92-518: Fauna Hawaiiensis , or Zoology of the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Isles , is a three-volume work on the fauna of Hawaii , published between 1899 and 1913 and edited by David Sharp . This article about a book on zoology or animals is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Fauna of Hawaii The fauna of the United States of America is all the animals living in
184-438: A barrier to migration. As traffic volumes increase, the more mule deer tend to avoid those areas and abandon their typical migration routes. It has also been found that fencing can alter deer behavior, acting as a barrier, and potentially changing mule deer migration patterns. In addition, urban development has replaced mule deer habitat with subdivisions, and human activity has increased. As a result of this, researchers have seen
276-495: A decline in mule deer populations. This is especially prominent in Colorado where the human population has grown by over 2.2 million since 1980. Protecting migration corridors is essential to maintain healthy mule deer populations. One thing everyone can do is help slow the increase in climate change by using greener energy sources and reducing the amount of waste in our households. In addition, managers and researchers can assess
368-861: A deer after it has died naturally. Bears and small carnivores are typically opportunistic feeders and pose little threat to a strong, healthy mule deer. In 99 studies of mule deer diets, some 788 species of plants were eaten by mule deer, and their diets vary greatly depending on the season, geographic region, year, and elevation. The studies gave these data for Rocky Mountain mule deer diets: The diets of mule deer are very similar to those of white-tailed deer in areas where they coexist. Mule deer are intermediate feeders rather than pure browsers or grazers ; they predominantly browse but also eat forb vegetation, small amounts of grass and, where available, tree or shrub fruits such as beans , pods , nuts (including acorns ), and berries . Mule deer readily adapt to agricultural products and landscape plantings. In
460-623: A fauna resembling its position in the dry deserts with temperature extremes. The western continental coast of the U.S., just as the East Coast, varies from a colder-to-warmer climate from north to south. Few species live throughout the entire West Coast, however, there are some, including the bald eagle that inhabits both the Alaskan Aleutian Islands and the California Channel Islands . In most of
552-542: A height of 80–106 cm (31–42 in) at the shoulders and a nose-to-tail length ranging from 1.2 to 2.1 m (3.9 to 6.9 ft). Of this, the tail may comprise 11.6 to 23 cm (4.6 to 9.1 in). Adult bucks normally weigh 55–150 kg (121–331 lb), averaging around 92 kg (203 lb), although trophy specimens may weigh up to 210 kg (460 lb). Does (female deer) are smaller and typically weigh from 43 to 90 kg (95 to 198 lb), with an average of around 68 kg (150 lb). Unlike
644-528: A risk for migrating mule deer by invalidating historic or learned migration paths. Human activities such as natural resource extraction, highways, fencing, and urban development all have an impact on mule deer populations and migrations through habitat degradation and fragmentation. Natural gas extraction has been found to have varying negative effects on mule deer behavior and can even cause them to avoid areas they use to migrate. Highways not only cause injury and death to mule deer, but they can also serve as
736-782: A variety of wild mushrooms , which are most abundant in late summer and fall in the southern Rocky Mountains; mushrooms provide moisture, protein, phosphorus, and potassium. Humans sometimes engage in supplemental feeding efforts in severe winters in an attempt to help mule deer avoid starvation. Wildlife agencies discourage such efforts, which cause harm to mule deer populations by spreading disease (such as tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease ) when deer congregate for feed, disrupting migratory patterns, causing overpopulation of local mule deer populations, and causing habitat destruction from overbrowsing of shrubs and forbs. Supplemental feeding efforts might be appropriate when carefully conducted under limited circumstances, but to be successful,
828-444: Is about seven. Mule deer are ruminants , meaning they employ a nutrient acquisition strategy of fermenting plant material before digesting it. Deer consuming high-fiber, low-starch diets require less food than those consuming high-starch, low-fiber diets. Rumination time also increases when deer consume high-fiber, low-starch diets, which allows for increased nutrient acquisition due to greater length of fermentation. Because some of
920-477: Is complicated. Some authorities have recognized O. h. crooki as a senior synonym of O. h. eremicus , but the type specimen of the former is a hybrid between the mule deer and white-tailed deer, so the name O. h. crooki is invalid. Additionally, the validity of O. h. inyoensis has been questioned, and the two insular O. h. cerrosensis and O. h. sheldoni may be synonyms of O. h. eremicus or O. h. peninsulae . The 10 valid subspecies, based on
