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Geographical Range

Southeastern United States

Habitat

Rivers, lakes, swamps, canals

Scientific Name

Macroclemys temminckii

Conservation Status

Common

A Giant Among Turtles

The alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America. These reptiles can grow to be two-and-a-half feet long and weigh more than 200 pounds! These are not turtles to be trifled with. Aside from their sheer size, they have powerful jaws, a sharply hooked beak, bear-like claws, and a long, powerful tail.

Go Fish

What do alligator snapping turtles do when they get hungry? Go fishing! They lure fish into their mouth by wiggling their tongue, which has a special attachment shaped like a worm. When fish are fooled and come closer, they wind up as the turtles' next meal!

Besides fish, alligator snapping turtles will also eat other turtles, frogs, snakes, snails, worms, clams, crayfish, and aquatic plants. That's quite a menu!

Little Snappers

When alligator snappers reach the age of about 11 or so, they're ready to mate. Mating takes place in the water in late spring. In early summer, the female leaves the water to dig a nest and lay eggs - up to 52!

As is true for many reptiles, the temperature in the nest controls whether the babies will be male or female. If the temperature is moderate, the hatchlings will be male. If the temperature is high or low, they will be female. The little turtles make their appearance when the eggs hatch in late summer or early fall.

Though adult alligator snappers don't have to worry much about animal predators, their eggs and hatchlings make a tasty meal for large fish, raccoons, and birds.

Liquid Lifestyle

Alligator snapping turtles are almost totally aquatic (water-dwelling). They come out of the water only to bask in the sun (when they need to warm up) or to nest (in the case of females).

Alligator snappers spend the daytime hours hiding in submerged logs or roots, waiting for fish to swim by. They become active at night, when they walk slowly across the bottom of the river (or lake or swamp) in search of food. Despite their aquatic lifestyle, they don't do much swimming.

A Giant Problem

Alligator snapping turtles are in trouble in the wild. They suffer from habitat loss, water pollution, and over-harvesting. Though some states have laws that prevent their harvesting, in other states it's allowed with permits.

These animals need our help to recover. You can do your part by helping to protect their habitat. Avoid activities that lead to water pollution, organize a local stream clean-up day, or help restore a wetland area.

Fun Facts

Alligator snappers can stay submerged for up to 50 minutes before they need to come up to breathe. This may seem like a long time, but it's actually less than many other turtle species.

Alligator snapping turtles live about 50 years.

The alligator snapping turtle has been called the "dinosaur of the turtle world" because of its primitive look and dinosaur-like tail.

Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Chelydridae

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Geographical Range Southeastern United States Habitat Rivers, lakes, swamps, canals Scientific Name Macroclemys temminckii Conservation Status Common The alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America. These reptiles can grow to be two-and-a-half feet long and weigh more than 200 pounds! These are not turtles to be trifled with.

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Black Kingsnake | Office for Environmental Programs Outreach Services

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Fun Facts - The black kingsnake, like other snakes, is a reptile. The scientific study of amphibians and reptiles is called herpetology. The black kingsnake is most active in the early morning and at dusk (crepuscular), however it becomes nocturnal during the summer when the weather is most hot.

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Habitat

Barn Owls live in open habitats across most of the lower 48 United States and extend into a few parts of southern Canada (as well as in much of the rest of the world). These include grasslands, deserts, marshes, agricultural fields, strips of forest, woodlots, ranchlands, brushy fields, and suburbs and cities. They nest in tree cavities, caves, and in buildings (often barns but also including Yankee Stadium). In the Andes they occur as high as 13,000 feet elevation. Back to top

Food

Barn Owls eat mostly small mammals, particularly rats, mice, voles, lemmings, and other rodents; also shrews, bats, and rabbits. Most of the prey they eat are active at night, so squirrels and chipmunks are relatively safe from Barn Owls. They occasionally eat birds such as starlings, blackbirds, and meadowlarks. Nesting Barn Owls sometimes store dozens of prey items at the nest site while they are incubating to feed the young once they hatch. Back to top

Nesting

Nest Placement

Barn Owls put their nests in holes in trees, cliff ledges and crevices, caves, burrows in river banks, and in many kinds of human structures, including barn lofts, church steeples, houses, nest boxes, haystacks, and even drive-in movie screens.

Nest Description

The female makes a simple nest of her own regurgitated pellets, shredded with her feet and arranged into a cup. Unlike most birds, owls may use their nest sites for roosting throughout the year. Nest sites are often reused from year to year, often by different owls.

