| NAME | LENGTH (inches) |
WEIGHT (pounds) |
RANGE IN MISSOURI | PREFERRED HABITAT IN MISSOURI | BREEDING PERIOD | GESTATION PERIOD | LITTERS PER YR. | YOUNG IN LITTER | MATURITY AGE | FOODS | TOOTH FORMULA** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPOSSUM (Didelphis viginiana) |
24-33 | 4-15 | General | Wooded areas along shallow streams | Feb.-May | 13 days | 2 | 5-13 av. 9 |
1 yr. | Insects, carrion, fruit, grain |  |
| RACCOON (Procyon lotor) |
26-38 | 8-25 rarely to 49 |
General | Hardwood timber | Jan.-June | 63 days | 1 | 1-7 av. 3-4 |
1-2 years | Fruit, grass, grain, nuts, fish, clams |  |
| LONG-TAILED WEASEL (Mustela frenata) |
m. 13-17 f. 11-15 |
m. 6-9 oz. f. 2-4 oz. |
General | Woodlands and thickets near water | July-August | 9 mos. * |
1 | 1-12 av. 6-7 |
m. 1 1/2 yrs. f. 4 mos. |
Live mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels |  |
| MINK (Mustela vison) |
m. 20-27 f. 16-21 |
m. 1-3 f. 1-2 |
General | Along rivers, streams, lakes, marshes, ponds | Feb.-April | 40-75 days av. 51* |
1 | 2-17 av. 3-4 |
1 yr. | Mice, rabbits, fish, frogs, crayfish |  |
| RIVER OTTER (Lutra canadensis) |
35-53 | 10-25 rarely to 50 |
SE; along Missouri River | Along streams, rivers, lakes | Winter or early spring | 9-12 mons.* | 1 | 1-5 av. 2-3 |
2 yrs. | Fish, crayfish, other aquatic animals |  |
| SPOTTED SKUNK (CIVET) (Spilogale interrupta) |
17-22 | 1-3 | General; mostly prairie | Prairie, brushy areas, cultivated lands | Feb.-Mar. (and later?) | 7-10 weeks? | 1 2? |
2-6 av. 4-5 |
1 yr. | Insects, mice, fruit, corn |  |
| STRIPED SKUNK (Mephitis mephitis) |
20-30 | 3-10 | General | Forest borders, brushy fields near water | Feb.-March. | 7-10 weeks av. 9 |
1 | 2-16 av. 4-6 |
1 yr. | Insects, mice, fruit, grass, leaves |  |
| BADGER (Taxidea taxus) |
26-35 | 13-30 | Mostly north and west | Open prairie | Aug.-Sept. | 6-9 mos.* | 1 | 1-7 av. 3 |
1 yr. | Rabbits, mice, ground squirrels |  |
| RED FOX (Vulpes fulva) |
36-46 | 8-15 | General | Borders of woods and adjacent open lands | Dec.-Mar. | 49-56 days av. 53 |
1 | 1-10 av. 4-6 |
1 yr. | Rabbits, mice, carrion, some plants |  |
| GRAY FOX (Urocyon cineoargenteus) |
35-43 | 5-14 rarely to 19 |
General | Wooded areas and open brushlands | Jan.-May | 51-63 days av. 53 |
1 | 1-10 av. 3-5 |
1 yr. | Rabbits, mice, carrion, some plants |  |
| COYOTE (Canis latrans) |
39-52 | 18-30 rarely to 48 |
General except SE | Brushy areas and open farmlands | Jan.-March | 58-63 days | 1 | 2-19 av. 5-7 |
1-2 years | Rabbits, mice, carrion, some plants |  |
| RED WOLF (Canis niger) |
55-66 | 30-80 | Only in sourth; rare | Open and forested lands | Jan.-March | 60-66 days av. 63 |
1 | 3-14 av. 7 |
2 yrs. | Rabbits, mice, carrion, some plants |  |
| BOBCAT (WILDCAT) (Lynx rufus) |
22-47 | 10-40 | S and SE | Heavy forest cover | Jan.-June | 50-70 days |
1 2? |
1-5 | 1-2 years | Rabbits, mice, rats, other flesh; birds |  |
| WOODCHUCK (GROUNDHOG) (Marmota monax) |
16-27 | 4-12 rarely to 14 |
General; rare SE | Borders of timber; open land | Feb.-March | 31-32 days | 1 | 2-9 av. 4-5 |
1-2 years | Leaves, flowers, seeds, frutes; few insects |  |
| EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL (Sciurus carolinensis) |
14-21 | 3/4-1 1/2 | General | Hardwood forests | Dec.-Jan. | 44-45 days | 2 | 1-6 av. 2-3 |
1 yr. | Nuts, fruits, corn; bark, buds, seeds |  |
| EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL (Sciurus niger) |
19-29 | 1-3 | General | Hardwood forests; hedge fences | Dec.-Jan. | 44-45 days | 2 | 1-6 av. 2-3 | 1 yr. | Nuts, fruits, corn; bark, buds, seeds |  |
| BEAVER (Castor canadensis) |
34-54 | 36-70 rarely to 100 |
General | In and along streams, rivers, marshes, lakes | Jan.-Feb. | 3-4 mos. | 1 | 1-8 av. 3-4 |
3 yrs. | Tender bark of trees, corn, aquatic plants |  |
| MUSKRAT (Ondatra zibethicus) |
16-25 | 1 1/2-4 | General | In marshes, streams, rivers, lakes, ponds | March-Sept. | 29-30 days | 1-5 av. 2-3 |
1-11 av. 4-7 |
4 mo.-1 yr. | Aquatic plants, clover, corn, grass, clams |  |
| WHITE-TAILED JACK RABBIT (Lepus townsendii) |
22-26 | 6-9 | NW | Prairie | Spring-summer | 6 weeks | 1-4 | 1-8 av. 2-4 |
1 yr. | Leaves of grass, weeds, clover; bark |  |
| BLACK-TAILED JACK RABBIT (Lepus californicus) |
18-26 | 4-8 | SW and central | Prairie | Spring-summer | 6 weeks | 1-4 | 1-8 av. 2-4 |
1 yr. | Leaves of grass, weeds, clover; bark |  |
| EASTERN COTTONTAIL RABBIT (Sylvilagus floridanus) |
14-19 | 2-3 | General | Open brushy land or forest border | March-Sept. | 26-30 days | 1-6 av. 3-4 |
1-9 av. 4-5 |
4 mo.-1yr. | Leaves of grass, weeds, clover; bark |  |
| SWAMP RABBIT (Sylvilagus aquaticus) |
16-22 | 2-6 | SE | Wet lowlands, stream banks | Jan.-Sept. | about 30 days | 2 or more | 1-6 av. 3-4 |
1 yr. | Herb, aquatic plants, stems of cane |  |
| WHITE-TAILED DEER (Odocoileus virginianus) |
54-78 | 75-300 | General | Edges and openings in forest | Oct.-Nov. | 7 mos. | 1 | 1-4 av. 1-2 |
7 mos.-1 1/2 yrs. | Twigs, leaves, nuts, fungi |
|
* After development starts, there is a long dormant period with most growth and development occurring in the last few weeks
** This formula lists the number of each kind of tooth, front to rear, in the upper and lower jaws on one side. Thus on each side of the upper jaw the Opossum has 5 incisors, 1 canine, 3 premolars and 4 molars (5-1-3-4); on each side of the lower jaw, 4 incisors, 1 canine, 3 premolars and 4 molars (4-1-3-4). 50 is the total in both jaws, both sides (the numbers times 2).
