Carnivores in Wildlife Biodiversity (ZO350)

Wildlife Biodiversity (ZO350)Class Mammalia Present in the Prairie Provinces Wildlife Biodiversity (ZO350)Class Mammalia  Carni vores 270 species (39 endangered - IUCN) Not all are flesh-eaters – eat a diversity of foods W...

Wildlife Biodiversity (ZO350)Class Mammalia Present in the Prairie Provinces Wildlife Biodiversity (ZO350)Class Mammalia  Carni vores 270 species (39 endangered - IUCN) Not all are flesh-eaters – eat a diversity of foods Weasels, then cats, are the most carnivorous On all continents & oceans Males are generally larger than females  Carni Small weasels only live up to 6 vores yr in captivity but larger carnivores can live for decades Role in nature – top- down control of prey populations & disease regulation Feared, persecuted and exploited by people for centuries  cougar/mountain lion Largest wild cat in the America’s Buffy-grey to tawny or cinnamon upper parts Dull, dirty-white underparts Black chest, throat, tip of muzzle and back of ears Very long tail – more than half the length of body  cougar/mountain lion Ambush predator that kills with a bite to the neck Prey on large ungulates (deer, mtn. sheep & goats, wapiti, moose), beaver and porcupine Sharpens claws on trees Eat ≥1 deer/wk May cache food Can starve in winters without fresh/unfrozen prey/food cougar Endemic to the New World (America’s) Extirpated from eastern N. Am. by settlers - but recent sightings in MB indicate they are reclaiming former range Distribution and density correlated with deer abundance Florida panther (a cougar) critically endangered (IUCN) cougar Alberta's cougar population is rebounding after years of over-hunting and displacement, says Tyler McClure, a spokesman for WildSmart, based in Canmore. ~680 in 2005 >2000 in 2015 Greatest densities on Vancouver Island (BC) and at Cypress Hills cougar  Canada lynx Medium sized (mesocarnivore) Short-tailed with long stilt-legs Very large and well-furred feet for snowshoeing and silent travel in forests Ears tipped with black ‘elfish’ hairs tufts Long facial ruff hairs Long hairs on thighs Tip of tail is black key differentiation Canada lynx Solitary hunters of remote boreal forest Preys primarily on snowshoe hare (Lepus townsendii) and their populations cycle together – kittens starve when few hares (limiting factor) Also preys on red squirrel, grouse and rodents Very fast – ambush & chase Can climb trees to avoid predators or ambush  bobcat Tawny or yellowish-brown coat Dark horizontal stripes on breast and limbs Sides spotted with dark brown 2 black bars across each cheek Ear tufts shorter (