Nesting Facts

Behavior

Barn Owls fly slowly over open fields at night or dusk with slow wingbeats and a looping, buoyant flight. They use their impressive hearing, aided by their satellite-dish-shaped faces, to locate mice and other rodents in the grass, often in complete darkness. Barn Owls are usually monogamous and mate for life, although there are some reports of males with more than one mate. Males attract their mates with several kinds of display flights, including a "moth flight" where he hovers in front of a female for several seconds, his feet dangling. He also displays potential nest sites by calling and flying in and out of the nest. After the pair forms, the male brings prey to the female (often more than she can consume), beginning about a month before she starts laying eggs. Barn Owls defend the area around their nests, but don't defend their hunting sites; more than one pair may hunt on the same fields. Back to top

Conservation

Barn Owls are difficult to count because they're nocturnal and secretive, so population sizes are hard to estimate. Owing in part to this difficulty, the North American Breeding Bird Survey could not detect a significant population change between 1966 and 2014, although it appears that their numbers have slightly increased in that time. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 2 million, with 7% living in the U.S. and 2% in Mexico. They rate a 9 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score and are not on the 2016 State of the Birds Watch List. Barn Owls are threatened by the conversion of agricultural land to urban and suburban development, and the loss of suitable nesting sites such as large, hollow trees and old buildings. Changes to agricultural fields and grasslands can also affect Barn Owls through changes to their prey populations. Barn Owls were affected by the use of DDT-related pesticides, and they may be susceptible to poisons used against rodents, since they form a large part of the owls' diet. Because Barn Owls hunt by flying low over fields, they are often hit by cars; planting hedgerows alongside roads can help prevent this from happening. Nest boxes (of the correct size) have helped Barn Owl populations recover in areas where natural nest sites were scarce. Back to top

Credits

Lutmerding, J. A. and A. S. Love. Longevity records of North American birds. Version 2015.2. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Bird Banding Laboratory 2015.

Marti, Carl D., Alan F. Poole and Louis R. Bevier. 2005. Barn Owl ( Tyto alba), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA.

Partners in Flight (2017). Avian Conservation Assessment Database. 2017.

Roulin, A. 1999. Nonrandom pairing by male Barn Owls ( Tyto alba) with respect to a female plumage trait. Behav. Ecol. no. 10:688-695.

Sauer, J. R., D. K. Niven, J. E. Hines, D. J. Ziolkowski, Jr., K. L. Pardieck, J. E. Fallon, and W. A. Link (2017). The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966-2015. Version 2.07.2017. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD, USA.

Sibley, D. A. (2014). The Sibley guide to birds, second edition. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, USA.

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Barn Owl Life History, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

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Ghostly pale and normally strictly nocturnal, Barn Owls are silent predators of the night world. Lanky, with a whitish face, chest, and belly, and buffy upperparts, this owl roosts in hidden, quiet places during the day. By night, they hunt on buoyant wingbeats in open fields and meadows.

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With its ghostly appearance, rasping shrieks, and habit of roosting in such places as church belfries, this bird has attracted much superstition. However, it is really a good omen for farmers who find it in their barns, for it preys chiefly on mice and rats. Discovered in its daytime retreat, the Barn Owl bobs its head and weaves back and forth, peering at the intruder. At night it is often heard calling as it flies high over farmland or marshes. One of the most widespread of all landbirds, found on six continents and many islands.

Conservation status

In recent decades, has declined slightly in some regions, drastically in others. Numbers are apparently stable or increasing in a few sites. May be helped in some areas by provision of nest boxes.

Family
Barn Owls

Habitat

Woodlands, groves, farms, barns, towns, cliffs. Typically in open or semi-open country in lowlands. May nest in forest or city if nearby area has good open foraging territory, such as farmland, marsh, prairie, desert.

Feeding Behavior

Hunts at night, seldom by day. Seeks prey mostly by flying low over open ground, watching and listening; sometimes hunts by flying down from a perch. Has excellent vision in low light levels, and hearing is so precise that it can strike prey in total darkness.

Eggs

Usually 3-8, sometimes 2-12 or even more. Whitish, sometimes becoming nest-stained. Incubation is by female only, 29-34 days; male brings food to female during incubation. Young: Female remains with young at first and broods them while they are small; male brings food, female feeds it to young. After about 2 weeks, female hunts also. Age of young at first flight roughly 55-65 days. Young return to sleep at nest or nearby for several more weeks. 1-2 broods per year, sometimes 3.

Young

Female remains with young at first and broods them while they are small; male brings food, female feeds it to young. After about 2 weeks, female hunts also. Age of young at first flight roughly 55-65 days. Young return to sleep at nest or nearby for several more weeks. 1-2 broods per year, sometimes 3.

Diet

Mostly rodents. Feeds heavily on voles; also takes various kinds of mice, small rats, shrews, young rabbits, other mammals. Eats very small numbers of birds, lizards, insects, rarely frogs or even fish.

