Predators

1. Predators Predators are animals that kill and eat other animals.

2. Gestation • Period of pregnancy • Delay gestation • Embryo does not become attached to the inner surface of the females reproductive tract until the chemicals in her blood prepare her body for gestation.

3. gestation • Gestation is delayed until the length of photoperiod – number of daylight hours in a day increases to signal the longer days in spring.

4. Cats • Most members of the cat family are born • Blind and helpless. • Kittens are born in the spring

5. Lynx • Northern coniferous forest, Alaska, Canada, Rocky Mt. • Eat Rodents • Are specialist • Are brownish with mottling. Have a black tip on their tail

6. Lynx • Considered specialist • Hunted for their fur • Become infertile every 10 years when snowshoe hare population decreases

7. Bobcat • Are generalist • Live in most of the US except a small portion of the Midwest • Are brownish with a white tip on their tail. • Eat rodents

8. Ocelot • Southwestern United states • Weigh about 25 lbs. • Listed as Endangered

9. Wild Cats • Hunt at night • Live alone • Live throughout N. America • Most born blind and require long time period with mother until mature • Cats living in desert lighter in color than those living in forest

10. Cougar • Large cat • Cannot roar, but purr • Young have mottling when born • Favorite food deer

11. Jaguar • Largest of the North American cats • Good swimmers

12. Terms to know

13. Cougar • Western Mountain state and Appalachian Mts. • Generally avoid humans

14. Jaguar • Largest of the North American Cats • Weigh up to 250 lbs. • Found in South western state, Florida, South Carolina.

15. Terms to know

16. Cats • See 6 times better than a human

17. Role of Predators in Food Chain • Stabilize ecosystems by preventing populations of food animals from expanding beyond habitat’s capacity • Reduce frequency of mass starvation by slowing growth rates of animal populations • Secondary consumers • Eat primary consumers and also other secondary consumers

18. Examples of Wild Cats • Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) • Range: northern coniferous forests of Alaska, Canada, Rocky Mountains • Diet: hares, small animals, birds • Bobcat (Lynx rufus) • “Wildcat” • Range: forests and deserts of southern Canada to Mexico, excluding Midwest • Diet: rabbits, rodents, birds, picas, fawns, lambs

19. Examples of Wild Cats (Cont.) • Mountain Lion (Felis concolor) • Also called puma, cougar, panther • Range: western U.S.; also parts of Appalachian Mountains, FL, and jungle regions into Central and South America • Diet: deer, elk, porcupines, sheep, cattle, horses • Occasionally attack humans

20. Examples of Wild Cats (Cont.) • Ocelot • Range: TX to AZ • Diet: small animals, birds, and reptiles • Margay and jaguarundi • Relatives of ocelot • Range: extreme southern areas of U.S. and S. America • All listed as endangered species

21. Examples of Wild Cats (Cont.) • Jaguar (Felis onca) • Largest cat in N. America • Spotted coat resembles leopard • Range: forests, plains, deserts, and mountains from Mexico to Argentina • Diet: deer, peccaries, domestic livestock (sheep, cattle, and horses)

23. Mink Mustela vision • Bigger than a weasel • 15 to 25 “ 1.5 to 3.5 lbs. • Light to dark brown • White on the throat • Raised for pelts on farms • 4 to 8 kits are born • Eats birds, frogs, rodents

24. Fisher • Dark in color • Climb trees • Eat porcupines, small rodents • 12 lbs. • Display delayed gestation • Have reported killing deer.

25. Musk • Members of the weasel family have glands at the base of their tail that produces a foul smell

26. Wolverine • Most aggressive of the predators in the North America. • Can kill a Caribou and has been known to drive Bears away from a kill. • Live in forested areas • 60 lbs • Display delayed gestation

27. Badger • Different body type than other weasel • Short powerful legs, heavy bodies • Claws for digging • Strongest animal for its size. • Feed on gophers • Young are blind a birth • 20 lbs and 30 “

28. Skunk • Black and white • 4 to 9 lbs • Number 1 carrier of Rabies • Hibernate • Omnivores • Spray for defense

29. Weasels • Family includes weasel, mink, ferret, fisher, marten, otter, wolverine, badger, skunk • Some of the most vicious predators, sometimes kill more animals than needed for food • Relatively small, highly efficient

30. Weasels (Cont.) • Most experience delayed gestation: • Embryo does not become attached to inner surface of female’s reproductive tract until length of photoperiod signals spring • Long slender bodies of many weasels allow them to enter the dens of prey