1012-626: Is directly involved with basal metabolic rate and thermoregulation. Mule deer migrate from low elevation winter ranges to high elevation summer ranges. Although not all individuals in populations migrate, some will travel long distances between summer and winter ranges. Researchers discovered the longest mule deer migration in Wyoming spanning 150 miles from winter to summer range Multiple US states track mule deer migrations. Mule deer migrate in fall to avoid harsh winter conditions like deep snow that covers up food resources, and in spring follow
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#17327810600791104-709: Is found in the Kōkeʻe State Park on Kauaʻi, feral horses live in the Waipio Valley , feral cattle by the Mauna Kea , and the Australian brush-tailed rock-wallaby live by the Kalihi Valley on Oʻahu. The Hawaiian monk seal , feral goats , feral sheep, and feral pigs live throughout most of the archipelago. In Hawaii , three species of sea turtles are considered native: honu , honu’ea and
1196-571: Is native to much of the South, but are prevalent in Virginia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. The Florida panther is the largest feline in the South and is exclusive to the wetlands of South Florida. White-tailed deer , bobcat , coyote , wild boar , red and grey fox are other mammals that inhabit parts of every state in the region. Wild horses roam parts of
1288-515: Is one of the most widely distributed hawks not only in the U.S., but in the Americas. Huge parts of the country with the most distinctive indigenous wildlife are protected as national parks. In 2013, the U.S. had more than 6770 national parks or protected areas, all together more than 1,006,619 sq. miles (2,607,131 km ). The first national park was Yellowstone National Park in the state of Wyoming, established in 1872. Yellowstone National Park
1380-435: Is only found in southern Florida. The Alligator snapping turtle and more than forty other species of turtle are found in the southern U.S. including the eastern box turtle , red-eared slider , and the softshell turtle . Snakes in the region include the eastern copperhead , eastern diamondback rattlesnake , timber rattlesnake , pigmy rattlesnake , cottonmouth , and eastern coral snake , all of which are venomous. Some of
1472-913: Is particularly famous for its crab and the American lobster living along most of the Atlantic Coast. The bobcat , raccoon and striped skunk live in every eastern state, while the American alligator lives in every coastal state between North Carolina and Texas. Some species of mammals found throughout the Eastern U.S. includes the red fox and gray fox , the North American beaver , North American porcupine , Virginia opossum , eastern mole , coyote , white-tailed deer , American mink , North American river otter , and long-tailed weasel . The American black bear lives throughout most of New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland,
1564-632: Is regulated by changes in the length of the day. The size of mule deer groups follows a marked seasonal pattern. Groups are smallest during fawning season (June and July in Saskatchewan and Alberta) and largest in early gestation (winter; February and March in Saskatchewan and Alberta). Besides humans, the three leading predators of mule deer are coyotes , wolves , and cougars . Bobcats , Canada lynx , wolverines , American black bears , and grizzly bears may prey upon adult deer but most often attack only fawns or infirm specimens, or they may eat
1656-428: Is the case with white-tails. Each spring, a buck's antlers start to regrow almost immediately after the old antlers are shed. Shedding typically takes place in mid-February, with variations occurring by locale. Although capable of running, mule deer are often seen stotting (also called pronking), with all four feet coming down together. The mule deer is the larger of the three Odocoileus species on average, with
1748-563: Is widely considered to be the finest megafauna wildlife habitat in the U.S. There are 67 species of mammals in the park, including the gray wolf , the threatened lynx , and the grizzly bear . The ecoregions and ecology found in the Western United States are extremely varied. For instance, large areas of land are made up of everything from sand dunes in the Central Basin and Range ecoregion , which makes up much of
1840-564: The American badger and beaver . The invasive wild boar is common in the South, while the American mink lives in every central state with the exception of Texas. The least weasel is found around the Great Lakes as well as states such as Nebraska, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The gray fox is found in Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and also around
1932-694: The American red squirrel dips into the higher elevations of Virginia and North Carolina. Other common mammals are the Virginia opossum , raccoon , striped and spotted skunk , groundhog and in parts of the South, the nine-banded armadillo . There are over 1,100 species of bird in the Southern U.S. ranging from upland birds, to waterfowl. The South is home to many coastal birds including gulls , rails , gallinules , skimmers , grebes , sandpipers , cranes , and herons . Upland birds include wild turkey and ruffed grouse . Various game bird species such as
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#17327810600792024-650: The Blainville's beaked whale . The northern bottlenose whale and the long-finned pilot whale are also common along the New England coast. Dolphins are common; species found along the entire coastline includes the Risso's dolphin , short-beaked common dolphin , striped dolphin , Atlantic spotted dolphin and the common bottlenose dolphin . Dolphin species found in New England include white-beaked dolphin and Atlantic white-sided dolphin , while species roaming