Nesting

In courtship, male performs display flight, including loud wing-claps; male feeds female. Nest: Uses sites in caves and hollow trees, also many artificial sites such as barn lofts, church steeples, abandoned houses, dry wells, crevices under bridges, nest boxes. Where no existing cavities available, will dig holes in dirt banks. No real nest built, but will arrange debris into crude depression.

All Seasons - Common

All Seasons - Uncommon

Breeding - Common

Breeding - Uncommon

Winter - Common

Winter - Uncommon

Migration - Common

Migration - Uncommon

Hissing notes, screams, guttural grunts, and bill snapping. Young give rapid grackle-like clicks.

Audio © Lang Elliott, Bob McGuire, Kevin Colver, Martyn Stewart and others. Learn more about this sound collection.

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With its ghostly appearance, rasping shrieks, and habit of roosting in such places as church belfries, this bird has attracted much superstition. However, it is really a good omen for farmers who find it in their barns, for it preys chiefly on mice and rats.

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On this page it will tell you more about how long they live to help with the life cycle.

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Vulpes vulpes

What do they look like?

Red fox fur color ranges from pale yellowish red to deep reddish brown on the upper parts and white, ashy, or slaty on the underside. The lower part of the legs is usually black and the tail usually has a white or black tip. Two other kinds of fur colors are fairly common. Cross foxes have reddish brown fur with a black stripe down the back and another across the shoulders. Silver foxes range from strong silver to nearly black and are the most prized by furriers. These variants are about 25% and 10% of red fox individuals, respectively. Red foxes, like many other ( canid species, have tail glands. The eyes of adult foxes are yellow. The nose is dark brown or black. The length of their jaws is more than half the length of the head. They have sharp canines for grabbing and strong molars for chewing and crushing. They have 5 claws on their front feet and 4 on the rear. Red fox males are larger than females. They range from 827 to 1097 mm in length, with the tail making up 291 to 455 mm of that. They weigh from 3 to 7 kg. MacDonald and Reynolds, 2005)

Red foxes are the largest fox species. Head and body length ranges from 455 to 900 mm, tail length from 300 to 555 mm, and weight from 3 to 14 kg. Males are slightly larger than females. Populations in southern deserts and in North America are smaller than European populations.

Where do they live?

Red foxes are found throughout much of the northern hemisphere from the Arctic circle to Central America, the steppes of central Asia, and northern Africa. This species has the widest distribution of any ( canid. Red foxes have also been introduced to Australia and the Falkland Islands. MacDonald and Reynolds, 2005)

What kind of habitat do they need?

Red foxes utilize a wide range of habitats including forest, tundra, prairie, desert, mountains, farmlands, and urban areas. They prefer mixed vegetation communities, such as edge habitats and mixed scrub and woodland. They are found from sea level to 4500 meters elevation. ( MacDonald and Reynolds, 2005)

How do they reproduce?

Red foxes may breed in male/female pairs or in groups with one breeding male and multiple females. Females in the same group may share a den and help each other raise their young.

Breeding season varies from region to region but usually begins in December or January in the south, January to February in the central regions, and February to April in the north. Females are pregnant usually for 51 to 53 days and give birth to about 5 pups, although some litters have been as large as 13 pups! Just before and for a time after giving birth the female remains in or around the den. The male will give his mate food but does not go into the maternity den. Young red foxes are between 50 and 150 g in weight when they are born. The pups are born blind but open their eyes 9 to 14 days after birth. Pups leave the den 4 or 5 weeks after birth and are fully weaned by 8 to 10 weeks. Mothers and pups remain together until the autumn after birth. Red foxes are fully grown by 10 months old.

Red fox males and females, and sometimes their older offspring, cooperate to care for the pups. Young remain in the den for 4 to 5 weeks, where they are cared for and nursed by their mother. They are nursed for 56 to 70 days and are provided with solid food by their parents and older siblings. The young remain with their parents at least until the fall of the year they were born in and will sometimes remain longer, especially females.

pre-fertilization

pre-hatching/birth

pre-weaning/fledging

pre-independence

post-independence association with parents

extended period of juvenile learning

How long do they live?

Red foxes have been known to live 10 to 12 years in captivity but live on average 3 years in the wild.

How do they behave?

