different from regular sleep?

5. What do you think might be a disadvantage of hibernation?

VOCABULARYcritical temperature

dormancy

hibernation

metabolism

HIBERNATINGTHIRTEEN-LINED

GROUND SQUIRREL

ACTIVITY PAGE:Investigating Hibernation

What you will need• paper• pencil or ink pen


WHAT YOU DOTen Illinois mammal species hibernate in winter. Study the chart and answer the questions.

Species Diet Time Spent Hibernating

little brown bat insects six months

Indiana bat insects six months

southeastern bat insects six months

northern bat insects six months

eastern pipistrelle (bat) insects six months

big brown bat insects six months

woodchuck plants five or six months

Franklin’s ground squirrel plants, insects six or seven months

thirteen-lined ground squirrel plants, seeds six months

meadow jumping mouse seeds six or seven months

1. What makes up the diet of these mammal species?

2. Why do you think they hibernate so long?

3. Construct a time line showing what events normally happen in your life during the six or so monthsthese mammals are hibernating. Use October through March for the time line. Include events likeschool, sports, birthdays, etc. Write a paragraph explaining the time line.



CORRELATION TO ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:science: 12.B.2b

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, data collection &interpretation, analysis, grouping, fact-finding, identifi-cation, application, inference

OBJECTIVE: Students will become familiar with thebasic categories and functions of mammal teeth.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT TWO • LESSON THREE

The Right TeethBACKGROUNDThere are three types of mammal teeth:incisors (used for cutting and gnawing)located in the front and center of one orboth jaws; canines (used for stabbingand tearing) located on each side of theincisors; and premolars and molars(for grinding and shearing) situatedalong the sides of the jaws.

Because each tooth type is designedfor specific functions, they have evolveddifferently in different mammal species,depending on eating habits. Based onthese relationships, mammals are cate-gorized into four groups:

1. Herbivores are mammals thateat mainly vegetation. There aretwo sub-groups: plant-tearingmammals (deer) and plant-gnaw-ing mammals (beavers, squirrelsand mice). Plant-tearing mam-mals have incisors in their lowerjaws only, no canines at all andflat, sharp-edged molars. Thisarrangement is best for tearingleaves, stems, bark and grasses.

Plant-gnawers have sturdy, sharpincisors on both jaws forcutting through nuts, bark,wood and grasses. Theylack canines and have flatmolars for grinding.

2. Carnivores, or meat-eating mammals (such as coyotes,bobcats and foxes), have small but sharp incisors in bothjaws for grabbing and holding; long, fanglike canines forstabbing and tearing; and large, sharply edged premolarsand molars for slicing through flesh, bone, skin, scales, furand feathers.

3. Insectivores, or insect-eating mammals (like shrews, molesand some bats), have long incisors for picking insects out ofdirt and leaves and small but sharply edged canines, premo-lars and molars for chewing hard-shelled beetles, otherinsects and worms.

4. Omnivores (such as raccoons, opossums and humans) eatalmost anything edible. These mammals develop all threetypes of teeth, with no one category more prominent thanthe others.

AMERICANBEAVER


PROCEDURE AND DISCUSSIONReview the student information with your class and emphasizethe three types of teeth and how they relate to other mam-malian characteristics (such as fur, feet, etc.). Encourage themto think of examples of Illinois mammals with each of the fourteeth categories.

1. What are the three kinds of mammal teeth, and what aretheir functions?

Incisors, for holding, cutting and gnawing. Canines, for stab-bing and tearing. Premolars and molars for grinding andshearing.

2. What is an omnivore? An insectivore? An herbivore? Acarnivore?

An omnivore is any animal that eats plants and animals. Aninsectivore is any animal that eats only insects. An herbivoreis any animal that eats only plants. A carnivore is any animalthat eats only the flesh of other animals.

VOCABULARYcanines—those teeth located on either side of the inci-sors, in one or both jaws, used for stabbing and tearing

carnivore—any animal that eats only the flesh of otheranimals

herbivore—any animal that eats only plants

incisors—those teeth located in the front and center ofone or both jaws, used for holding, cutting or gnawing

insectivore—any animal that eats only insects

omnivore—any animal that eats plants, the flesh of otheranimals and anything else that is edible

premolars/molars—those teeth located along the sidesand back of one or both jaws, used for grinding andshearing

EXTENSIONBorrow an IDNR Illinois Wild Mammals resource trunk and use the skulls it contains to help you teachabout mammal teeth. Let students identify teeth types and decide whether the mammal was an herbivore,carnivore, insectivore or omnivore. Visit http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education and select “Items for Loan” tofind a lending location near you.

CHALLENGE YOURSELFEVALUATION1. Animals other than mammals use abeak, different types of teeth, jaws orgrabbing and swallowing as theirmethods of eating their food.

2. Sometimes mammals in one feedingcategory can eat food from anotherfeeding category. Omnivores can eatfrom all the categories. Herbivorescould accidentally eat an insect.Carnivores can eat plants, fruits andinsects.

3. herbivore: eats plantscarnivore: eats meat (flesh)insectivore: eats insectsomnivore: eats a variety of items

Examples will vary but could includethe following mammals from the“Species Sheets:” herbivore–Americanbeaver, eastern fox squirrel, thirteen-lined ground squirrel, plains pocketgopher, white-tailed deer, easterncottontail, prairie vole; carnivore–coy-ote, bobcat; insectivore–eastern redbat, northern short-tailed shrew;omnivore–raccoon, Virginia opos-sum, white-footed mouse, easternchipmunk.

ACTIVITY PAGE EVALUATIONlittle brown bat–insectivore; 2raccoon–omnivore; 7eastern gray squirrel–herbivore; 5North American river otter–carnivore; 6bobcat–carnivore; 3eastern mole–insectivore; 1white-tailed deer–herbivore; 4

The Right Teeth STUDENT’SGUIDE


HerbivoresMammals that eatonly plants arecalled herbivores.There are twokinds of herbi-vores. Plant-tearing herbivores, such asdeer and goats, have incisors only intheir lower jaws, no canines and flat,sharp-edged premolars and molars.

Plant-gnawing herbi-vores, like beaversand squirrels, have

large, sharp inci-sors in both upper

and lower jaws, no canines and flat pre-molars and molars.

CarnivoresMammals that eat only other animalsare called carnivores. Bobcats, foxesand coyotes are some Illinois carni-vores. They have small but sharp inci-sors for grabbing and holding; long, fan-glike canines for stabbing and tearing;and large, sharply edged premolarsand molarsfor slicingthrough flesh,bone, skin,scales, fur andfeathers.