2116-727: The California sea lion , California moray , bald eagle , Channel Islands spotted skunk and the non-native Catalina Island bison herd . The South has a large variety of habitats that range from the Mississippi River basin in Arkansas and Mississippi to the Southern Appalachian Mountains . As far north as the hills of Tennessee and Virginia , all the way down to the Everglades in
2208-527: The Carolinas , through Georgia to Texas , including the Mobile Delta that lies in the borders of Alabama . The Southern United States is home to a multitude of reptiles and amphibians. The American alligator lives in much of the South - including every coastal state from North Carolina to Texas, along with the inland states of Arkansas and Tennessee- while the less widespread American crocodile
2300-862: The Continental United States and its surrounding seas and islands, the Hawaiian Archipelago , Alaska in the Arctic, and several island-territories in the Pacific and in the Caribbean. The U.S. has many endemic species found nowhere else on Earth. With most of the North American continent, the U.S. lies in the Nearctic , Neotropic , and Oceanic faunistic realms, and shares a great deal of its flora and fauna with
2392-475: The Franklin's ground squirrel and several other species of ground squirrels. Reptiles include bullsnakes , common collared lizard , common snapping turtle , musk turtles , yellow mud turtle , painted turtle , western diamondback rattlesnake and the prairie rattlesnake . Some of the typical amphibians found in the region are the three-toed amphiuma , green toad, Oklahoma salamander , lesser siren and
2484-648: The Puerto Rican nightjar and many more. All current endemic 13 land mammals are bats, which includes for instance the greater bulldog bat , the Antillean ghost-faced bat and the Parnell's mustached bat . Extinct native mammals include the plate-toothed giant hutia and the Puerto Rican cave rat . Reptiles unique to Puerto Rico include the Puerto Rican boa , the guanica blindsnake, the Mona Island iguana ,
2576-680: The Puerto Rican worm lizard , the Puerto Rican galliwasp and the Nichols’ dwarf gecko. Amphibians native to the island include the Puerto Rican crested toad , the common coqui , the locust coqui , the wrinkled coqui, the forest coqui, the elfin coqui and the bronze coqui . Endemic fish include the Puerto Rican snake eel and the Puerto Rico coralbrotula. The Virgin Islands National Park covers approximately 60% of
2668-993: The Sierra Nevada range , mule deer depend on the lichen Bryoria fremontii as a winter food source. The most common plant species consumed by mule deer are the following: Mule deer have also been known to eat ricegrass , gramagrass , and needlegrass , as well as bearberry , bitter cherry , black oak , California buckeye , ceanothus , cedar , cliffrose , cottonwood , creek dogwood , creeping barberry , dogwood , Douglas fir , elderberry , Fendlera species, goldeneye , holly-leaf buckthorn , jack pine , knotweed , Kohleria species, manzanita , mesquite , pine , rabbitbrush , ragweed , redberry , scrub oak , serviceberry (including Pacific serviceberry ), Sierra juniper , silktassel , snowberry , stonecrop , sunflower , tesota , thimbleberry , turbinella oak , velvet elder , western chokecherry , wild cherry , and wild oats . Where available, mule deer also eat
2760-636: The South and states such as Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. The muskrat is found throughout the Central U.S., excluding Texas, while the American beaver is found in every central state. Maybe the most iconic animal of the American prairie, the American buffalo , once roamed throughout the central plains. Bison once covered the Great Plains and were critically important to Native-American societies in
2852-666: The State of Nevada , to the ecology of the North Cascades in Washington state , which has the largest concentration of active alpine glaciers in the lower 48 . The densely forested areas found in Northern California , Oregon , Washington, Idaho , and Montana have mostly species adapted to living in temperate climates , while Southern California , Nevada , Arizona , southern Utah , and New Mexico have
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2944-509: The Virginia opossum , which occurs throughout California and coastal areas in Oregon and Washington. The North American beaver and mountain beaver live in forested areas of Washington, Oregon and Northern California. The kit fox lives throughout Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, while the gray fox occurs throughout the Western U.S. The red fox occurs mostly in Oregon and Washington, while
3036-662: The black-tailed deer . Unlike the related white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), which is found throughout most of North America east of the Rocky Mountains and in the valleys of the Rocky Mountains from Idaho and Wyoming northward, mule deer are only found on the western Great Plains , in the Rocky Mountains, in the southwest United States , and on the west coast of North America. Mule deer have also been introduced to Argentina and Kauai, Hawaii . Mule deer can be divided into two main groups:
3128-742: The bobwhite quail and the woodcock . The eastern whip-poor-will and the Chuck-will's-widow belong to the nighthawk family and are found in every southern state. Songbirds make up the largest portion of birds found in this region. In the prairie in the Central United States live mostly animals adapted for living in grasslands. Indigenous mammals include the American bison , eastern cottontail , black-tailed jackrabbit , plains coyote , black-tailed prairie dog , muskrat , opossum , raccoon , prairie chicken , wild turkey , white-tailed deer , swift foxes , pronghorn antelope ,
3220-403: The coconut crabs , the mahi-mahi , the barracuda , tridacna , marlin and tuna . Puerto Rico has 349 bird species, 83 mammals, 25 amphibians, 61 reptiles and 677 species of fish. Birds found nowhere else on earth include for instance the Puerto Rican owl , the Puerto Rican woodpecker , the Puerto Rican tody , the green mango , the Puerto Rican emerald , the Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo ,
3312-510: The collared kingfisher , the rufous fantail , the fairy tern and the uniform swiftlet . The Mariana fruit bat is endemic to both Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. The sambar deer is the largest mammal and lives on several of the islands. The Mariana monitor , ranging up to 3 feet long, is also present on the island of Rota. The oceans are home to more than a thousand species of marine life, including for instance
3404-418: The eastern racer , De Kay's snake , northern copperhead , ringneck snake , timber rattlesnake , eastern hog-nosed snake , milk snake , northern water snake , western rat snake , northern redbelly snake , plainbelly water snake , midland water snake , scarlet kingsnake , common kingsnake , queen snake , smooth earth snake , ribbon snake , and the common garter snake . Snake species mostly found in
3496-604: The giant African land snail . Several native species of skinks, geckos and a monitor lizard are still found on the island. The Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands is home to 40 indigenous and introduced bird species. Some endemic bird species are the Mariana fruit dove , the Mariana swiftlet , the Rota white-eye , the Tinian monarch , the bridled white-eye and the golden white-eye . Other common, but introduced species, include
3588-657: The harbor seal is the most widely distributed species of seal and found along the east coast, while the hooded seal , bearded seal , grey seal , ringed seal , and harp seal are found in the northwest. Whales are common along the Atlantic coastline. Whale species found along the entire coastline includes the Gervais' beaked whale , common minke whale , fin whale , sei whale , blue whale , humpback whale , sperm whale , dwarf sperm whale , pygmy sperm whale , killer whale , Cuvier's beaked whale , True's beaked whale , and
3680-538: The island fox is a native to six of the eight Channel Islands in Southern California. These islands are also famous for their marine life and endemic species such as the Channel Islands spotted skunk , Garibaldi , island fence lizard , island scrub jay , bald eagle , and their non-native Catalina Island bison herd . The raccoon and spotted skunk occur throughout the Western U.S., while
3772-584: The leatherback sea turtle . Two other species, the loggerhead sea turtle and the olive ridley sea turtle , are sometimes observed in Hawaiian waters. The Hawaiian green sea turtle is the most common sea turtle in Hawaiian waters. As well as turtles, the sea life consist of more than forty species of shark and the Hawaiian spinner dolphin is widespread. Hawaii 's coral reefs are home to over 5000 species, and 25 percent of these are found nowhere else in
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3864-649: The meadow vole . The plains pocket gopher lives throughout the Great Plains. Shrews include the cinereus shrew , southeastern shrew , North American least shrew , and the Elliot's short-tailed shrew . In the Appalachian Mountains and the Eastern United States are many animals that live in forested habitats. They include deer , rabbits , rodents , squirrels , hares , woodpeckers , owls , foxes and bears . The New England region
3956-448: The mud and corn snakes . The eastern fence lizard is common throughout the Eastern United States, with the exception of New York and New England. The gray wolf once roamed the Eastern U.S., but is now extinct from this region. The eastern cougar as well was once as widespread as the cougar in the western parts of the country, but was deemed extinct by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2011. Eastern elk once lived throughout
4048-596: The plains spadefoot toad . In the Rocky Mountains and other mountainous areas of the inland is where the bald eagle is most observed, even though its habitat includes all of the Lower 48 , as well as Alaska. Rabbits live throughout the Great Plains and neighboring areas; the black-tailed jackrabbit is found in Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas, the white-tailed jackrabbit in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin,
4140-410: The ring-tailed cat occurs throughout Arizona, New Mexico, Western Texas, Utah, Colorado, and most of California. The American black bear occurs in most western states, including Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and Colorado. The Channel Islands National Park consists of five out of the eight California Channel Islands . The Channel Islands are part of one of the richest marine biospheres of