Red foxes are relatively solitary animals and do not form packs like wolves. Individual adults have home ranges that vary in size depending on the quality of the habitat. In good areas ranges may be between 5 and 12 square kilometers; in poorer habitats ranges are larger, between 20 and 50 square kilometers. During some parts of the year adjacent ranges may overlap somewhat but red foxes generally defend their territories from intrusion by other foxes. Ranges are occupied by an adult male, one or two adult females, and their young. Individuals and family groups live in earthen dens and often have other emergency burrows in the home range. Dens of other animals, such as badgers or marmots, are often taken over by foxes. Larger dens may be dug and used during the winter and during birth and rearing of the young. The same den is often used over a number of generations. Pathways throughout the home range connect the main den with other resting sites, favored hunting grounds, and food storage areas. Red foxes are either nocturnal or crepuscular. Top running speed is about 48km/h and they can jump over obstacles as high as 2 m. In the autumn following their birth, the pups will often leave their parent's territory to establish their own. These young may travel as little as 10 km or as far as 400 km to set up their own territory. Animals remain in the same home range for their entire life.

Home Range

Individual adults have home ranges that vary in size depending on the quality of the habitat. In good areas ranges may be between 5 and 12 square kilometers; in poorer habitats ranges are larger, between 20 and 50 square kilometers.

How do they communicate with each other?

Red foxes use a variety of vocalizations to communicate among themselves. They also use facial expressions and scent marking extensively. Red foxes have excellent senses of vision, smell, and touch.

What do they eat?

Red foxes are essentially omnivores. They mostly eat rodents, eastern cottontail rabbits, insects, and fruit. They will also eat carrion. Red foxes also store food and are very good at relocating these caches. Red foxes have a characteristic manner of hunting mice. The fox stands motionless, listening and watching intently for a mouse it has detected. It then leaps high and brings the forelimbs straight down forcibly to pin the mouse to the ground. They eat between 0.5 and 1 kg of food each day.

What eats them and how do they avoid being eaten?

Most red foxes that are taken by natural predators are young pups. Pups are kept in and near a den and protected by their family to avoid this. Adult red foxes may also be attacked by coyotes, wolves, or other predators, but this is rarely in order to eat them. The most significant predators on red foxes are humans, who hunt foxes for their fur and kill them in large numbers as pests.

What roles do they have in the ecosystem?

Red foxes help to control populations of their prey animals, such as rodents and rabbits. They also may disperse seeds by eating fruit.

Do they cause problems?

Red foxes are considered by many to be threats to poultry. In general, foxes hunt their natural prey, but individual foxes may learn to target domestic birds if they are not adequately protected. Foxes are known vectors for rabies and can transmit the disease to humans and other animals.

How do they interact with us?

Red foxes are important fur bearers and more are raised on farms than any other wild fur bearing mammal. Red foxes also help to control populations of small rodents and rabbits and may disperse seeds. ( MacDonald and Reynolds, 2005)

body parts are source of valuable material

controls pest population

Are they endangered?

Three subspecies are listed in CITES appendix III. Overall, red fox populations are stable and they have expanded their range in response to human changes in habitats. ( MacDonald and Reynolds, 2005)

Contributors

Tanya Dewey (editor), Animal Diversity Web.

David L. Fox (author), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

References

Lloyd, H. G. 1981. The Red Fox. B. T. Batsford, Ltd., London.

Nowak, R. M. 1991. Walker's Mammals of the World. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.

MacDonald, D., J. Reynolds. 2005. "Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)" (On-line). IUCN Canid Specialist Group. Accessed September 27, 2007 at http://www.canids.org/species/Vulpes_vulpes.htm.

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BioKIDS - Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species, Vulpes vulpes, red fox: INFORMATION

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Vulpes vulpes Red fox fur color ranges from pale yellowish red to deep reddish brown on the upper parts and white, ashy, or slaty on the underside. The lower part of the legs is usually black and the tail usually has a white or black tip.

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Learn facts about the red fox's habitat, diet, life history, and more.

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Physical Description

Green salamanders are mottled green and black, gray or brown with lighter bellies that are bluish grey to pale yellow. This mottled patterning provides the green salamander with camouflage from predators, especially when hiding among the mosses and lichen its skin resembles. Their flattened bodies, long limbs and square-shaped toes help them to easily climb and fit into rock and log crevices.

Adults may reach 3 to 5 inches (7.6 to 12.7 centimeters) in length, with females measuring slightly longer than males.

Native Habitat

Green salamanders are indigenous to the Appalachian region, with a patchy distribution from southern Pennsylvania to northern Alabama and Mississippi. Isolated populations occur west to Indiana and east to North and South Carolina.

They prefer rocky habitats, including sandstone and limestone outcroppings or caves and are most often found in tree or rock crevices. When not tucked into a crevice, green salamanders can be found among other moist or damp environments, including bark, leaves and logs.

Food/Eating Habits

In the wild, green salamanders feed on a wide variety of small invertebrates, including arachnids, insects, snails and slugs.

At the Smithsonian's National Zoo, green salamanders receive a mixture of crickets, fruit flies, bean beetles, isopods, springtails and black worms.