InsectivoresLike shrews, moles and some bats,some animals eat only insects. Theyare called insectivores. They havelong incisors for picking insects out of dirtand leaves and small, but very sharpcanines, premolars and molars for chewing hard-shelled beetles, other insects and worms.

OmnivoresSome animals, like raccoons andhumans, are called omnivores. Theyhave all three types of teeth, allowingthem to eat plants and flesh.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF1. How do animals other than mammals—like birds, fishes,insects and reptiles—bite, chew and eat their food?

2. Can mammals in one category eat the food of mammals inother categories? Why or why not?

3. Explain the difference between the four feeding categoriesand give an example of a wild Illinois mammal in each cate-gory. (HINT: Use the “Species Sheets” to find the examples.)

VOCABULARY

Most mammals have three kinds of teeth: incisors used for grabbing, cutting and gnawing; canines usedfor stabbing and tearing; and premolars and molars for grinding and shearing. The type of teeth a mam-mal has will determine how and what it can eat. Mammals can also be grouped by what they eat.

caninescarnivoreherbivoreincisors

insectivoreomnivorepremolars/molars

ACTIVITY PAGE:Menu of the Day


WHAT YOU DOIn the long blank, indicate whether the mammal is an herbivore, insectivore, carnivore or omnivore. In theshort blank, put the number of the menu item it would be most likely to eat.

Today’s specials

Breakfast

1. Shredded beetles with earth-worms on the side

2. Moth omelettes garnished withmosquitoes

Lunch

3. Squirrel and field mice stew

4. Grass and leaf salad on bed oftree bark

Dinner

5. Berry soup with nuts, bark andbuds

6. Frog legs and fish, turtle andmuskrat soup

Leftover Special

7. Chef’s salad of crayfish, fish-es, mice, nuts, berries, grainand fruits


TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT TWO • LESSON FOUR

The Predator-Prey RelationshipBACKGROUNDAmong the mammal species in Illinoisare some known as predators. Frombobcats and foxes to raccoons andweasels, they share a common behav-ioral trait: they catch, kill and eat otheranimals (called prey).

There are different degrees of preda-tion. Some strict predators, such asbobcats, eat only meat. But other mam-mals, such as raccoons and opossums,eat berries, nuts and plants in additionto catching and eating prey.

Most predators are prey to other, largerpredators. A weasel that eats a fieldmouse may then be dinner for a bobcat.Those few predators that are not preyto others are calledtop predators.

Both predators andprey are links in whatis called a food chain.Food chains are theroutes along which ener-gy flows through the livingworld.

This energy alwaysstarts with thesun. Throughthe processof photo-synthesis,

plants use the sun’s energy to produce food. Animals such asrabbits and deer eat the plants and transfer the energy fromthe plants’ stored food into their own bodies . . . only tobecome prey to the predators, who again transfer the energyto themselves.

But the flow of energy doesn’t end there. Even top predatorseventually die, and their bodies become food for scavengers,those animals that eat dead animals and plants. Bacteria andfungi break down bones, scales, fur and feathers into the sim-plest chemical compounds. These compounds become thenutrients in the soil that are the raw materials for plant growth.Thus the food chain becomes a closed cycle with no realbeginning and no real end.

Most food chains overlap (individual species of plants and ani-mals may be links in the food chains of several species ofpredator) and the entire system becomes a food web.

GRAY FOX


CORRELATION TO ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:English language arts: 4.B.2bscience: 12.B.2a

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, comparison &generalization, grouping, fact-finding, identification,group planning, relationships, inference

OBJECTIVE: Students will become familiar with theconcept of predation and the relationship between preyand predator.


PROCEDURE AND DISCUSSIONReview the student information with your class. Emphasize therelationship between predators and prey, and their mutualdependence on one another. Lead the students to an under-standing of the entire food chain.

1. What is a predator?

A predator is any animal that catches, kills and eats otheranimals.

2. What is photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis is the process whereby plants use sunlight toconvert carbon dioxide, water and nutrients into food.

3. What is a top predator?

A top predator is a predator that is not prey to any other animal.

4. What is a scavenger?

A scavenger is an animal that feeds on the dead bodies ofother animals but does not catch and kill them itself.

5. What is a food chain?

A food chain is the route along which energy flows throughany community of plants and animals.

VOCABULARYfood chain—the route along which energy flows througha community of plants and animals

photosynthesis—the process by which plants use sun-light to convert carbon dioxide, water and nutrients intofood

predator—any animal that catches, kills and eats anyother animal

prey—any animal that is caught, killed and eaten by anyother animal

scavenger—any animal that eats the dead bodies ofother animals but does not catch and kill them itself

top predator—any predator in a food chain on whom noothers prey

EXTENSIONSHave each student pick a favorite meal, list the foods that make up that meal, and develop a food chainfrom the various foods listed.

Using the “Species Sheets,” have the students develop a possible food chain.

CHALLENGE YOURSELFEVALUATION1. The two predators are the white-foot-ed mouse and the least weasel.

2. The sun provides energy to theplants.

3. Two prey items in the diagram arethe white-footed mouse and thegrasshopper.

4. The weasel dies and is decomposedby the bacteria and fungi.

5. Yes, a mammal can be classified asboth a predator and a prey item. Forexample, the white-footed mouseeats the grasshopper. The mouse is apredator in this situation. If the leastweasel then eats the mouse, themouse is a prey item. Many otherexamples could be given.

ACTIVITY PAGE EVALUATIONThe top predator was the least weasel. The other predator was the white-footed mouse.The prey items were the grasshopper and thewhite-footed mouse. The game represented afood chain by having the sun providing energy tothe plants, the plants converting the energy tostored energy in food, the grasshoppers eatingthe plants to get the energy, the white-footedmice eating the grasshoppers to get energy andthe least weasels eating the white-footed mice toget energy. Usually a few grasshoppers survivebut not always. Usually a few mice survive butnot always. Weasels have many food squaresbecause they were eating mice which had previ-ously eaten grasshoppers. All of the foodsquares are passed along, although realisticallysome of the energy would be lost in each trans-fer. That’s why they need so many food squaresand why there are fewer top predators. Thetransfer of energy is shown by passing along thefood squares in the “stomachs.” The game is fair-ly realistic. There would not be such chaos andthings would not happen as quickly as they do inthe game, but the result is basically the same.Other factors such as population fluctuations,disease and pollution are not considered in thegame. Predators do not normally kill all of theprey species because in nature there are manyother species to prey upon, too.

