Download Mammals of Nevada PDF - The Great Basin Institute

Desert Big horn Sheep
Spotted Bat
Black Tailed Jackrabbit
Western Spotted Skunk
Scientific name:
Ovis Canadensis nelson
Description:
The most conspicuous feature is that the
horns continue to grow. Both male and female have horns, but the male is much larger. The horns are permanent and consist of
a sheath of keratin coering a boney core.
Life span:
6 - 8 years
Habitat and range:
Typical terrain is rough, rocky and steep,
broken up by washes and canyons. This
helps fight predation. They live in areas with
hot dry summers. They are located in mountain ranges throughout the southwest. Besides Nevada, they are found in California,
Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Texas
and Mexico.
Food:
They are herbivores, mainly eating
grasses, forbs and shrubs.
Scientific name:
Euderma maculatum
Description:
The spotted bat is black with very large
pink ears. Conspicious white spots mark
each shoulder, the rump and the base of
each ear.
Life span:
Unknown
Habitat:
Spotted bats can be found in wetland,
riparian, rock, cliff, desert, shrubland, grassland, or wooded habitats near a permanent
water source. They roost in caves, rocks, and
occasionally mines. They can be found from
Biritish Columbia through the western
United States.
Food:
These bats forage for insects, primarily
moths, high in the are off the ground.
Scientific name:
Lepus californicus
Description:
Long ears, up to 8 inches long. Big feet,
long hind legs and bushy black tail. Distinctive long ears with black tips and a black
strip that runs from its rump up its tail. Their
fur color allows for great camouflage.
Life span:
1 - 5 years
Habitat and Range:
These rabbits are common in Nevada’s
deserts and foothill landscapes. They live in
the extreme environments of the desert
where temperatures are hot in the day and
cold at night and there isn’t a lot of rain.
They prefer open areas where they can see
predators approaching. They can be found in
the Western U.S. from Washington to south
California and east to Nebraska and Texas.
Food:
In summer, alfalfa, clover and others. In
winter, woody and dried vegetation.
Scientific name:
Spilogale gracilis
Description:
It is distinguished from it’s larger cousins
by its shorter stripes and spots across its
back. It has an ambling gate and does a
spectacular headstand to spray back over its
head.
Life Span:
1 - 3 years
Habitat and Range:
Mountainous, rocky and brushy areas are
preferred. It is found throughout Western
North America. It is the only skunk found in
Southern Nevada.
Food:
It will eat small mammals, fish, amphibians, birds, eggs and even insects, but it is
also fond of ripe corn and fruit.
Pika
Sierra Mountain Beaver
Coyote
Pronghorn Antelope
Scientific name:
Ochotona princeps
Description:
This creature looks like a combination of a
rabbit and a mouse, with large ears but no
tail.
Life span:
6 - 7 years
Habitat and range:
Pika are well adapted to harsh habitat,
but spend most of the year burrowed underground away from the cold. They are usually
around rocks.
They are distributed through Western
North America
Food:
They are herbivores, eating grass.
Scientific name:
Aplodontia rufa Californica
Description:
Thought to be the most primitive living
rodent, this beaver is a bit different than the
traditional beaver. This chunky, grizzled gray
rodent looks a lot like a tail-less muskrat. It
has a small, one inch furred tail. The eyes
are small and the ears are small and
rounded.
Life span:
5 - 6 years
Habitat and Range:
Mountain beavers inhabit moist forest
habitats with ample vegetative ground
cover, and live underground.
Populations are found in Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington and British Colombia.
Food:
They are herbivores and forage for plants,
trees and shrubs.
Scientific name:
Canis latrans
Description:
The coyote resembles a medium-sized
shepherd-collie dog. Distinguishing characteristics are pointed ears and nose, and a
long bushy tail. The legs are generally slimmer than a dogs.
Life span:
5 - 7 years
Habitat and Range:
From the low desert valleys to the alpine
ridges, coyotes are found in about any type
of habitat where they can find food. They
have perhaps the most varied habitat of any
animal in Nevada. They can be found across
North America in, including Alaska.
Food:
In Nevada, rabbits, rodents and carrion
make up the bulk of their diet, while deer
and antelope fawns are occasional. In other
areas, their diet includes insects and plant
material.
Scientific name:
Antelocapra americana
Description:
The body is distinctly marked with white
on the underside and rump. The back is
brown with shades of cinnamon and the
males have a black cheek patch, muzzle and
forhead. Both female and male have horns.
The males horns reach about 12 inches with
two branches.