4232-539: The spotless crake , the many-colored fruit dove , the wattled honeyeater , tropical pigeons, the samoan starling , white tern , black noddy and the red-tailed tropicbird . There are many reptiles in the islands, including five species of geckos, eight species of skinks and two species of snakes: the Pacific boa and the Australoasian blindsnake . The marine life is magnificent and much concentrated around
4324-402: The swamp rabbit in swampland in Texas, and the eastern cottontail is found in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and every state in the Eastern U.S. The groundhog is widespread throughout Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Minnesota. Virginia opossum is found in states such as Missouri, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas. The nine-banded armadillo is found throughout
4416-469: The white-footed mouse and muskrat are common throughout the east, with the exception of Florida, the meadow vole is found from the Appalachians to New England and the southern red-backed vole is found in New England. The brown rat and the house mouse were both introduced and their habitat range throughout the Eastern U.S. Weasels such as the fisher and short-tailed weasel are found in
4508-583: The Aleutian Chain include the Arctic fox , American mink , Porcupine caribou , northern sea otter , horned puffin , tufted puffin , Steller sea lion , spotted seal , ringed seal , northern fur seal and many more. Because of its remote location, diversity among the terrestrial species is low. The archipelago has a huge variety in animals and more than 9,000 acres is a national park: National Park of American Samoa . The park stretches over three of
4600-493: The Bering Sea-endemic red-legged kittiwake . Large seabird colonies are also present on Kiska Island , Gareloi Island , Semisopochnoi Island , Bogoslof Island , and several others. The islands are also frequented by vagrant Asiatic birds, including the common rosefinch , Siberian rubythroat , bluethroat , lanceolated warbler , and the first North American record of the intermediate egret . Other animals in
4692-461: The Central U.S. They became nearly extinct in the 19th century, but have made a recent resurgence in the Great Plains. Today, bison numbers have rebounded to about 200,000; these bison live on preserves and ranches. Some of the species that occupy every central state include the red fox , bobcat , white-tailed deer , raccoon , eastern spotted skunk , striped skunk , long-tailed weasel , and
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#17327810600794784-517: The Eastern U.S., while the hairy-tailed mole is more common from the Appalachians to New England in the north. Hares are also common: the snowshoe hare thrives from the Appalachians to New England, the Appalachian cottontail is only found in the Appalachians, the New England cottontail is only found in New England, while the eastern cottontail is widespread throughout the east. While
4876-461: The Great Lakes region. The ring-tailed cat is found in the southern region, including in Texas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. There are many species of squirrels in the central parts of the U.S., including the fox squirrel , eastern gray squirrel , Franklin's ground squirrel , southern flying squirrel , and the thirteen-lined ground squirrel . Voles include the prairie vole , woodland vole and
4968-589: The Island of St. John and nearly all of Hassel Island . The national park has more than 140 species of birds, 302 species of fish, 7 species of amphibians and 22 species of mammals. The tropical Virgin Islands are home to a huge variety of wildlife, including many unique species endemic to the archipelago . There are three species of sea turtles in the USVI that inhabit the local waters and utilize beaches for nesting:
5060-417: The South in small groups, which are remnants of horses brought by settlers in the 1400s and 1500s. These are mostly in coastal habitats. Many water-dwelling mammals inhabit the South including the American beaver , muskrat , river otter , and nutria , which is an invasive species and has decimated plant life in the swamps of Louisiana. Weasels and mink also prefer being near water. Rabbits are common in
5152-528: The South; the eastern cottontail is found throughout the region, while the desert cottontail and black-tailed jackrabbit is primarily found in Texas, and Oklahoma. The swamp rabbit is found in wetlands of states like Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Arkansas, while the marsh rabbit resides along the coastal regions of the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. Squirrels are also abundant. The eastern grey squirrel and eastern fox squirrel can both be found in every southern state. The southern range of
5244-530: The U.S. government to decrease the number of brown tree snakes on the island. For instance in 2013, a $ 1 million program by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dropped more than 2000 mice filled with poison on the island. In 2013, more than two million brown tree snakes were estimated to be on the island. Other introduced species include the Philippine deer , the Asiatic water buffalo , the marine toad and