The Predator-PreyRelationship

STUDENT’SGUIDE


Among the mammal species in Illinoisare some we call predators. Predatorsare animals that catch, kill and eat otheranimals. The animals that are eaten arecalled prey.

Some predators, like bobcats, arecalled strict predators because they eatonly other animals. Others, like rac-coons and opossums, will, in addition tocatching and eating prey, also eat a lotof berries, nuts and plants.

Most predators are themselves prey toother, larger predators. A weasel thateats a field mouse for lunch may itselfbe dinner for a bobcat. Those predatorsthat are not prey to others are calledtop predators.

Both predators and prey are links inwhat is called a food chain. Foodchains are the routes along which ener-gy flows through the living world.

This energy always starts with the sun.Through a process called photosynthe-sis, plants are able to use the sun’senergy to convert carbon dioxide, waterand nutrients from the soil into food.Animals like rabbits and deer eat theplants and use the food energy for theirown needs. When they become prey, theenergy is transferred to the predator.

But the flow of energy doesn’t endthere. Even top predators eventuallydie, and then their bodies become foodfor scavengers, those animals that eatthe bodies. The remains of all animalsare broken down into their simplestcompounds by microscopic bacteriaand fungi. These compounds are thenutrients that plants then use for theirown growth. The food chain becomes aclosed cycle which begins all over again.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

1. What are the two predators in the “A Food Chain” diagram?

2. What is the sun providing to the plants in the diagram?

3. What are two prey items in the diagram?

4. What is represented by the arrow between the least weaseland the bacteria and fungi?

5. Can a mammal be both a predator and a prey item? Explainand give an example.

A FOOD CHAIN

least weasel(predator)

white-footed mouse(omnivore)

grasshopper(herbivore)

plants(producers)

bacteria & fungi(decomposers)

food chainphotosynthesispredator

preyscavengertop predator

VOCABULARY

ACTIVITY PAGE:The Predator-Prey Pyramid


What you will need• per class of 26 students(can be modified forother class sizes)

• two pieces of browncloth

• six pieces of white cloth• 18 pieces of green cloth

• 18 small paper bags orenvelopes

• small (1” x 1” or so)construction papersquares, about 500

• watch or timer

WHAT YOU DOGo outside to a large, open playing field. Designate two stu-dents to be least weasels, six students to be white-footed miceand 18 students to be grasshoppers (or use these proportionsfor other class sizes). Loosely tie a green cloth around the armof each “grasshopper” (you may want to use clothes pins topin the cloth to clothing instead or use construction papersquares instead of cloth). Following the same procedure usewhite cloth for the white-footed mice and brown cloth for theleast weasels.

Give each “grasshopper” a small paper bag or envelope. Thiscontainer represents the “stomach” of the animal. Have thestudents turn their back to the playing area. Scatter the smallconstruction paper squares over the playing area.

Tell the students to turn around. The “grasshoppers” may nowgo to feed by picking up the paper squares and putting them intheir “stomach” bag. The “mice” and “weasels” watch from thesidelines. After about 15 seconds, tell the “mice” that they mayhunt the grasshoppers. (NOTE: Times can be adjusted. If 15seconds is too short for your class, try 30 seconds or oneminute.) If a mouse tags a grasshopper, the grasshopper diesand must give its “stomach” to the mouse. The “dead”grasshopper then goes to the sideline to wait. After about 15more seconds, allow the “weasels” to hunt the mice. If amouse is taggedby a weasel, itmust give the“stomach(s)” ithas collected tothe weasel. Afteranother 15 secondsor so, stop thegame.

Ask the students what thetop predator was in thegame. What was the otherpredator? What were the prey

items? How did the game represent afood chain? Did any grasshoppers sur-vive? If so, how many food squaresdoes each have? Did any mice survive?How many food squares does eachhave? How many food squares doeseach weasel have? Why do the weaselshave so many food squares? Does ittake more energy for them to survive?How is the transfer of energy shown inthis game? Is this game realistic?

Have the students line up in this order:first line, all grasshoppers (studentswho were grasshoppers at the start ofthe game); second line, white-footedmice (centered in front of the grasshop-per line); third line, least weasels (cen-tered in front of the mice line). Your for-mation should be like a pyramid to illus-trate the decrease in numbers as yougo up from herbivores to top predators.

Adapted with permission from“Hazardous Links, Possible Solutions,”Project WILD K-12 Curriculum andActivity Guide, 2000, Council forEnvironmental Education.


TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT THREE • LESSON ONE

BACKGROUNDAlthough extinction is a naturalprocess, extensive and excessive humaninteraction with the environment hasgreatly increased its rate. Habitatdestruction is the single greatest causeof extinction. Other human-related caus-es include habitat damage, unregulatedor illegal commercial and personal use,disruption of migration routes and breed-ing behaviors, contami-nation by pollutants,and competition orpredation from artifi-cially introducedspecies. Some expertsexpect extinctions ofplants and animals toincrease from the currentrate of one species per yearto 100 per year in thenear future.

In Illinois, in 2009,a total of 355 speciesof plants and ani-mals are endangered,and 128 species arethreatened. Thereare five species ofendangered mammals andfour species of threat-ened mammals.

Rare species, though not in immediate danger, are few innumber. Some species have always been rare because theirnatural range does not include much of Illinois or becausethey have limited habitat preferences. Threatened species arethose still present in their natural range, but whose numbersare declining and are likely to become endangered in theforeseeable future. Endangered species are those in immedi-ate danger of extinction as a breeding species. Extirpatedspecies are those that have become eliminated from a portionof their range. For instance, elk and bison have been extirpat-ed from Illinois.

NORTH AMERICAN RIVER OTTER


CORRELATION TO ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:English language arts 5.A.2b, 5.C.2a, 5.C.3ascience 12.A.2a, 12.B.2bsocial science 17.C.2c

SKILLS/PROCESSES: comparison & generalization,analysis, fact-finding, evaluation, creativity, application,inference, relationships

OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to: 1) identify and describesome causes for extinction of animal species; and 2) definerare, threatened and endangered as they apply to animalpopulations.

Endangered and Threatened Species


PROCEDURE AND DISCUSSIONReview the student information with the class, emphasizing theimpact of human activity on threatened and endangered speciesand methods for correcting the situations we have created.

1. What is extinction?

Extinction is the complete elimination of a species.

2. What human activities can threaten a species with extinction?

Destroying natural habitats, unregulated killing of animals forpersonal or commercial use, pollution, disturbing migrationor breeding behaviors, and introducing exotic species canthreaten or endanger animal species.

3. What criteria make a species rare?

A species is considered rare if its numbers are low but sta-ble.