Reproduction and Development

Green salamander breeding season is from May to late September. Males breed annually, while females breed every other year. Females lay between 10 and 30 eggs in rock or log crevices and guard their eggs until they hatch 80 to 90 days later. Young stay with their mother for one or two months and will reach maturity around the age of three.

Sleep Habits

From approximately December to April, green salamanders are largely inactive. During the warmer months, they are primarily nocturnal in search of food.

Lifespan for the green salamander is unknown.

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Physical Description Green salamanders are mottled green and black, gray or brown with lighter bellies that are bluish grey to pale yellow. This mottled patterning provides the green salamander with camouflage from predators, especially when hiding among the mosses and lichen its skin resembles.

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Physical Description

The eastern box turtle is one of six extant subspecies of the common box turtle. It has a high-domed, rounded, hard upper shell, called a carapace. The vivid, orange and yellow markings on its dark brown shell distinguish it from other box turtles, as do the four toes on its hind feet. Its distinct coloring camouflages it among the damp earth, fallen leaves and other debris found on the floor of moderately moist forests.

The underside of its shell, called its plastron, is dark brown and hinged. All box turtles have this bilobed plastron, which allows them to almost completely shut their shell. When threatened, the box turtle pulls its body into its shell and waits for the danger to pass. Its shell is also unique in that it can regenerate. In one reported case, the carapace of a badly burned box turtle completely regenerated.

Box turtles have a hooked upper jaw, and most have a significant overbite. Their feet are slightly webbed. There are many ways to tell a male and female box turtle apart. Males are generally larger and have shorter, thicker tails than females. Males also have short, thick, curved hind claws, while females' hind claws are long, straight and thin.

Eastern box turtles walk energetically with their heads upright and may travel about 50 meters (55 yards) in one day. A homing instinct, an innate ability to navigate to a "home base" despite being in an unfamiliar area, helps this turtle find its way back home.

Eastern box turtles typically grow to 10 centimeters by 15 centimeters (4 inches by 6 inches). They are a bit larger than other subspecies within their range. The largest box turtle is the Gulf Coast box turtle, which is found along the northern region of the Gulf of Mexico.

Native Habitat

The eastern box turtle is one of the few native species housed at Reptile Discovery Center. Box turtles of all subspecies are found throughout North America, the eastern Gulf coast of Mexico, and the Yucatan Peninsula. The subspecies Terrapene c. carolina, commonly referred to as the eastern box turtle, is found along the eastern United States from Maine to Florida, and west to the Great Lakes region and Texas.

Eastern box turtles are predominantly terrestrial and live in a variety of vegetative areas, including shrubby grasslands, marshy meadows, open woodlands and field forest edges. They are often found near streams or ponds, or areas that have experienced heavy rainfall.

Food/Eating Habits

These opportunistic omnivores eat a wide variety of plants, mushrooms, fruits, insects, fish, small amphibians, eggs and even animal carrion. Younger box turtles grow very rapidly and tend to be preferentially carnivorous (for the needed energy). Therefore, they spend more time in the water where it is easier to hunt. After five to six years, they move onto the land and shift to a more herbivorous diet.

At the Smithsonian's National Zoo, eastern box turtles eat salad, earthworms, pellets and, on occasion, mealworms.

Social Structure

These turtles usually have a home range with a diameter of 230 meters (750 feet) or less in which they normally stay. Home ranges of different individuals overlap frequently regardless of age or sex. Turtles are often found together and show no antagonism toward each other. While aggression between individuals is not common, competing males will spar each other. This involves biting at each other's shells.

Reproduction and Development

Box turtles reach sexual maturity around the age of 5. Mating season for eastern box turtles generally starts in the spring and continues through the fall. After a rainfall, males become especially active in their search for a female. Males may mate with more than one female or the same female several times. Females can store sperm for up to four years and therefore do not mate every year. In fact, a female could lay fertile eggs up to four years after a successful mating!

Nesting season occurs from May to June. Females generally lay four or five eggs, but it is not uncommon for them to lay anywhere from one to 11. The female uses her hind legs to dig a nest in sandy soil. She then covers the eggs, which incubate and hatch on their own. Box turtles exhibit temperature dependent sex determination; eggs incubated at 22-27 degrees Celsius (70-80 degrees Fahrenheit) are more likely to be males, and those incubated above 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit) are more likely to be females.

Sleep Habits

Eastern box turtles adjust their activity in order to maintain their optimal body temperature. In the summer, they are most active early in the morning or after it rains. When it gets too hot, they find cool areas to rest, such as under logs, leave piles, mud or abandoned mammal burrows. During the spring and fall, they are active throughout the day and enjoy lying in the sun to get warm.