Life Span:
5 - 10 years
Habitat and Range:
They prefer gentle rolling or flat, wideopen topography. Low sagebrush and northern desert shrubs are preferred. Historically
they extended to Mexico but with cattle
ranges they are mostly found in Nevada.
Food:
They will eat over 150 different species of
grasses, forbs and succulent plants.
Mule Deer
Wild horses
Badger
River Otter
Scientific name:
Ochotona princeps
Description:
This creature looks like a combination of a
rabbit and a mouse, with large ears but no
tail.
Life span:
6 - 7 years
Habitat and range:
Pika are well adapted to harsh habitat,
but spend most of the year burrowed underground away from the cold. They are usually
around rocks.
They are distributed through Western
North America
Food:
They are herbivores, eating grass.
Scientific name:
Aplodontia rufa Californica
Description:
Thought to be the most primitive living
rodent, this beaver is a bit different than the
traditional beaver. This chunky, grizzled gray
rodent looks a lot like a tail-less muskrat. It
has a small, one inch furred tail. The eyes
are small and the ears are small and
rounded.
Life span:
5 - 6 years
Habitat and Range:
Mountain beavers inhabit moist forest
habitats with ample vegetative ground
cover, and live underground.
Populations are found in Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington and British Colombia.
Food:
They are herbivores and forage for plants,
trees and shrubs.
Scientific name:
Canis latrans
Description:
The coyote resembles a medium-sized
shepherd-collie dog. Distinguishing characteristics are pointed ears and nose, and a
long bushy tail. The legs are generally slimmer than a dogs.
Life span:
5 - 7 years
Habitat and Range:
From the low desert valleys to the alpine
ridges, coyotes are found in about any type
of habitat where they can find food. They
have perhaps the most varied habitat of any
animal in Nevada. They can be found across
North America in, including Alaska.
Food:
In Nevada, rabbits, rodents and carrion
make up the bulk of their diet, while deer
and antelope fawns are occasional. In other
areas, their diet includes insects and plant
material.
Scientific name:
Antelocapra americana
Description:
The body is distinctly marked with white
on the underside and rump. The back is
brown with shades of cinnamon and the
males have a black cheek patch, muzzle and
forhead. Both female and male have horns.
The males horns reach about 12 inches with
two branches.
Life Span:
5 - 10 years
Habitat and Range:
They prefer gentle rolling or flat, wideopen topography. Low sagebrush and northern desert shrubs are preferred. Historically
they extended to Mexico but with cattle
ranges they are mostly found in Nevada.
Food:
They will eat over 150 different species of
grasses, forbs and succulent plants.
Black Bear
Mountain Lion
Scientific name:
Ursus americanus
Description:
May get to four feet tall at the shoulder and weigh 450 pounds. They are not always
black. They also come in shades of cinnamon and brown. They have large ears, a long snout
and round head that distinguishes them from grizzly and brown bears.
Life span:
30 + years
Habitat and range:
Mountainous areas and scrub lands, river and lake areas that have fish and fat-rich insects.
The American black bear is the only bear species occurring naturally in Nevada. Ranges
includes mountainous areas and foothills of Lake Tahoe, the Sierra Nevada Mountains and
nearby mountain ranges in extreme western Nevada.
Food:
Black bears are omnivorous. They will graze on grass and browse on berries and and
blossoms, dig grubs, catch fish and small mammals. Prior to winter hibernation, black bears
seek to consume more than 20,000 calories a day.
Natural History:
Black bears are primarily nocturnal with daytime forays, usually solitary except femals
with cubs. Black bears may range 15 miles or more a day. They can achieve 30 miles an
hour in a sprint and are excellent climbers. Their eyesight is poor, hearing is good and smell
is excellent.
Scientific name:
Felis concolor
Description:
Also known as a cougar, panther or puma. An adult can stand 30 inches a the shoulder
and measure up to 8 feet in length, and weigh up to 180 pounds. The short dense fur varies
from yellow to a tawny rusty brown or gray. The understide of the body is white and the
tail is tipped in black. The rounded ears and sides of the nose are also black. They are much
larger than bobcats and have a long tail, about one third of the total length.
Life span:
12 - 15 years
Habitat and Range:
These cats exist only in the Western Hemisphere and is North America’s second biggest
cat. Their habitat ranges from desert, chaparral and badlands to sub alpine mountains and
tropical rain forests. They are usually most abundant where deer are plentiful. Their range
is from 10 to 370 square miles.
Food:
Small mammals such as mice, ground squirrels, rabbits, skunks and porcupines make up
a large part of their diet. Where possible, deer are their primary prey species.