4. What does endangered mean?

A species is endangered if it is in immediate danger ofextinction as a breeding species.

VOCABULARYendangered—any species which is in danger of extinc-tion as a breeding species

extinction—the elimination of a species

extirpated or extirpation–the elimination of a speciesfrom a portion of its historic range

rare—low, but stable, in number

threatened—a breeding species which is likely tobecome endangered in the foreseeable future

EXTENSIONSCreate a publicity campaign to increase awareness about local endangered and threatened species.

Have the students conduct research to find out what people are doing to help endangered species. As aclass, develop and implement a project that can be used to help endangered species in Illinois to survive.

CHALLENGE YOURSELFEVALUATION1. Extinction is the elimination of aspecies.

2. The prey items would greatlyincrease until the habitat could nolonger support them.

3. We can help endangered species bycareful planning of construction anddevelopment, acquiring critical land,educating people and making envi-ronmental regulations stronger.

4. We are increasing the rate of extinc-tion tremendously beyond the naturalrate.

5. The American bison no longer isfound in the wild in Illinois although itdoes live in other areas of the UnitedStates.

ACTIVITY PAGE EVALUATIONEach poster should be assessed, making surethat it meets the stated parameters.

Endangered andThreatened Species

STUDENT’SGUIDE


When all members of a particularspecies have died, the species hasbecome extinct. Dodo birds and pas-senger pigeons are extinct.

Extinction is a natural process andoften has natural causes. If the climatechanges greatly, as it has at differenttimes in the past, many species unableto live in the new conditions will die.Many scientists believe this is whathappened to the mastodon and otherspecies during the last Ice Age.

Since the 1600s, several hundredspecies of wildlife, including the dodobird and passenger pigeon, havebecome extinct directly or indirectly asa result of human activities. Whenhumans excessively clear forests or otherhabitats for their own use, kill great num-bers of animals for personal or commer-cial use or pollute the water and land,many species are driven toward extinc-tion. Sometimes our activities interferewith natural migration routes or breedingbehaviors. If we introduce a foreign oralien species into an ecosystem, it canchange or even destroy the delicate bal-ance of the food chain.

In Illinois one or another of these activi-ties is threatening barn owls, spottedturtles, eastern woodrats, Indiana batsand other species.

When the number of a species is lowbut stable, we say it is rare. If its num-bers are low and getting lower, and it islikely to become endangered as abreeding species within the foreseeablefuture, we say it is threatened. When itis threatened with extinction, we say thespecies is endangered. If it has beeneliminated from a part of its historicrange, it is extirpated in that area.

It is our responsibility to recognize and evaluate the conse-quences of our actions and, through planning and manage-ment of our natural and cultural resources, strive to correctand avoid them. Education, careful planning of constructionand development projects, acquisition of critical land and morestringent environmental regulation may help to slow theprocess, but even these practices do not offer guaranteedresults. There have been successful efforts, though. The rein-troduction of the North American river otter to its historic habi-tats in Illinois has resulted in the establishment of this speciesthat was once thought to be headed for extirpation.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF1. What is extinction?

2. What do you think would happen in an ecosystem if preda-tors became extinct?

3. How can we help a species that is endangered?

4. Since extinction is a natural process, why would we be con-cerned about our actions and the problems our actions havecaused?

5. The American bison has been extirpated from Illinois. Whatdoes this statement mean?

VOCABULARY

DODO BIRD – failure NORTH AMERICANRIVER OTTER – success

endangered

extinction

extirpated or extirpation

rare

threatened

What you will need• poster board or large paper• writing/coloring tools• access to reference materials


ACTIVITY PAGE:Endangered Species Gallery Walk

WHAT YOU DO1. Select an animal from the current Illinois endangeredand threatened species list. You can find the latest listat http://dnr.state.il.us/espb/index.htm.

2. Develop a poster about the species you selected. Yourposter should include the following information.

• life history of the animal (where it lives, what iteats, how long it lives, etc.)

• why this species is endangered or threatened

• what is being done to help thespecies

• a photograph or drawing ofthe species

• a range map (where thespecies lives in Illinois)

3. When you have finished, givethe poster to your teacher. Heor she will put the posters uparound the classroom. Now youwill take part in a scavenger huntusing the posters. Answer the followingquestions as you look at the posters.

• Name one species that lives in a wet-land habitat.

• What is the most common reason thatthese species are endangered or threat-ened?

• Do any of the species migrate from Illinoisin the fall?

• What are two actions that people are doingto help these species?

• Make up two questions about the specieson the posters and find the answers.

4. Discuss with the class the answers that youfound.

Adapted from “Endangered Species Gallery Walk” in IllinoisBiodiversity Basics, 2002, a publication of the World WildlifeFund, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and ChicagoWilderness.

««««

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:

Scavenge

r Hunt

Scavenge

r Hunt


CORRELATION TO ILLINOIS LEARNING STANDARDS:English language arts: 5.C.2ascience: 13.B.2e, 13.B.2fsocial science: 17.C.2c

SKILLS/PROCESSES: observation, data collection &interpretation, analysis, group planning, creativity,application, inference, relationships, organization

OBJECTIVE: Students will: 1) understand the need toconserve and manage natural resources; and 2) learndifferent ways currently in use to preserve habitat.

TEACHER’SGUIDE

UNIT THREE • LESSON TWO

BACKGROUNDEarly settlers in Illinois found a vastarray of plants and animals living in theterritory’s clear streams, wide prairiesand extensive forests.

In the 1820s, forests covered about 38percent of the state; the remainder wasmostly tallgrass prairie and wetlands.Today, about 14 percent of the forestand one percent of the original prairieremain. More than nine million acres ofnatural wetlands have been reduced toless than 500,000 acres.

Such drastic loss of habitat—whetherthe result of modern agricultural prac-tices, urban sprawl, pollution, sedimen-tation, habitat fragmentation or flood-control activities—is the most seri-ous threat tothe ultimatesurvival ofIllinois’ wildmammals.

Since humanactivity is theprimary causefor this habi-tat reduction,humans arealso responsi-ble for control-ling and/orreversing this dev-astating trend.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) administersa number of programs which help to maintain current habitatsand slow further habitat loss.

Illinois Acres For Wildlife, a voluntary program, involves ruraland urban landowners who want to help provide wildlife habitaton their property. The landowners, in cooperation with anIDNR biologist, set goals for their land. Participants receiveassistance in conserving or improving habitat and can get freetree and shrub seedlings, food patch seed mixes and help inobtaining financial assistance for habitat improvement.