5336-462: The Virginias, and parts of the Carolinas and Florida. Shrews are common: the cinereus shrew , long-tailed shrew and American water shrew are widespread in the New England region, while the North American least shrew and southeastern shrew are common in the southeastern states. The American pygmy shrew , smoky shrew , and northern short-tailed shrew are found from the Appalachian Mountains to New England. The star-nosed mole lives throughout
5428-550: The activity, noise, light at the extraction sites. The increase in urbanization has impacted mule deer migrations and there is evidence to show it also disrupts gene flow among mule deer populations. One clear option is to not build houses in critical mule deer habitat; however, build near mule deer habitat has resulted in some deer becoming accustomed to humans and the resources, such as food and water. Rather than migrate through urban areas some deer tend to stay close to those urban developments, potentially for resources and to avoid
5520-492: The black-tailed deer. Despite this, the mtDNA of the white-tailed deer and mule deer is similar, but differs from that of the black-tailed deer. This may be the result of introgression , although hybrids between the mule deer and white-tailed deer are rare in the wild (apparently more common locally in West Texas ), and the hybrid survival rate is low even in captivity. Many claims of observations of wild hybrids are not legitimate, as identification based on external features
5612-432: The breeding cycle is important in understanding deer behavior. The rut or mating season usually begins in the fall as does go into estrus for a period of a few days, and males become more aggressive, competing for mates. Does may mate with more than one buck and go back into estrus within a month if they did not become pregnant. The gestation period is about 190–200 days, with fawns born in the spring. The survival rate of
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#17327810600795704-408: The colorful coral reefs. The Samoan ocean is a home to sea turtles as hawksbill sea turtle , olive ridley sea turtle , leatherback sea turtle and the green sea turtle . Five species of dolphins live in the area: spinner dolphin , rough-toothed dolphin , bottlenose dolphin , pantropical spotted dolphin and striped dolphin . Shortly after World War II, the brown tree snake was introduced to
5796-478: The contiguous Western U.S. are mule deer , white-tailed antelope squirrels , cougars , American badgers , coyotes , hawks and several species of snakes and lizards are common. While the American black bear lives throughout the U.S., the brown bears and grizzly bears are more common in the northwest and in Alaska. Along the West Coast there are several species of whales, sea otters , California sea lions , eared seals and northern elephant seals . In
5888-463: The dry, inland desert areas of states such as California, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico there are some of the world's most venomous lizards, snakes and scorpions. The most notorious might be the Gila monster and Mohave rattlesnake , both found in deserts in the Southwest . The Sonoran Desert has eleven species of rattlesnakes - more than anywhere else in the world. Along the southwestern border there are jaguars and ocelots . Other mammals include
5980-441: The east, but was extirpated in the 19th century and declared as extinct by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1880. Moose as well once roamed throughout the east, but is currently only found in northern New England. Due to its highly prized fur, the sea mink was hunted to extinction in 1903. Much of the fauna in Hawaii has developed special adaptations to their home and evolved into new species. Today, nearly 90% percent of
6072-534: The emergence of new growth northwards. There is evidence to suggest that mule deer migrate based on cognitive memory, meaning they use the same path year after year even if the availability of resources has changed. This contradicts the idea that animals will go to the areas with the best available resources, which makes migratory paths crucial for survival. There are many risks that mule deer face during migration including climate change and human disturbance. Climate change impacts on seasonal growth patterns constitute
6164-430: The fauna in Hawaii are endemic , meaning that they exist nowhere else on Earth. Kauaʻi is home to the largest number of tropical birds, as it is the only island free of mongooses . The invasive Javan mongoose is widespread throughout the archipelago, except on the islands of Lanaʻi and Kauaʻi . Famous birds include ʻiʻiwi , nukupuʻu , Kauaʻi ʻamakihi and ʻōʻū . Most of these birds are extinct. The hoary bat
6256-403: The fawns during labor is about 50%. Fawns stay with their mothers during the summer and are weaned in the fall after about 60–75 days. Mule deer females usually give birth to two fawns, although if it is their first time having a fawn, they often have just one. A buck's antlers fall off during the winter, then grow again in preparation for the next season's rut. The annual cycle of antler growth
6348-450: The feeding must begin early in the severe winter (before poor range conditions and severe weather cause malnourishment or starvation) and must be continued until range conditions can support the herd. Mule deer are variably gregarious, with a large proportion of solitary individuals (35 to 64%) and small groups (groups with ≤5 deer, 50 to 78%). Reported mean group size measurements are three to five and typical group size (i.e., crowding)