Eastern box turtles that live in southern regions remain active throughout the winter. In the northern regions where it gets too cold, they find a comfortable place where they can be somewhat insulated, called a hibernaculum, and will become lethargic, entering a hibernation-like state known as brumation. This begins in October or November and ends in April when they emerge again. Sometimes, during warm winters, they will wake up and find another resting site.

Box turtles generally live for 25-35 years but have been known to survive to over 100 years old!

Habitat destruction has led to a decline of eastern box turtles in their former range. Throughout the past century, the conversion of woodlands and wetlands into agricultural land has extirpated populations where they once existed.

The rising demand for the development of suburban areas further exacerbates the decline by fragmenting the populations that are left. Because they are so energetic on land, these animals are often killed by vehicles traveling on roads that cross through their remaining habitats.

Eastern box turtles are also a popular commodity in the international market as exotic pets, and a listing by CITES now regulates the commercial trade of this species. While box turtles are no longer caught in large numbers for the pet industry, individuals are still caught as personal pets, as well as for turtle racing. Pet turtles that are later released may pose threats to the native populations by introducing disease.

Box turtles benefit greatly from protected areas, which maintain natural habitats and protect them from the dangers of high traffic. Many states also have laws that protect wild box turtles from capture. Additional measures, such as creating wildlife crossings, translocation or developing replacement habitat, could help further protect box turtles.

Help this Species

Reduce, reuse and recycle - in that order! Cut back on single-use goods, and find creative ways to reuse products at the end of their life cycle. Choose recycling over trash when possible.

Organize or attend a stream, river, lake or other waterway cleanup in your area to preserve aquatic habitats for local species.

Share the story of this animal with others. Simply raising awareness about this species can contribute to its overall protection.

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Physical Description The eastern box turtle is one of six extant subspecies of the common box turtle. It has a high-domed, rounded, hard upper shell, called a carapace. The vivid, orange and yellow markings on its dark brown shell distinguish it from other box turtles, as do the four toes on its hind feet.

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Alligator Snapping Turtle

Macrochelys temminckii

Status: Not Listed

Description

Alligator snapping turtles are sometimes described as dinosaur-like because of their spiky shells and primitive-looking faces. They have three pointed ridges along their shells that run from head to tail. Unlike all other species of snapping turtle, this one has eyes on the sides of its head.

The alligator snapping turtle is the largest species of freshwater turtle. Males typically weigh between 155 and 175 pounds (70 and 80 kilograms). It is said that a 400-pound (180-kilogram) alligator snapping turtle was caught in Kansas in 1937, but there isn't sufficient evidence to confirm the claim.

Range

Alligator snapping turtles are found exclusively in the United States, from northern Florida to eastern Texas and as far north as Iowa. They are almost exclusively aquatic, and tend to stay submerged and motionless for so long that algae begins to grow on their shells. They can go 50 minutes before needing to surface for a gulp of air. Except for egg-laying females, these turtles almost never come on land. River systems, lakes, and wetland comprise their preferred habitats.

Diet

Their specially adapted tongue allows them to catch prey with little work-a lure-like projection of the tongue attracts curious fish that swim right into the turtle's mouth. To attract an unsuspecting victim, this turtle will lay on the bottom of the riverbed and open his jaws to reveal what looks like a delicious bright red wriggling worm, luring prey by fiendishly twitching this appendage back and forth. A fish that gets duped by the turtle's tongue will swim right into the range of the hungry predator's jaws.

They can also actively search for prey by tasting chemicals in the water that are indicative of a particular species. This way, even when their prey is hiding in the sediment, they can still sense them.

Behavior

These solitary reptiles spend much of their time in the water-even capable of holding their breath for 40 to 50 minutes. They venture onto land to nest with females. Correlated with a solitary lifestyle, there is little structure and no parental care to their young.

Life History

Adults mate in the spring and females lay eggs two months later. The eggs hatch after 100 to 140 days. The incubation temperature of the nest determines the gender of the offspring-females develop in warmer temperatures and males develop in cooler temperatures. The newly hatched turtles are similar to the adults in appearance. Eggs and juveniles are consumed by fish, raccoons, and birds, but the only predator of fully grown adults is humans. Reproductive maturity is reached at 11 to 13 years. The turtle's typical lifespan in the wild is between 11 and 45 years, but captive alligator snapping turtles have lived to 70 years of age.

Fun Fact

Some myths claim that alligator snapping turtles are known to attack people, but this isn't the case. But with a bite force of 1,000 pounds, their powerful jaws can snap through bone-so they should never be handled in the wild.