31. Weasels (Cont.) • Have scent glands at base of tails which emit musk (foul-smelling fluid) • Used when alarmed, during mating • As a group, prey on nearly every animal in N. America • Fearless, attack much larger creatures

32. Examples of Weasels • Short-tailed Weasel (Mustela erminea) • Mink (Mustela vison) • Range throughout U.S. and Canada, except for desert regions • Black-footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) • Historically small population; numbers augmented by breeding in captivity, then release • Range: plains region bordering Rocky Mountains on east

33. Examples of Weasels (Cont.) • Marten (Martes americana) • Range: northeastern states across Canada, Alaska, plus along Pacific coast and in Rocky Mountains • Fisher (Martes pennanti) • Range: Canada, Rocky Mountains, mountainous region of northeastern U.S. • Consistently preys on porcupines

34. Examples of Weasels (Cont.) • Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) • Uses strong odor as defense; great horned owl, cougar, mink, coyote attack despite smell • Omnivore • Range: from Canada to Mexico, includes desert, plains, woodland • Badger (Taxidea taxus) • Distinctly different body from other weasel family members: short, powerful legs, heavy bodies, strong teeth and claws • Live underground

35. Examples of Weasels (Cont.) • Wolverine (Gulogulo) • Resemble small brown bears • One of most aggressive predators in N. America: preys on caribou, drives bears, mountain lions from kill sites • Range: AK to forests of northwest and northern CA • Sociable, playful, live in family groups

36. River Otter (Lutracanadensis) • Range: prefer wetland habitats with cover; found in pockets throughout N. America

37. Examples of Weasels (Cont.) • Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) • Range: coastal waters of AK, WA, OR, CA, and Mexico • Threatened species list in California • Mothers give birth to one pup annually, raise pup for entire year • Once hunted for pelts, now illegal

38. Raccoons (Procyon Lotor) • One of most adaptable animals in N. America, found in nearly every habitat from deserts to woodlands, prefer to live around water • Adapted to living among humans • Good swimmers, climbers, find food anywhere • Nocturnal • Recognized by black-ringed tails, masked faces

39. Terms to know

40. Wild Dogs • Include foxes, coyotes, wolves • Carnivores • Eat different kinds of mammals, birds, fish • Varied habitats

41. Foxes • Male (dog); female (vixen) • Prey upon small animals • Preyed upon by bobcats, wolves, coyotes, other predators • Humans pose biggest threat: hunt for sport or to protect pets, livestock • Once hunted for fur, now less common

42. Examples of Foxes • Red Fox (Vulpes fulva) • Rust-colored coat and full, white-tipped tail • Range: all of N. America except Pacific coast and central plains • Diet: rodents, domestic chickens

43. Examples of Foxes (Cont.) • Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) • Gray coat with reddish, black, and white markings • Range: southern Canada to northern S. America • Hunts at night; diet of rodents, lizards, insects, birds, eggs, fruit, nuts, berries, fish

44. Examples of Foxes (Cont.) • Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus) • Brown coat in summer; white/grayish-blue coat in winter; hair on bottom of feet for traction • Range: northern tundra region • Diet: lemmings, small rodents, birds, carcasses of animals left by larger predators

45. Examples of Foxes (Cont.) • Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis) • Small, reddish-gray with black-tipped tail and dark markings on either side of nose • Diet: insects, lizards, rodents, rabbits • Range: southwestern U.S.—southern Oregon; prefers desert rangelands

46. Examples of Foxes (Cont.) • Swift Fox (Vulpes velox) • Small, buff-colored with large ears, dark coloring on either side of snout, black tip on bushy tail • Preferred habitat the plains; population has decreased with conversion of native plants to farmland • Diet: insects, small mammals

47. Coyotes (Canis Latrans) • Diet: rodents, rabbits, hares, peccaries, large hoofed mammals; will also kill pets and livestock • Well-adapted to living among people, despite human attempts to kill this “enemy” • Also called “prairie wolf” or “brush wolf”

48. Coyotes (Cont.) • Range: Alaska to Central America • Omnivore: eats both plants and animals • Mate for life • Can interbreed with domestic dogs

49. Wolves • Bounty hunting eliminated most of population during 20th century • Rebounded in MT, WY, IA—removed from endangered species lists in these states in 2008 • Can interbreed with domestic dogs, which poses risk to maintaining their genetic purity/reduces survival ability in natural habitat

50. Wolves (Cont.) • Mate for life • Live in packs led by dominant male, and hunt large animals as a group • Diet: large and small animals such as rodents, birds, deer, elk, caribou, moose, livestock