6440-409: The green sea turtle, the hawksbill sea turtle and the leatherback sea turtle. Several species of sharks, manatees and dolphins roam the seas. Mule deer 10, but some disputed (see text ) The mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) is a deer indigenous to western North America ; it is named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule . Two subspecies of mule deer are grouped into
6532-419: The island of Guam and caused much of the endemic wildlife to become extinct. Due to an abundance of prey species and lack of predators, the brown tree snake's population exploded and reached nearly 13,000 snakes per square mile at most. Ten out of twelve endemic bird species, ten lizards and two bats all became extinct as a result of the introduction of the brown tree snake. In recent years, a lot has been done by
6624-418: The mule deer ( sensu stricto ) and the black-tailed deer . The first group includes all subspecies, except O. h. columbianus and O. h. sitkensis , which are in the black-tailed deer group. The two main groups have been treated as separate species, but they hybridize , and virtually all recent authorities treat the mule deer and black-tailed deer as conspecific . Mule deer apparently evolved from
6716-765: The northeast includes the smooth green snake , northern ribbon snake , and the eastern worm snake . Snakes limited to the southeast includes the southeastern crown snake , pinesnake , eastern diamondback rattlesnake , coral snake , pygmy rattlesnake , southern copperhead , water moccasin , eastern coral snake , eastern indigo snake , southern hognose snake , coachwhip snake , banded water snake , brown water snake , green water snake , Nerodia clarkii clarkii , salt marsh snake , mole kingsnake , pine woods snake , glossy crayfish snake , striped crayfish snake , short-tailed snake , swamp snake , rim rock crown snake , rough earth snake , southern black racer , rough green snake , western rat snake , eel moccasin , and
6808-518: The northeast. The eastern chipmunk , fox squirrel , eastern gray squirrel and the woodchuck are found throughout the region, while the southern flying squirrel and northern flying squirrel are more common in the southeast, the American red squirrel is more common in the northeast. The least weasel is native to the Appalachian Mountains. The wild boar is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig and has spread through much of
6900-497: The obstacles in urban areas. Suggested measures by property owners to protect mule deer genetic diversity and migration paths include planting deer-resistant plants, placing scare devices such as noise-makers, and desisting from feeding deer. Wildlife officials in Utah announced that a November–December 2021 field study had detected the first case of SARS-CoV-2 in mule deer. Several deer possessed apparent SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, however
6992-575: The other reptiles and amphibians thriving in the South include the Carolina anole , razor-backed musk turtle , broad-headed skink , American bullfrog , southern toad , spring peeper and the coal skink . Mammals of the region include the elk , the largest of which that was wiped out in the 1800s, but has been reintroduced and is making promising recoveries in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas. There still remain resident populations in parts of Texas and Oklahoma. The American black bear
7084-547: The rest of the American supercontinent. An estimated 432 species of mammals characterize the fauna of the continental U.S. There are more than 800 species of bird and more than 100,000 known species of insects. There are 311 known reptiles, 295 amphibians and 1154 known fish species in the U.S. Known animals that exist in all of the lower 48 states include white-tailed deer , bobcat , raccoon , muskrat , striped skunk , barn owl , American mink , American beaver , North American river otter and red fox . The red-tailed hawk
7176-451: The risks listed above and take the proper steps to mitigate any adverse impacts those risk have on mule deer populations. Not only will populations benefit from these efforts but so will many other wildlife species. One way to help protect deer from getting hit on roadways is to install high fence wildlife fencing with escape routes. This helps keep deer off the road, preventing vehicle collisions and allowing animals that are trapped between
7268-542: The road and the fence a way to escape to safety. However, to maintain migration routes that cross busy highways, managers have also implemented natural, vegetated, overpasses and underpasses to allow animals, like mule deer, to migrate and move safely across highways. Approaches to mitigating the impact of drilling and mining operations include regulating the time of year when active drilling and heavy traffic to sites are taking place, and using well-informed planning to protect critical deer habitat and using barriers to mitigate
7360-460: The six islands in the archipelago: Tutuila , Ofu-Olosega and Ta‘ū . Eight mammal species have been recorded at American Samoa, of which none of them are critically endangered. The mammals include several species of native bats, including the Samoa flying fox and insular flying fox . The avifauna includes 65 species of bird where the more unusual distinctive ones are the blue-crowned lorikeet ,