Hunting and trapping are highly regulated activities in Illinois.Laws limit when, where and how many animals may be takenby hunters and trappers and keep these species from becom-ing endangered. Fees collected from hunters and trappers forlicenses, special stamps and excise taxes go toward conserva-tion programs which benefit all wildlife species.

The Illinois Nature Preserve System includesmore than 350 nature preserves acrossthe state, encompassing a total of morethan 46,000 acres (as of 2009). Thesepreserves were created to keepunique areas of the state undevelopedfor scientific research, education andpublic enjoyment. These areas pro-vide homes to a wide diversity of bio-logical treasures and harbor many ofIllinois’ rare and endangered species.

Through education and a commitmentto the importance of preserving ournatural heritage, we must all strive,both individually and as a society, to

learn to share the world with all livingthings.

Maintaining Mammals



PROCEDURE AND DISCUSSIONReview the student information with the class, emphasizingthe extent of human responsibility in the reduction of wildmammal habitat and the potential for human intervention incontrolling or reversing this trend.

1. What are the most significant contributors to habitat loss?

Modern agricultural practices, urban sprawl, pollution, habi-tat fragmentation and flood control programs contribute mostto habitat destruction.

2. What are three programs that help manage, preserveand restore natural habitats?

Three programs that help manage, preserve or restore habitatare Acres For Wildlife, the Illinois Nature Preserves Systemand conservation areas purchased and managed with feesand special taxes collected from hunters and trappers.

3. Who is responsible for the conservation and preserva-tion of our natural heritage?

Everyone, both individually and as a society.

VOCABULARYhabitat—the natural environment in which wild animalscan thrive

habitat fragmentation—separation of areas of naturalhabitat by agricultural or urban development

EXTENSIONSInvite representatives of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) or other conservation organ-izations to speak to the class about habitat loss.

Order a copy of the Fur Hunting and Trapping in Illinois DVD and booklet from the IDNR publications pageat http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/publications. Show the video to the class and hold a discussion about the useof wildlife management techniques.

CHALLENGE YOURSELFEVALUATION

1. All of the factors increase the rate ofhabitat loss, either directly or indirectly.

2. You can provide habitat for wildlifeand support conservation programs,practices and organizations.

ACTIVITY PAGE EVALUATIONAnswers will vary.

MaintainingMammals

STUDENT’SGUIDE


Early settlers in Illinoisfound clearstreams, sprawl-ing prairies andvast forests, allinhabited bymany kinds ofwildlife. In the 1820s,forests covered about38 percent of thestate; the rest wasmostly tallgrass prairieand wetlands. Today,about 14 percent of the for-est and one percent of the grasslandremain. More than nine million acres ofwetlands have been reduced to lessthan 500,000 acres.

These changes mean a drastic loss ofhabitat, or natural environment, for wildmammals. Modern farming practices,urban sprawl, pollution, habitat frag-mentation (dividing up natural environ-ments by agricultural or urban develop-ment) and flood-control activities (whichdrain wetlands of water) are the mostserious threats to the survival of Illinois’wild mammals.

People who have land they want to useto help provide habitat for wildlife canjoin a program called Illinois Acres ForWildlife. The person who owns the landgets help from a biologist in decidingwhat to do to make the land a betterhome for Illinois mammals and otherwildlife.

Hunting and trapping are highly regulat-ed activities in Illinois. Laws limit when,where and how many animals may be

taken by hunters and trappers andkeep these species from becom-ing endangered. Fees collectedfrom hunters and trappers forlicenses, special stamps andexcise taxes go toward conserva-tion programs which benefit allwildlife species.

The Illinois Nature Preserve Systemincludes more than 350 nature

preserves across the state(as of 2009). These pre-serves protect special

habitats. Many of the state’s rareand endangered species live in these preserves.

In addition, there are many other public and private conserva-tion organizations and groups striving to understand, manageand protect our natural environment.

By making a commitment to the importance of preserving ournatural heritage and to maintaining a wide range of plants andanimals, we can all learn to share the world of living things.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF1. How do you think each of the following factors affects theloss of natural habitat? Modern farming practices like chemi-cal fertilizers and pesticides; expansion of urban and subur-ban development; pollution; flood-control programs.

2. What can you do to help maintain wild mammals?

VOCABULARYhabitathabitat fragmentation

DEER MOUSE

ACTIVITY PAGE:Taking Action


WHAT YOU DOMake a list of projects that you and your fellow students can do to help the mammals and other wildlifethat live in your area. Think about these questions as you make your list.

• What actions could we take at school?

• What actions could we take at home?

• What actions could we take in our community?

• How can we let people know about this issue?

• How can we get other people to help us?

• What will we need to get started?

• What will we need to maintain our project?

• How will wildlife benefit?

• Will any problems be caused by our actions?

• Are there any laws that we should be aware of?

Now that you are prepared, start your action project! You and your classmates can make a positive differ-ence for wildlife!


GLOSSARYabundant – more than enough; plentiful

There was an abundant supply of nutsfor the squirrels to eat.

adaptable or adapt – able to adjust tonew conditions or surroundings

River otters reintroduced fromLouisiana had to adapt to their new sur-roundings.

appendages – the “hands” and “feet” ofan animal; in the case of mammals, usual-ly paws or hooves

The raccoon used its appendages tocatch a crayfish.

burrow – a tunnel or system of tunnelsdug underground by an animal and usedfor a home

The badger lives in a burrow in thesoil.

camouflage – a disguise or false appear-ance that is used to hide something

The mink’s dark fur camouflages it atnight when it hunts for prey.

canines – teeth located on either side ofthe incisors, in one or both jaws, used forstabbing and tearing

The long canines of the coyote help itto capture mice and other prey.

carnivore – any animal that eats only theflesh of other animals

The bobcat is a carnivore, catchingand eating squirrels, mice and otherspecies.

conservation – the protection and wiseuse of the forests, rivers, animals, miner-als and other natural resources

Conservation of our natural resourcesis important so that wild mammals cancontinue to exist.

critical temperature – the temperature atwhich a hibernating mammal will automat-ically waken (varies from species tospecies)

A thirteen-lined ground squirrel willawaken from hibernation when the air inits burrow reaches a critical temperature.

den – a hollowed chamber or space usedas a home by an animal

Fox young are born and raised in a den.

diurnal – of or occurring during the day

Squirrels are diurnal animals, activethroughout the daylight hours year round.

domestic – not wild; tame

Pets are considered to be domesticanimals.

dormancy – a condition of inactivity orsleep

Skunks use dormancy to help protectthem when the outside temperature isvery cold.

echolocation – a technique of sound andhearing used by bats to navigate in the dark

