Field Guide

Skunks are omnivorous mammals notorious for their ability to discharge an obnoxious scent when provoked. The striped skunk is the most commonly encountered skunk in our state.

The bobcat is a short-tailed wild cat with a distinctive streaked and spotted pattern, a wide face, and pointy ears often with black tufts.

Long-tailed weasels are small but voracious predators. They are rare in our state but are most common in the south-central and southwestern portions. In summer, they are brown with yellow beneath. In winter their fur is paler or white. The tail has a black tip.

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel has 13 alternating brown and whitish lines (some may be broken into spots) along its back and sides, creating rows of whitish spots within dark lines. It stands upright to survey its surroundings and dives into its burrow when it senses danger.

Feral hogs cause millions of dollars in agricultural, environmental, and property damage. As they root and wallow, they plow the soil to depths of 2–8 inches — sometimes for many acres! And this is just the beginning of the trouble they can cause to humans, livestock, and the environment.

There’s no other animal in Missouri that can be mistaken for an armadillo! In the 1950s, they were not considered residents, but now they are regularly found in the southern half of the state.