7452-639: The southeastern U.S. include gopher tortoise , pond slider , Escambia map turtle , Barbour's map turtle , eastern river cooter , striped mud turtle , loggerhead musk turtle , and the Florida softshell turtle . The smooth softshell turtle is for instance found in the Ohio River and the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania. Some of the snake species found in much of the Eastern U.S. includes
7544-482: The southeastern coastline. Land turtles and tortoises found throughout most of the Eastern United States are the common snapping turtle , painted turtle , spotted turtle , diamondback terrapin , spiny softshell turtle , eastern mud turtle , northern red-bellied cooter , common musk turtle , eastern box turtle , and the yellow - and red-eared slider . While common species in the northeast include Blanding's turtle , wood turtle , and bog turtle , common species in
7636-457: The southeastern parts of the coastline include the Fraser's dolphin , pantropical spotted dolphin , Clymene dolphin , spinner dolphin , and the rough-toothed dolphin . Several sea turtles live along the Atlantic coast, including the hawksbill sea turtle , Kemp's ridley sea turtle , and loggerhead sea turtle . The green sea turtle and leatherback sea turtle are more common species along
7728-406: The southeastern region as an invasive species. The Canada lynx is found in parts of New England. Species of bats found throughout the east includes the eastern pipistrelle , silver-haired bat , eastern red bat , hoary bat , big brown bat , little brown bat , northern long-eared myotis , and in most regions the eastern small-footed myotis , gray bat and Indiana bat . Of the marine life,
7820-628: The southern end of Florida . From the eastern-most point on the Outer Banks of North Carolina , as far west as the deserts and prairies of West Texas and Oklahoma . The warmer climate allows for rich biodiversity ranging from cypress swamps in Louisiana to the thick bays and the longleaf pine biome of the South Carolina Lowcountry . It is riddled along the way with countless salt marshes in every coastal state from
7912-635: The state. Alaska has also over 430 species of birds and the largest population of bald eagles in the nation. From pygmy shrews that weigh less than a penny to gray whales that weigh 45 tons, Alaska is the "Last Frontier" for animals as well as people. Many species endangered elsewhere are still abundant in Alaska. The Aleutian Islands are home to an abundance of large bird colonies ; more than 240 bird species inhabit Alaska's Aleutian Archipelago . Large seabird colonies are present on islands like Buldir Island , which has 21 breeding seabird species, including
8004-459: The subspecies of mule deer are migratory, they encounter variable habitats and forage quality throughout the year. Forages consumed in the summer are higher in digestible components (i.e. proteins, starches, sugars, and hemicellulose ) than those consumed in the winter. The average gross energy content of the consumed forage material is 4.5 kcal/g. Due to fluctuations in forage quality and availability, mule deer fat storage varies throughout
8096-471: The third edition of Mammal Species of the World , are: The most noticeable differences between white-tailed and mule deer are ear size, tail color, and antler configuration. In many cases, body size is also a key difference. The mule deer's tail is black-tipped, whereas the white-tailed deer's is not. Mule deer antlers are bifurcated; they "fork" as they grow, rather than branching from a single main beam, as
8188-557: The white-tailed, the mule deer does not generally show marked size variation across its range, although environmental conditions can cause considerable weight fluctuations in any given population. An exception to this is the Sitka deer subspecies ( O. h. sitkensis ). This race is markedly smaller than other mule deer, with an average weight of 54.5 kg (120 lb) and 36 kg (79 lb) in males and females, respectively. In addition to movements related to available shelter and food,
8280-456: The world. The wildlife of Alaska is abundant, extremely diverse and includes for instance polar bears , puffins , moose , bald eagles , Arctic foxes , wolves , Canadian lynx , muskox , snowshoe hare , mountain goats, walrus and caribou . Life zones in Alaska range from grasslands, mountains, tundra to thick forests, which leads to a huge diversity in terrain and geology throughout
8372-479: The world. Many unique species of plants and animals are endemic to the Channel Islands, including fauna such as the island fox , Channel Islands spotted skunk , island scrub jay , ashy storm-petrel , island fence lizard , island night lizard , Channel Islands slender salamander , Santa Cruz sheep , San Clemente loggerhead shrike and San Clemente sage sparrow . Other animals in the islands include
8464-547: The year, with the most fat stored in October, which is depleted throughout the winter to the lowest levels of fat storage in March. Changes in hormone levels are indications of physiological adjustments to the changes in the habitat. Total body fat is a measure of the individual's energy reserves, while thyroid hormone concentrations are a metric to determine the deer's ability to use the fat reserves. Triiodothyronine (T3) hormone
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