Bats use echolocation to help themnavigate and locate prey in the dark.

endangered – threatened with danger ofextinction

The Indiana bat is an endangeredmammal in Illinois.

environment – the surroundings in whichan organism lives

A good environment helped the mam-mal species to survive.

extinction – the elimination of a species

The rate of species extinction hasbeen increased by the actions of humans.

extirpated or extirpation – the elimina-tion of a species from a portion of its his-toric range

The porcupine has been extirpatedfrom Illinois.

food chain – the route of energy flowthrough a community of organisms

The transfer of energy from sun toplant to grasshopper to white-footedmouse is an example of a food chain.

gestation period – the length of time amammal develops inside the mother’sbody prior to birth

The gestation period for the white-tailed deer is about 210 days.

habitat – the natural environment inwhich living things can thrive

Woodlands and forest edges are thepreferred habitats for the fox squirrel.

habitat fragmentation – separation ofareas of natural habitat by agricultural orurban development

Construction for the new highwaycaused habitat fragmentation of the forest.

herbivore – any animal that eats onlyplants

The white-tailed deer is an herbivore.

hibernation – a state of reduced metabo-lism, like a very deep sleep, which allowsan animal to survive periods of foodscarcity

Hibernation is used by the thirteen-lined ground squirrel as a survival tech-nique in winter.

home range – a large area of land onwhich animals live

The home range of a white-tailed deercan cover many square miles.

incisors – teeth located in the front andcenter of one or both jaws, used for hold-ing, cutting or gnawing

A beaver’s strong incisors let it gnawtree bark.

insectivore – any animal that eats onlyinsects

Insectivores, such as the northernshort-tailed shrew, feed on insects.

instinctive behavior – an inborn, auto-matic response or behavior pattern

Instinctive behavior by mammals doesnot have to be learned.

learned behavior – behavior acquiredthrough imitation and play

Learned behavior comes from watch-ing or playing with other members of amammal’s species.

limbs – the “arms” and “legs” of an animal

The front limbs of a bat are modifiedfor flying.


GLOSSARYmammals – animals having these fivecharacteristics: hair or fur; warm-blooded;usually born alive; young are fed milk pro-duced by the mother; a more complexbrain than other animals

Mammals include bats, mice, squirrelsand many other species.

mammary glands – special organs infemale mammals that produce milk tofeed the young

A young mammal feeds on milk fromits mother’s mammary glands.

management – the act of directing orcontrolling

Management practices for wildlife caninvolve habitat protection.

metabolism – the rate at which a livingcreature uses up the energy it gets fromits food

During hibernation, the metabolism ofa mammal slows down.

natural resources – materials, plants andanimals found in nature that are useful ornecessary for people to live

Water, wildlife and forests are justsome of Illinois’ natural resources.

nocturnal – of or occurring at night

Bats are nocturnal mammals.

omnivore – any animal that eats plants,the flesh of other animals or anything else

Raccoons are omnivores, eating fishes,fruits, grain and other items.

photosynthesis – the process by which aplant makes simple sugar using light,chlorophyll, carbon dioxide and water

Photosynthesis is an important step inall food chains.

predator – animal that lives by huntingother animals for food

As a predator, the bobcat feeds onprey, such as mice and squirrels.

premolars/molars – teeth located alongthe sides and back of one or both jaws,used for grinding and shearing

The large premolars and molars of awhite-tailed deer grind the plant materialthat it eats.

prey – animal that is caught, killed andeaten by another animal

The grasshopper was prey for thewhite-footed mouse.

rare – low, but stable, in number

The population of some rare speciesmay have always been low due to theirspecific habitat requirements.

restocking – replacing a supply of some-thing, refilling

Biologists raise and restock wildlife intotheir natural habitats, such as wetlands.

scavenger – any animal that eats thedead bodies of other animals but does notcatch and kill them itself

A Virginia opossum can be a scav-enger on road-killed animals.

sedimentation – filling up of streams,ponds, lakes and other bodies of water bysilt and runoff

Sedimentation can cause many prob-lems for aquatic mammals.

small game – small wild animals or fisheshunted or caught for sport or food

The group went hunting for rabbits andother small game species.

species – a type of living thing

Gray squirrels and fox squirrels are twodifferent species of mammals.

survive – to live longer than; live through;to continue to exist

The rabbit survived the harsh, coldwinter.

terrain – the physical features of a pieceof land

Eastern woodrats prefer a hilly, rockyterrain to live in.

threatened – to be in danger of harm;any animal or plant species which is likelyto become endangered in the foreseeablefuture

Four mammal species in Illinois arelisted as threatened (as of 2009).

top predator – any predator in a foodchain on which no others prey

The bobcat is a top predator.

tracks – the footprints left by an animal insoft soil, mud, sand or snow

Many animal tracks can be seen in themud along the river.

uterus – the organ in a female mammalin which the developing young grow

Development of mammals before birthoccurs in the mother’s uterus.

viviparous – giving birth to live young(not hatched from eggs)

All mammals, except the duck-billedplatypus and echidna, are viviparous.

wean – the progression of a young mam-mal from dependence on its mother’s milkto independent eating

The fawn was weaned and now eatsonly plant materials.

warm-blooded – maintaining a constantinternal body temperature

One of the traits of a mammal is that itis warm-blooded.


SPECIES SHEET

AMERICAN BADGERTaxidea taxus

Statisticslength: head and body 17 - 31”; tail 4 - 6”weight: 13 - 26 lbs.number of teeth: 34young: one to five young per litter, bornin March or April; one litter per year

Habitatopen country such as prairies, pas-tures, brushy fields, alfalfa fields

Foodanimals (carnivore): thirteen-lined groundsquirrels, woodchucks, plains pocket gophers,voles, mice, cottontails, birds

Period of Activitymainly at night (nocturnal) but also in theday (diurnal)

Gestation Periodabout seven months (development is delayed after mating)

Age at Maturityabout one year

Hibernates?no

Distributionstatewide

Badger TriviaThe badger’s body is broad and flat, and its legs are short and strong. The claws on itsfront feet are very long. All of these features make badgers powerful diggers. Badgers digburrows in search of food and then use those burrows for shelter.