Sources

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology

National Geographic

NatureServe Explorer

Nonindigenous Aquatic Species, United States Geological Survey

Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

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Alligator Snapping Turtle | National Wildlife Federation

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Macrochelys temminckii Status: Not Listed Description Alligator snapping turtles are sometimes described as dinosaur-like because of their spiky shells and primitive-looking faces. They have three pointed ridges along their shells that run from head to tail. Unlike all other species of snapping turtle, this one has eyes on the sides of its head.

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Indiana is home to more than 30 species of snakes. Four of them are venomous. Of the four, the copperhead is abundant in the southern part of the State. The other three are classified State Endangered and therefore protected in Indiana. In particular the cottonmouth, commonly found south of the Ohio river, is extremely rare.

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Eastern Box Turtle | National Wildlife Federation

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Learn facts about the eastern box turtle’s habitat, diet, life history, and more.

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Raccoons are active-at-night, or nocturnal, mammals that live throughout much of the world, from North and South America to Asia, in wooded areas and big cities alike. During winter in cold northern climates, raccoons sleep for extended periods, although they don’t actually hibernate. To prepare for cold winters, raccoons pack on extra body fat in fall. This extra fat helps provide the raccoon with energy when it’s too cold to search for food. On land, raccoons lumber around on all four paws like a bear. Among the raccoon’s favorite foods on land are: fruits, seeds, nuts, birds’ eggs and plants. In cities, raccoons scavenge around garbage bins and will eat scraps of food and other trash found there. Raccoons are also excellent swimmers, hunting fish, frogs, and crayfish. Raccoons live for around one to three years in the wild. In captivity, where the raccoon doesn’t need to worry about finding food or outwitting predators, some have lived as long as 20 years.

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Eastern Gray Squirrel Facts - NatureMapping

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NatureMapping is a hands-on environmental science and education program linking kids, communities and professionals.

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The most common wildcat in North America, the bobcat is named for its short, bobbed tail. They are medium-sized cats and are slightly smaller but similar in appearance to their cousin, the lynx. Their coats vary in color from shades of beige to brown fur with spotted or lined markings in dark brown or black.

Diet

Bobcats mainly hunt rabbits and hares.

Bobcats are also known to eat rodents, birds, bats and even
adult deer, which they usually consume during the winter months, as well as lambs, poultry and young pigs when a ranch is near.

Population

Approximately 725,000 to 1,020,000 bobcats remain in the wild.

Range

Bobcats were once found throughout most of North America from northern Mexico to southern Canada. In the early to mid 1900s, bobcat populations in many Midwestern and eastern states of the United States were decimated due to the increased value of its fur. However, international laws began to protect the world's spotted cats in the 1970s, and populations have rebounded since then. Today, populations are stable in many northern states and are reviving in many others.

Behavior

Bobcat habitat varies widely from forests and mountainous areas to semi- deserts and brush land. A habitat dense with vegetation and lots of prey is ideal. Bobcats are excellent hunters, stalking prey with stealth and patience, then capturing their meals with one great leap.

Usually solitary and territorial animals, females never share territory with each other. Male territories, however, tend to overlap. Territories are established with scent markings and territory sizes are extremely varied - generally 25-30 square miles for males and about five square miles for females.

Dens: Each bobcat may have several dens, one main den and several auxiliary dens, in its territory.

Main den: Usually a cave or rock shelter, but can be a hollow log, fallen tree, or some other protected place. (Also called the natal den)

Auxiliary dens: Located in less-visited portions of the home range and are often brush piles, rock ledges or stumps. These are also called shelter dens.

Reproduction
Mating season: Late winter, but throughout the year is possible.
Gestation: 50- 70 days. Kittens are usually born around early spring.
Litter size: 1 - 6 kittens.
The kittens begin eating solid food at around two months and begin learning to hunt at 5 months. When they are between 8 and 11 months, the kittens are evicted from their mother's territory.

Threats

In Mexico, bobcats are persecuted as sheep predators and are frequently killed by farmers. They are still hunted and trapped for their fur throughout most of their range. Habitat destruction and the ever-expanding human population limit their ranges.

What Defenders Is Doing to Help

Starting in 2004, Defenders has partnered with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish and Wildlife to track, capture, and collar bobcats in the State of New Jersey in order to determine their movements and which habitats are important to their survival. This valuable data will help biologists create a protection and management strategy that focuses on preserving the most critical bobcat habitat.

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The most common wildcat in North America, the bobcat is named for its short, bobbed tail. They are medium-sized cats and are slightly smaller but similar in appearance to their cousin, the lynx. Their coats vary in color from shades of beige to brown fur with spotted or lined markings in dark brown or black.

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Bald eagles were on the brink of extinction because of hunting and pollution. But laws created almost 40 years ago have helped protect them, and they've made a comeback.

