RMOT Order Carnivora Bears, Skunks, Racoons
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RMOT Order Carnivora Bears, Skunks, Racoons - Leaderboard
RMOT Order Carnivora Bears, Skunks, Racoons - Details
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Family Ursidae physical characteristics | • 5 toes on each foot • Plantigrade (walk on whole foot) • Claws are not retractable • Large and heavy bodies • Small tail and ears • Omnivores • Have less developed carnassials; plus have low crowned or “bunodont” molars modified for an omnivorous diet • Dentition: I 3/3 + C 1/1 + P 2-4/2-4 + M 2/3 x 2= 34-42 |
Grizzly bear scientific name | Ursus arctos horribilis |
Grizzly physical characteristics | - Guard hairs long and often silver tipped (give the “grizzled” appearance) - Grizzlies known as “Silver tips” have concentrations of lighter fur on shoulders and back |
What is the conservation status of grizzlies and why is this hard to determine? | - Blue listed (BC), special concern (COSEWIC) -secretive, prefer remote wilderness areas, low population densities (Approx. 17,000 in BC) |
Grizzly behaviour | - Mostly solitary (except sows with cubs, during the mating season) -Coastal bears will congregate in large river estuaries during the salmon spawning season -Male biased dispersal |
Grizzly habitat | • wide range of habitats (estuaries, coastal forests, boreal forests, subalpine and alpine meadows, and tundra) • largely dependent on food availability and seasons (mating, hibernation, salmon spawning, etc.) • Home ranges variable - 25 km2 for coastal females up to 2500 km2 for interior males • ranges marked by clawing trees; bear trails may form between commonly used areas |
Grizzly food and feeding | - Omnivorous diet - Diet varies throughout year - will cache food or cover it until eaten |
Coastal Grizzly diet | • Spring = grasses and sedges • Late spring = emergent vegetation and roots • Summer = berries • Fall = Salmon |
Interior Grizzly diet | •Spring = roots of Hedysarum (western sweet-broom) •Late Spring = prey on winter kills of ungulates and newborn ungulates •Summer = greens and berries and small mammals, especially ground squirrels •Fall = roots, berries, nuts until denning for the winter |
Grizzly denning | •den at higher elevations in areas of high snowfall • lethargic several weeks before and after denning • Coastal den less time (4-5 mo) than interior (5-6mo) • During denning body temperature ↓ slightly, respiration and heart rate ↓ more markedly |
Grizzly reproduction | Lowest reproductive rate of terrestrial mammals in North America – Females mature at 4 to 7 years of age – Litters produced at 2-3 year intervals until reaching their mid 20s (avg. age is 30 years, 40 max) – 1-4 cubs per litter (twins most common) -- Cubs stay with mother for 2 to 3 years |
Black bear scientific name | Ursus americanus |
List the 6 black bear subspecies | – Coastal black bear (U. a. altifrontalis) – Queen Charlotte Island black bear (U. a. carlottae) – Vancouver Island black bear (U. a. vancouveri) – Cinnamon black bear (U. a. cinnamomum) – Kermode black bear (U. a. kermodei) – Glacier black bear (U. a. emmonsii) |
Which black bear subspecies is the spirit bear? | Kermode (U. a. kermodei) |
Black bear behaviour | - Mostly solitary (except sows with cubs, mating season, during salmon spawning) - Semi-arboreal, good tree climbers |
Black bear habitat | - almost all habitats that provide food and shelter - Frequent valley bottoms in spring and summer, and forest openings (burns and cutblocks) in fall and early winter |
Black bear denning | - use hollow trees in old growth forests - Time depend on latitude and local conditions - South coast bears only den for 3-4 mo, 7 mo for northern populations - black bears are facultative hibernators - enter a torpid state rather than full hibernation |
Black bear food and feeding | - Omnivorous - 75% plant - fish, small mammals, birds, ungulates, and insects - will utilize garbage |
Black bear reproduction | – Females sexually maturity at age 4 to 5 (max life span is 35 to 40 years) – Breed June to July – Gestation ~ 220 days, includes delayed implantation – Cubs born in den mid-Jan to early Feb – Litter size 2 – 4 (lower in Northern BC) –Females breed every 2 years (longer intervals in north) |
6 ways to distinguish black bear from grizzly | – Skull profile – Ear size and shape – Highest point of body – Claw size and shape – Upper molar size – Lower molar cusps |
Striped skunk scientific name | Mephitis mephitis |
Striped skunk characteristics | • Black with 2 dorsal stripes down back • Strong anal scent gland |
Spotted skunk scientific name | Spilogale gracilis |
Spotted skunk characteristics | • 6 white body stripes, broken into spots AKA pole cat |
Family procyonidae characteristics | -No specialization of carnassial teeth -Molars are low crowned -5 digits on each foot; soles are naked -Non retractile claws |
Racoon scientific name | Procyon lotor |
Racoon characteristics | - Highly adaptable - variety of habitats from forests, farms to urban parks • Omnivores and very opportunistic • Primarily nocturnal; adept climbers use hollow trees for dens • Mate in late Jan to March • Gestation is 63 days • Litter of 1-5 born in April-May; family stays together through first winter |