US Distribution


Castor canadensisStatisticslength: head and body 20 - 36”; tail 9 - 15”weight: 30 - 66 lbs.number of teeth: 20young: three or four born in May or June; one litter per year

Habitatalong streams, rivers, ponds and lakesusually with trees in close proximity

Foodvegetation (herbivore): bark of trees andshrubs, leaves, aquatic plants and grass-es

Period of Activitylate afternoon and at night (nocturnal)

Gestation Period105 days

Age at Maturitytwo years

Hibernates?no

DistributionIllinois: statewide

Beaver TriviaThe beaver is the largest rodent in Illinois. This mammal has a large, flat, paddlelike tailand webbed hind feet that help it swim. The large tail of the beaver may be used to slapthe water as a means of communicating with other beavers. Beavers spend most of theirtime in the water, only coming onto land to rest, rear young and feed. Undoubtedly, themost well-known fact about the beaver is its ability to cut trees which it uses to constructdams and lodges.

US Distribution

SPECIES SHEET

AMERICAN BEAVER


Lynx rufusStatisticslength: head and body 20 - 39”; tail 4 - 7”weight: 15 - 22 lbs.number of teeth: 28young: one to four born late spring; one litterper year

Habitatwooded or timbered bluffs or rolling hills intermixedwith open fields, brushy ravines or open bottom-lands

Foodmeat-eater (carnivore): cottontails, squirrels, mice andvarious types of birds

Period of Activitynight (nocturnal)

Gestation Periodabout two months

Age at Maturityone year

Hibernates? no

DistributionIllinois: southern third of the state and spo-radically remainder of state

Bobcat TriviaBobcats were once considered rare in Illinois. They are now common in forested areas insouthern Illinois and increasingly so along major river systems in the state. The homerange of a bobcat is usually two miles in diameter; however, they have been known towander as far as 25 - 50 miles.

BOBCATSPECIES SHEET

US Distribution


Canis latransStatisticslength: head and body 28 - 44”;tail 11 - 15”weight: 20 - 35 lbs.number of teeth: 42young: six or seven young bornin spring; one litter per year

Habitatvarious habitats including brushy areas,woodland, wooded bluffs and prairies

Foodanimals (carnivore): cottontails, mice,deer, raccoons, various birds, cray-fish and grasshoppers

Period of Activitymainly at night (nocturnal) but alsoduring the day (diurnal)

Gestation Periodtwo months

Age at Maturityone or two years

Hibernates?no


Coyote TriviaThe coyote was present before European settlers arrived in Illinois and has increased innumbers since then due to the removal of timber. The coyote travels approximately 10miles daily in search of food and has been known to travel distances as much as 100miles. Coyotes can run at speeds more than 40 mph, a speed faster than cars are allowedto travel on most city streets.

COYOTESPECIES SHEET

US Distribution


Tamias striatusStatisticslength: head and body 5 - 7”; tail 3 - 4”weight: 2.8 - 5.3 oz.number of teeth: 20young: two litters of two to six young born inspring and summer

Habitatwooded bluffs, ravines and brushy areas inor adjacent to deciduous forests, urbanareas

Foodvegetation and animals (omnivore): nuts, seeds,fruits, fungi, flowers, buds, snails, caterpillars andfrogs

Period of Activityday (diurnal)

Gestation Periodone month


Hibernates?no


Chipmunk TriviaChipmunks spend a considerable amount of time searching for food, which they may storein burrows. Food is carried to the burrow in the cheek pouches inside their mouth.Chipmunks do not store much fat in their body and must awaken often in winter to eatfood that is stored in the burrow.

EASTERN CHIPMUNKSPECIES SHEET

US Distribution


EASTERN COTTONTAIL (RABBIT)SPECIES SHEET

Sylvilagus floridanusStatisticslength: head and body 11 - 18”;tail 2.0 – 2.5.”; ears 2.5 - 3.0”weight: 2 - 3 lbs.number of teeth: 28young: four to six young per litter born fromMarch to September; three to seven littersper year

Habitata variety of cover types including weeds, brushpiles, hedges, short grasses and shrubs

Foodvegetation (herbivore): grasses, clover, alfalfa,seeds, buds, fruits and bark

Period of Activityearly evening to early morning (mostly nocturnal)


Age at Maturitysix months

Hibernates?no


Cottontail TriviaThe cottontail has large hind legs that help it hop and run fast. The female cottontailplaces the blind, helpless newborns in a shallow depression in the ground or a short bur-row. These areas are lined with hair and covered with grasses to hide the young when thefemale is away.

US Distribution


Sciurus nigerStatisticslength: head and body 10 - 16”; tail 8 - 12”weight: 1.1 - 3.0 lbs.number of teeth: 20young: two litters (late winter andsummer) of two to four young each

Habitatlives on the edges of forests and other openwoodlands, urban areas

Foodvegetation and animals (omnivore):fruits, buds, seeds, flowers, leaves,fungi and insects


Gestation Periodsix weeks


Hibernates?no


Fox Squirrel TriviaFox squirrels become inactive in winter. A fox squirrel curls up into a ball shape inside of atree cavity or a leaf nest. Leaf nests are constructed in large trees and often used in habi-tats where tree cavities are absent. The home range of a fox squirrel is between 10 and 40acres.

EASTERN FOX SQUIRRELSPECIES SHEET

US Distribution


Lasiurus borealisStatisticslength: head and body 2 - 3”; tail 1.8 - 2.0”weight: 0.25 - 0.60 oz.number of teeth: 32young: one to five young born inMay or June; one litter peryear

Habitatfound in trees, shrubs and weeds,rarely in caves or attics

Foodinsects (carnivore): moths, flying ants,leafhoppers, flies and beetles


Gestation Periodthree months

Age at Maturity one year

Hibernates? no; migrates south for the winter


Red Bat TriviaEastern red bats reside in Illinois during spring-summer-fall and migrate south for the win-ter when their food supply, insects, is not available. There are 12 species of bats found inIllinois, and red bats are one of the more common species. Bats rely on echolocation, orsupersonic sounds, to locate objects.

EASTERN RED BATSPECIES SHEET

US Distribution

Blarina brevicaudaStatisticslength: head and body 3 - 4”; tail 0.5 - 1.2”weight: 0.5 - 1.0 oz.number of teeth: 32young: four to seven young per litter bornin spring and fall; two to three litters peryear

Habitatvarious habitats (grassy fencerows, openwoodlands) but most common in wood-lands

Foodearthworms, slugs, snails, insects, insect larvae and other small animals (carnivore)

Period of Activityday (diurnal) and night (nocturnal)

Gestation Periodthree weeks

Age at Maturitytwo months

Hibernates?no

DistributionIllinois: common in the northern two-thirds ofthe state and less common in southernIllinois

Shrew TriviaShrews have enormous appetites and are known to eat more than their body weight eachday. They use their poisonous saliva to paralyze prey. They are able to produce soundsthat humans cannot hear. These sounds help them to move about in their habitat. Shrewsare ferocious fighters, protecting their home range (0.5 – 1.0 acre) and food supply.