Female bald eagles are a bit bigger than males. Their bodies can be three feet (one meter) long, and their wingspan can be eight feet (2.4 meters) across. That's about the distance from the floor to the ceiling!

Eagle nests are called aeries (AIR-ees). Bald eagles build their nests at the very top of tall trees so the eggs will be safe. Some parents come back year after year to the same nest, adding more sticks, twigs, and grass each time.

Babies, called eaglets, are born light gray then turn brown. When they are four to five years old, they develop their normal white heads and tails. In the wild, they can live to be 35 years old or more.

Bald eagles can soar over 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) high, and their great eyesight lets them see fish up to a mile (1.6 kilometers) away. When they attack, they drop down at up to 100 miles (161 kilometers) an hour! Then they glide just above the water, snag a fish with their feet, and fly off to eat it.

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A bald eagle's white head may make it look bald. But actually the name comes from an old English word, "balde," meaning white. These graceful birds have been the national symbol of the United States since 1782. Bald eagles were on the brink of extinction because of hunting and pollution.

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Coyotes once lived only in prairies and deserts of the western United States and in Mexico. Today they thrive almost anywhere in North America. Adaptability-that's the main reason for the success of the coyote. A coyote is naturally adaptable because it eats such a wide range of food.

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NatureMapping is a hands-on environmental science and education program linking kids, communities and professionals.

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Coyote ( Canis latrans)

What they look like: Coyotes are distinguished from domesticated dogs by their pointed, erect ears and drooping tail, which they hold below their back when running. The coloration of coyotes varies from grayish brown to a yellowish gray on the upper parts. The throat and belly are white. The long tail, which is half the body length, is bottle shaped with a black tip.

Coyotes are members of the dog family (canids) which includes wolves, jackals, coyotes, dogs, and foxes.

Where they live:
Coyotes are found throughout North and Central America. They range from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

Coyotes are present and common in most of Washington except the islands, and has been seen recently on Bainbridge and Whidbey. Prefers open habitat and forest edges and readily uses open forests and extensive burned or clear cut areas. Found in agricultural lands, and at the edges, and sometimes well into developed areas including cities.

Click the range map to learn more about the distribution of Coyotes in Washington.

What they eat: Coyotes are carnivorous ( eat meat) -- they eat primarily small mammals, such as eastern cottontail rabbits, thirteen-lined ground squirrels, and white-footed mice. They occasionally eat birds, snakes, large insects and other large invertebrates. Coyotes can live in a variety of areas since they will eat almost anything, including human trash and household pets.

Behavior: Coyotes are nocturnal predators, but can occasionally be seen during daylight hours. Coyotes are capable of running at speeds up to 65 km/hr and they can jump horizontal distances of up to 4 meters. Coyotes are less likely to form packs than are wolves, so they usually hunt individually, in pairs or small family groups.

Coyotes are resourceful. They are capable of digging their own burrows, but they often enlarge the burrows of woodchucks or badgers to use for their dens.

Reproduction: Coyotes mate between late January and March. Once the female chooses a partner, the animals may remain paired for a number of years. Young are born after a gestation of 60 to 63 days. Litter size ranges from 1 to 19 pups (the average litter size is 6 pups). They usually breed once each year. Coyotes can mate with domestic dogs and occasionally with gray wolves.

Lifespan/Longevity: Coyotes have been known to live a maximum of ten years in the wild and 18 years in captivity.

Did you know?

The young are born blind and open their eyes after 10 days.

Coyotes live up to 10 years in the wild.

They can jump horizontal distances of up to 4 meters.

Animal silhouettes available to purchase "
More information:
Coyote Facts - Animal Diversity Web
Coyotes - National Geographic Kids
Hinterland Who's Who - Coyote
NWCoyoteTracker - Urban and Suburban Coyote Sightings

Photo Credit: Robert Ashbaugh (top), Natures Pics (bottom)

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Coyote facts for kids by the NatureMapping Program.

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They make twig mansions.

Bald eagles tend to build durable nests that they use for several years. Every year they add more twigs, leaves, and branches to their treetop pads-which means the nests can get ginormous. One in Ohio was over 8 feet wide, 12 feet tall, and weighed nearly 2 tons!

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They make twig mansions. Bald eagles tend to build durable nests that they use for several years. Every year they add more twigs, leaves, and branches to their treetop pads-which means the nests can get ginormous. One in Ohio was over 8 feet wide, 12 feet tall, and weighed nearly 2 tons!

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A hungry bobcat crouches behind a bush, looking at the field beyond its leafy hideaway. Suddenly, a squirrel darts across the ground. As the squirrel draws near, the cat leaps from the bush and scoops up the prey in its mouth. It's dinnertime.