WILD 5290 Final

American beaver - Physical Characteristics

No sexual dimorphism

American beaver - weight

16-30kg

American beaver - length

1.0-1.2 km

American beaver - population status

abundant and increasing

American beaver - reproductive strategy

Monogamous

American beaver - sexual maturity

2 years old

American beaver - peak breeding

Nov-March

American beaver - gestation length

106 days

American beaver - litter size

3-4

American beaver - number of litters/year

1

American beaver - food habits

inner bark and leaves of trees and herbaceous vegetation

American beaver - home range

size varies based on body of water, usually no more than ½ mile long

American black bear - physical characteristics

apparent sexual dimorphism

American black bear - weight

males: 115-270kg
females: 90-140kg

American black bear - length

1.5-1.7m

American black bear - population status

only few breeding bears in southwestern AL

American black bear - reproductive strategy

Polygynous

American black bear - sexual maturity

2-8 years

American black bear - breeding season

June-July; delayed implantation until Oct-Nov

American black bear - gestation length

60-70 days

American black bear - litter size

1-3

American black bear - litters/year

one litter every 1-3 years

American black bear - food habits

Omnivore; varies seasonally

American black bear - Home range

1,000-22,000 ha

Bobcat - physical characteristics

sexual dimorphism apparent

Bobcat - weight

Males: 10-25kg
Females: 5-20kg

Bobcat - length

Males: 500-1200mm
Females: 450-1100mm

Bobcat - population status

stable to increasing in SE

Bobcat - reproductive strategy

Polygamous

Bobcat - sexual maturity

1-2 years old

Bobcat - breeding peak

Jan-Feb

Bobcat - gestation length

62 days

Bobcat - litter size

3-4

Bobcat - litters/year

1

Bobcat - food habits

opportunistic carnivores

Bobcat - home range size

300-5,000 ha

Brown bear - physical characteristics

males 8%-10% larger

Brown bear - weight

males: 389kg
females: 207kg

Brown bear - length

1.28 m

Brown bear - population status

some populations endangered

Brown bear - reproductive strategy

Polygamous

Brown bear - sexual maturity

2½ - 4 years old

Brown bear - peak breeding

May-July

Brown bear - gestation length

7-9 months

Brown bear - litter size

1-2

Brown bear - litters/year

1 a year if young die, 1 every 2 years if young survive

Brown bear - food habits

omnivores

Brown bear - home range size

75-400 sq km

Cougar - physical characteristics

Males are significantly heavier

Cougar - weight

Males: 60kg
Females: 40kg

Cougar - length

Males: 1,270mm
Females: 1,140mm

Cougar - population status

Florida panther and eastern cougar are critically endangered; parent species is near threatened

Cougar - reproductive strategy

polygamous

Cougar - sexual maturity

2-3 years old

Cougar - breeding peak

year-round, peaks in spring/summer

Cougar - gestation length

82-98 days

Cougar - litter size

1-4

Cougar - litters/year

1 litter every 2-3 years

Cougar - food habits

nocturnal carnivores

Cougar - home range size

150-750 sq km

Eastern Cottontail - physical characteristics

no significant sexual dimorphism

Eastern Cottontail - weight

80-1500g

Eastern Cottontail - length

400-475mm

Eastern Cottontail - population status

widest distribution of any of the cottontails but change in land-use has caused decline

Eastern Cottontail - reproductive strategy

polygamous

Eastern Cottontail - sexual maturity

5 months

Eastern Cottontail - peak breeding

Jan-Sep in AL

Eastern Cottontail - gestation length

28 days

Eastern Cottontail - litter size

3-4

Eastern Cottontail - litters/year

4-7

Eastern Cottontail - food habits

Herbivore; varies seasonally

Eastern Cottontail - home range size

1-3 ha

Fox squirrel - physical characteristics

no sexual dimorphism

Fox squirrel - weight

1000g

Fox squirrel - length

450-700mm

Fox squirrel - population status

southern populations have declined due to fire suppression and longleaf ecosystem decline

Fox squirrel - reproductive strategy

promiscuous

Fox squirrel - sexual maturity

8 months

Fox squirrel - peak breeding season

Dec-March/May-Aug

Fox squirrel - Gestation length

44 days

Fox squirrel - litter size

2-4

Fox squirrel - litters/year

2

Fox squirrel - food habits

hard and soft mast, buds, bark, insects, fungi

Fox squirrel - home range size

1-3 ha

Gray fox - Physical characteristics

no significant sexual dimorphism

Gray fox - weight

3-7kg

Gray fox - length

800-1,130mm

Gray fox - population status

not of special concern

Gray fox - reproductive strategy

monogamous

Gray fox - sexual maturity

10 months

Gray fox - peak of breeding season

Feb-May

Gray fox - gestation length

51-63 days

Gray fox - litter size

4-6

Gray fox - litters/year

1

Gray fox - food habits

Omnivore

Gray fox - home range size

2-5 sq km

Gray squirrel - Physical Characteristics

No sexual dimorphism

Gray squirrel - weight

350-750g

Gray squirrel - length

375-525mm

Gray squirrel - population status

Stable