NORTHERN SHORT-TAILED SHREWSPECIES SHEET

US Distribution


Geomys bursariusStatisticslength: head and body 6 - 9”; tail 2 - 4”weight: 0.5 – 1.0 lb.number of teeth: 20young: three to six young born in spring;one litter per year

Habitatrequires well-drained soil withtuberous-rooted plants

Foodvegetation (herbivore): roots, stems and leaves




Hibernates?no

DistributionIllinois: narrow band along the Illinois andKankakee Rivers

Pocket Gopher TriviaThe pocket gopher is a rodent with special adaptations for a fossorial, or underground life.Its front feet are large with a strong claw on each toe to help it dig dirt. Gophers are ableto close their mouth behind their incisors, or front teeth, so they can dig with their teethwithout getting dirt in their mouth. Areas where pocket gophers live have mounds of dirt atthe entrances of their burrows. The burrow system may be as much as 500 feet long.

PLAINS POCKET GOPHERSPECIES SHEET

US Distribution


Microtus ochrogasterStatisticslength: head and body 3.8 - 5.5”; tail 1.0 - 1.5”weight: 1.0 - 2.1 oz.number of teeth: 16young: three or four young per litter; several litters per year

Habitatvariety of grassy areas

Foodvegetation (herbivore): clover, alfalfa, grasses andweeds



Age at Maturityabout three weeks

Hibernates?no


Prairie Vole TriviaPrairie voles live in an extensive underground burrow system, connected on the surface byrunways which can only be seen by parting the vegetation. The average life span of aprairie vole is five to 12 weeks, making it necessary for the species to produce youngthroughout the year. Prairie voles are a food source for many animals, including hawks,owls, coyotes, foxes and bobcats.

PRAIRIE VOLESPECIES SHEET

US Distribution


Procyon lotor

Statisticslength: head and body 19 - 28”; tail 8 - 12”weight: 12 - 26 lbs.number of teeth: 40young: three to four young born in the spring or summer; one lit-ter per year

Habitatvarious habitats, always near a permanent source of water

Foodvegetation and animals (omnivore): nuts, berries, grains,seeds, crayfish, fishes, turtles, cottontails, voles and mice


Gestation Periodtwo months

Age at Maturityeight months

Hibernates?no


Raccoon TriviaThe raccoon is an easily recognized mammal having a black-masked face and a ringedtail. Raccoons are good climbers and swimmers. The home range of a raccoon is one totwo miles across. Raccoons have become common in urban environments, feeding ongarbage and pet food and living in hollow trees and abandoned and occupied homes.

RACCOONSPECIES SHEET

US Distribution


Spermophilus tridecemlineatus

Statisticslength: head and body 5 - 8”; tail 3.0 - 4.5”weight: 3.5 - 9 oz.number of teeth: 22young: six to 10 young born in May or June;one litter per year

Habitatareas having short vegetation

Foodvegetation and animals (omnivore): grass-es, weeds, seeds, grasshoppers, beetles,ants and earthworms




Hibernates?yes; five or six months of the year

DistributionIllinois: northern two-thirds of state

Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel TriviaThirteen-lined ground squirrels are found in short grassy areas where they are often seensitting up on their hind legs. These ground squirrels live in burrows which are dug leavingno sign of the burrow except the opening. Three types of burrows are constructed (hiding,nesting and hibernation) with differences in the size and depth of the burrow and type ofnest cavity present.

THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRRELSPECIES SHEET

US Distribution


Didelphis virginiana

Statisticslength: head and body 17 - 21”; tail 8.5 - 12.5”weight: 6 - 12 lbs.number of teeth: 50young: seven to 21 young per litter; two littersper year (late February and May or June)

Habitatvarious habitats including woodlands, stream corri-dors, brushy areas and urban areas

Foodvegetation and animals (omnivore): fruit, grain, seeds,insects, birds, eggs, reptiles and earthworms; scavenged mate-rial such as garbage, road-killed animals and pet food


Gestation Periodtwo weeks

Age at Maturitynine months to one year

Hibernates?no


Opossum TriviaThe Virginia opossum is the only marsupial in North America. Marsupials are primitivemammals that give birth to immature young. The young crawl into a pouch on the female’sabdomen where they mature. When confronted with a threatening situation, an opossummay play dead, hiss, growl, bare its teeth or run.

VIRGINIA OPOSSUMSPECIES SHEET

US Distribution


Peromyscus leucopusStatisticslength: head and body 3.5 - 4.2”; tail 2.3 - 4.0”weight: 0.5 - 1.1 oz.number of teeth: 16young: two to six young per litter,born throughout the year; at leastfour litters per year

Habitatprefer wooded and brushy areas but will live in most habitats

Foodvegetation and animals (omnivore): seeds and other types of vegetation, beetles, moth larvaeand spiders



Age at Maturityone month

Hibernates?no


White-footed Mouse TriviaWhite-footed mice live on the ground in logs and stumps. Since white-footed mice canclimb, they often nest in abandoned bird nests in trees and bushes or in cavities in thetrunks of trees. Nest cavities are lined with finely shredded plant materials. The opening ishidden. The home range of a white-footed mouse is 0.5 - 1.5 acres. These mice can livefor two to three years.

WHITE-FOOTED MOUSESPECIES SHEET

US Distribution


Odocoileus virginianus

Statisticsheight: 3.0 - 3.5’weight: males 75 - 300 lbs.; females 50 -200 lbs.number of teeth: 32young: one or two young per year, born in May orJune

Habitatseek wooded areas for refuge; forage in fields, pas-tures and brushy areas

Foodvegetation (herbivore): shoots, twigs, leaves,grains, grasses and acorns

Period of Activitynight (nocturnal) and twilight hours

Gestation Periodseven months

Age at Maturitysix months

Hibernates?no


White-tailed Deer TriviaThe white-tailed deer is the largest Illinois mammal. Deer are in the family of mammalscharacterized by having hooves, antlers that are shed and replaced annually and a four-chambered stomach, allowing them to chew a cud. Antlers usually are produced only onmales. The size of the antler and number of points increase with the deer’s age until aboutfive years of age.

WHITE-TAILED DEERSPECIES SHEET

US Distribution

Education SectionOne Natural Resources Way

Springfield, IL 62702

[email protected]://www.dnr.illinois.gov

Documents

State of Illinois Illinois Department of Natural Resources · 2013-05-01 · Stephen Swanson, The Grove Nature Center, Glenview Alexia Tryzna, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago