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Michigan has always held a place in my heart since I first visited it years ago. Although it may not have as many species as other surrounding states, the great location and number of animals make up for it.
About sixty species of terrestrial mammals live in Michigan, including bears, elk, and cats.
If you want to find out which mammals live in Michigan, please read on.
Would you like to know what your state mammal is? Find out in this article I wrote.
American Marten
The American marten is a small, solitary, and nocturnal member of the Mustelidae family.
Their color ranges from yellowish-brown to black. They measure 32 to 54 cm and weigh from 0.5 to 1.3 kg.
The American Marten eats smaller animals such as squirrels, birds, and mice but will also eat fruits and nuts.
They are widely scattered in northern, mature conifer forests throughout the continent. They can be found both on the ground and living in trees, with an estimated lifespan of fewer than fifteen years.
American Water Shrew
The American water shrew is a solitary and semiaquatic species of shrew. Their color changes throughout the year, from light brown in the summer to black in the winter.
The water shrew measures from 13 to 17 cm and weighs 8 to 18 g. They live in streams and ponds for about 18 months.
This species of water shrew is an omnivore eating aquatic insects, small fish, plants, and snails.
American Badger
The American badger is one of many carnivorous North American mammals. Its color is dark gray with a white stripe on its back, white patches on its eyes, and a white underbody.
The American badger measures from 60 to 75 cm and weighs 6.3 to 8.6 kg. This carnivore eats mice, squirrels, groundhogs, moles, and prairie dogs.
They live in grasslands, prairies, marshes, and farms. Their lifespan is four to fourteen years in the wild and twenty-six in captivity.
American Red Squirrel
The red squirrel is a small, solitary, and diurnal animal. Its color is gray, red, or dark brown, with white on its underbody, and sometimes has black stripes on its sides.
They measure from 28 to 35 cm (including the tail) and weigh 200 to 282 g.
The red squirrel eats sunflower seeds and all types of nuts. They are arboreal, living in coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests, with a lifespan of 5 to 10 years.
Big Brown Bat
The big brown bat is an insectivore that primarily eats beetles and consumes other flying insects like moths, flies, and wasps.
They live in all types of habitats, ranging from 18 to 20 years. This animal carries a lot of diseases, including rabies and parasites such as tapeworms and fleas.
The big brown bat is a small, nocturnal flying mammal. They live in colonies and use echolocation to locate objects while flying at night. The color varies from brown to black.
They measure from 11 to 13 cm, with a wingspan from 32 to 40 cm, and it weighs from 15 to 26 g.
The species of bats live in North America and the Caribbean.
Black Bear
The American black bear is a midsize mammal from North America. Their color is not always black but can be brown, tan, or even blonde.
They measure from 130 to 190 cm and weigh 200 to 300 kg. The black bear is an omnivore and has a varied diet. This consists primarily of fish, mammals, insects, grasses, roots, and berries.
This black bear is broadly distributed in forest habitats, with an average lifespan of twenty years.
Beaver
The North American beaver can reach up to 32 kg, with 20 kilograms being the average weight. They can measure 74-90cm, excluding the tail, which adds 25-30 cm.
The beaver is the largest rodent in North America and is semi-aquatic. They have a transparent third eyelid allowing them to see underwater.
Beavers play an essential role in the environment and are a keystone species. They are well known for building dams, canals, and lodges. They construct dams to flood areas to obtain access to food and protection.
They live in colonies and have orange teeth due to the amount of iron they contain. This makes their teeth stronger than regular teeth.
The beaver is a herbivore and eats bark, cambium, roots, buds, and water plants. The North American beaver lives in forests (near water bodies) in the northern parts of North America, with a lifespan between 10 to 15 years.
Bobcat
The bobcat is a nocturnal, elusive, midsize wildcat related to the lynx. Their appearance is like a big domestic cat with a bobbed tail.
Their color can range from grayish brown to red, with a white underbody. They measure from 47 to 125 cm and weigh 8 to 9 kg.
The bobcat is a carnivore and eats raccoons, squirrels, rodents, rabbits, birds, reptiles, skunks, and sometimes even deer.
They have extraordinary night vision and can live in all types of habitats across the central section of North America. Their lifespan ranges from 10 to 12 years.
Brown Rat
The Norway rat is also known as the brown rat. They are a rodent that lives all over the world. Their color is brown with a lighter color on the underbody.
The brown rat measures from 15 to 28 cm and weighs 140 to 500 g.
The brown rat is an omnivore, eating seeds, nuts, grains, fruits, eggs, birds, mice, small rabbits, fish, and insects.
They live in forests and urban and suburban areas and have a lifespan of two years.
Canada Lynx
The Canada lynx is a diurnal and solitary wildcat. Their paws have thicker so that they can travel through snow.
Their color ranges from grayish-yellow to reddish-brown, and they have a black mark on the tip of their ears and tail.
They measure from 76 to 110 cm and weigh 8 to 18 kg. They usually live in cold, dense forests with a lifespan of 15 years.
This carnivore eats mostly snowshoe hares and feeds on birds, fish, rats, and sometimes deer.
Cinereus Shrew
The cinereus shrew is also known as the masked or common shrew. They are small, nocturnal, and solitary animals. Their color is grayish-brown with a lighter grayish hue on the underbody.
The cinereous shrew measures about 9 cm, with a weight of just 5g and a lifespan of just 14 months.
The cinereus shrew is a carnivore, eating insect larvae, ants, grasshoppers, crickets, spiders, worms, snails, small rodents, and salamanders.
They live in grasslands, forests, riverbanks, lakeshores, and tundra in North America.
Cougar
The cougar is a solitary, elusive, and primarily nocturnal wildcat. They are also known as the puma, mountain lion, and catamount.
Their color is grayish-brown with white on the underbody. Cougars measure about 2.4 m long (including a long tail) and weigh 53 to 100 kg.
Cougars are carnivores, with their main prey being deer. They will also prey on elk, coyotes, mountain goats, beavers, moose, and wild sheep. Smaller cougars will prey on smaller mammals than larger cougars.
They can live in an enormous range of habitats in North America. They have a lifespan that ranges between 8 to 13 years.
Coyote
The coyote is a midsize canine with the look of a domestic dog and is thinner and smaller than the gray wolf. Their color is grayish-brown with a white underbody.
Coyotes measure about 1.5 m (including the tail) and weigh 6.8 to 21 kg. Their lifespan ranges from ten to fourteen years in the wild and up to twenty-one years in captivity.
Coyotes are adaptable and have an extremely varied omnivorous diet. Their diet includes cactus fruits, flowers, insects, rodents, rabbits, birds, and reptiles.
They can be found in most habitats across North America.
Deer Mouse
The deer mouse is a small and reclusive rodent. Their color (which resembles a deer) varies from gray to brown, with a white underbody.
They measure from 8 to 10 cm (without the tail) and weigh about 20g.
The deer mouse is an omnivore feeding on various foods, such as seeds, nuts, fruits, and insects.
They live in many different habitats, including forests, mountains, deserts, grasslands, and tropical regions.
Their lifespan is eight years in captivity and less than a year in the wild. They can carry viruses and bacteria that cause diseases in humans, such as Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).
Eastern Chipmunk
The Eastern chipmunk is a solitary animal. Their color is reddish-brown with two white stripes surrounded by black stripes on the side of its back and head, with a fifth black stripe running across the center of its back. The chipmunk’s underbody has a lighter brown color.
They measure about 30 cm (including the tail) and weigh from 66 to 150 g.
The Eastern chipmunk is an omnivore that eats acorns, insects, eggs, mushrooms, snails, nuts, fruits, seeds, berries, and corn.
They like to live in rocky areas, logs, and bushes in deciduous forests and urban parks. They live in the eastern United States and Southeast Canada, with a lifespan of three years.
Eastern Cottontail
The Eastern cottontail is a solitary, primarily nocturnal rabbit that lives in the southeast of the United States and parts of Central and South America.
Their color varies from reddish-brown to grayish brown, with a white underbody. They measure about 37 cm and weigh about 1.2 kg.
The Eastern cottontail is a herbivore that eats various grasses, branches, bark, clover, fruits, and vegetables. Their habitat is mainly grasslands. Their lifespan is three years in the wild and eight years in captivity.
Eastern Mole
The Eastern mole is a solitary, midsize mammal from the eastern United States. Their color is dark gray. They measure from 14 to 18 cm and weigh 40 to 50 g.
The Eastern mole is a carnivore and eats worms, insects, larvae, mice, bugs, and small birds.
Eastern moles live in grasslands and thin forests for an expected six years.
The Eastern mole digs tunnels in search of food. Although they control the number of insects in a given location, they can cause damage to gardens and yards.
Elk
The elk is one of the largest members of the deer family. They live in the United States and southern Canada.
Their color varies from tan to dark brown. They measure from 2.1 to 2.4 m in length and weigh between 220 to 330 kg.
The elk is a herbivore that eats grass, leaves, bark, and brushwood. They live mainly in forests and have an expected lifespan of ten to thirteen years in the wild.
Ermine
The ermine is a solitary weasel that lives in the northern part of the continent.
Their color is dark brown on the back and white on the underbody during the summer. In winter, their color changes to almost pure white.
The ermine measures from 17 to 32 cm and weigh about 260 g. The ermine is a carnivore that eats mainly rodents but will also eat birds, fish, amphibians, small reptiles, and insects.
They live in taigas and tundras, with a lifespan of four to six years in the wild.
Fisher
The fisher is a small, solitary, mainly nocturnal, aggressive, and elusive weasel. They are related to the American marten.
Their color varies from dark brown to black, with a lifespan of seven years in the wild and, in rare cases, up to 14 years in captivity. They measure from 75 to 120 cm and weigh 2 to 6 kg.
The fisher is a carnivore that eats mice, snowshoe hares, birds, cats, poultry, shrews, porcupines, and squirrels.
Even though they move on the ground most of the time, they are also an excellent climber.
They live in forests in the southern part of Canada and the northern and western parts of the United States.
Fox Squirrel
The Eastern fox squirrel is also known as Bryant’s fox squirrel. The Eastern fox squirrel is the largest species of tree squirrel in North America.
Their total body length ranges from 45 to 70 cm, with a weight ranging between 500 to 1000 grams.
They coexist in certain areas with the Eastern gray squirrel but have more brownish-colored fur with darker underparts that make it recognizable.
The fox squirrel has sharp claws, and they have developed strong abdominal muscles to help them climb.
Fox squirrels have excellent vision and a great sense of smell.
Gray Fox
The gray fox is a solitary fox that lives in the southern part of the United States and Mexico.
Their back has a scattered combination of light and dark gray with reddish-brown sides and an underbody of white.
They measure from 76 to 112.5 cm and weigh from 3.6 to 7kg. Their lifespan is sixteen years in the wild and twenty years in captivity.
The gray fox is an omnivore and eats mice, birds, voles, rabbits, insects, corn, fruits, nuts, and berries.
They live in dense forests, in areas with rocky terrain or thick vegetation.
Gray Squirrel
The Eastern gray squirrel is a diurnal and solitary animal. The color varies from gray to grayish red, and the underbody is white.
The Eastern gray squirrel measures from 23 to 30 cm (including the tail) and weigh 400 to 600 g.
The Eastern gray squirrel is an omnivore and eats nuts, acorns, insects, berries, bird eggs, and seeds.
The Eastern gray squirrel is an adaptable animal that lives in the trees on the Eastern side of North America. They have an expected lifespan of six years.
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf is a social canine that lives in the northern regions of North America.
The colors of the gray wolf vary a lot depending on their geographical location. They can be gray, brown, black, tan, or white. However, the predominant color is gray. The underbody is usually lighter and sometimes white.
Gray wolves measure from 1.05 to 1.60 m and weigh 12 to 79.4 kg.
Gray wolves are carnivores eating a wide variety of meat. Gray wolves eat deer, beavers, boar, mountain goats, bison, elk, moose, birds, fish, rodents, and hares.
They live in a great variety of habitats, including mountains, grasslands, forests, tundra, and deserts.
Their lifespan is six to thirteen years in the wild and seventeen years in captivity.
Groundhog
The groundhog is a solitary, diurnal rodent. Their color is grayish brown. It measures from 41 to 68 cm (including the tail) and weighs 2 to 6.3 kg.
Groundhogs are herbivores eating mainly wild grass, roots, leaves, barks, nuts, flowers, fruit, vegetables, and farming crops. They also eat insects such as grasshoppers and snails.
Their big front teeth never stop growing, and feeding wears the teeth down, keeping them at the correct size.
Humans consider the groundhog a pest because it eats voraciously in the year’s warm months.
They hibernate from October to March. They can be found in flat, open pieces of land such as low-elevation forests and grasslands in the northern regions of North America.
They have a lifespan of 6 years in the wild and up to 14 years in captivity.
Hoary Bat
The hoary bat is a nocturnal vesper bat found in parts of North America and Hawaii, where they are native mammals.
They use echolocation for flying at night and for finding food. Their color is dark brown, but the hairs have a white tip.
They measure from 13 to 15 cm, with a wingspan measuring 40 cm and a weight of just 20 to 35 g. The hoary bat is the largest species in Canada.
This species of bat insectivore eats moths and other insects like beetles, crickets, flies, and bugs. Some of the insects it hunts are considered pests.
The hoary bat can usually be seen alone in trees along the borders of forests. You can also see them over lakes and other open areas and coniferous forests. Hoary bats do not like to fly until it is dark.
House Mouse
The house mouse is a secretive and cautious mouse that is sometimes domesticated.
Their color is gray, black, or brown with a lighter underbody. They measure from 7.5 to 10 cm (including the tail) and weigh 40 to 45g.
The house mouse is an omnivore eating meat, fruits, seeds, and grains. They tend to live in places where humans live.
Their lifespan is less than one year in the wild but can be between 2 to 3 years in protected environments.
Indiana Bat
The Indiana myotis is a midsize, social species of bat found in the eastern part of the United States.
Their colors vary from dark brown to black. The Indiana bat measures 4.1 to 4.9 cm and weighs about 7g.
The Indiana bat is an insectivore and eats flies, moths, bees, wasps, midges, ants, mosquitoes, and beetles. They live in wooded areas, where they can be found roosting in trees.
During the winter, the Indiana bat hangs from ceilings clustered in groups to hibernate.
Their lifespan is about 14 years, and they are considered an endangered species.
Least Chipmunk
The smallest chipmunk found in North America, the least chipmunk measures up to 200 mm, including the tail. Their weight is up to 50g.
They have a shorter muzzle than other chipmunks and also be recognized by their longer tail, which can measure up to 90mm.
They can be found in Michigan, Washington, New Mexico, Quebec, and the Yukon.
They have five dorsal stripes, which can be a variety of colors from one least chipmunk to the next. These range from black, reddish, brown, and tan.
Their primary diet is seeds, with conifer seeds being their favorite. The least chipmunk will also eat leaves, flowers, insects, carrion, and bird eggs.
Least Weasel
The least weasel is also known as the common weasel or little weasel. They are the smallest member of the genus Mustela.
They are native to North America, but also Eurasia and North Africa. Their bodies are slender and elongated, with relatively short tails and legs.
The average body length is around 130 to 260 mm, and they weigh between 36 to 250 grams, with males being slightly bigger than females.
The pelage color of the least weasel varies according to the geographical location, but the underparts are usually white, and the back, limbs, and tail are brown.
Their diet consists mainly of small rodents. Males mark their territory with olfactory signs and are strongly territorial and dominant weasels.
Least weasels may have aggressive encounters with each other. The least weasel occupies a wide range of different habitats.
Little Brown Bat
The little brown bat is a small North American bat. Their colors vary from light tan to dark brown, with a lighter color on their underbody.
The little brown bat measures from 8 to 9.5 cm and weighs 5.5 to 12.5g.
This insectivore eats mosquitoes, moths, and beetles. The little brown bats live in most of North America.
They will find any place to roost during the day, such as trees, caves, and rocks. In winter, this bat hibernates in caves. Their lifespan is from 6 to 7 years.
Long-tailed Weasel
The long-tailed weasel is a fearless, aggressive hunter. They are also known as the bridled weasel or the big stoat.
Their color is reddish-brown with a light yellow underbody, but in cold northern regions, they are entirely white.
The long-tailed weasel measures from 23 to 35 cm and weighs 85 to 267 g. They are carnivores and can attack animals that are twice their size.
They eat primarily mice, voles, rabbits, chipmunks, birds, eggs, and insects.
They live in grasslands and thin forests in sub-tropical areas with mild temperatures in the southern states of North America. Their lifespan is up to five years.
Meadow Vole
The meadow vole is a small, primarily nocturnal rodent. They are also known by other names, such as the field mouse or meadow mouse.
Their colors vary from yellowish or reddish-brown to dark brown, and the underbody is gray. They measure about 12 cm and weigh about 43g.
This herbivore eats grasses, weeds, grains, seeds, bark, roots, and fruits. They live in dense grasslands and thin forests in the northern part of North America (except for the most intense polar regions).
The meadow vole is an excellent swimmer and good at digging holes.
Their lifespan ranges from 2 to 16 months. Some people consider them a pest because they cause great damage to plants and also carry similar diseases as other rodents.
Meadow Jumping Mouse
The meadow jumping mouse is a solitary and primarily nocturnal North American rodent. They can jump 8 feet or more when they are disturbed.
Their color is light brown, with a thick dark brown stripe on its back and a white underbody. They are small-sized rodents with very long tails and feet. They measure from 18 to 24 cm (including the tail) and weigh 11.5 to 35 g.
The meadow jumping mouse is an omnivore mainly eating seeds, insects, and fruits.
The meadow jumping mouse lives mostly in grasslands, thin forests, and humid areas in the northern part of North America.
Their lifespan is less than a year in the wild but up to five years in captivity.
Mink
The mink is a semiaquatic mammal from Canada and the United States. Their color varies from tan to dark brown or black.
Mink measure about 62 cm and weigh about 1 kg.
Mink are carnivores and eat frogs, fish, salamanders, birds, muskrats, eggs, crayfish, mice, and voles.
They live near water bodies and close to trees. Their lifespan is three years in the wild and ten years in captivity.
Moose
The moose is a solitary animal with huge antlers. Moose are the largest members of the deer family.
Their color ranges from light to dark brown. The moose is massive, measuring from 1.4 to 2.1 m in height and 2.4 to 3.2 m in length. They weigh from 200 to 700 kg.
Moose are herbivores and eat bark, leaves, pine cones, young branches, and fruits. Moose live in forests in the northern part of the entire world and have a lifespan from fifteen to twenty-five years.
Muskrat
The muskrat is the only species of the genus Ondatra. The muskrat is a midsize, mostly nocturnal, semiaquatic rodent from North America. Their colors vary from brown to black, with a lighter underbody.
Muskrats measure from 40 to 70 cm and weigh 600 grams up to 2 kg. Their lifespan is 3 to 4 years.
The muskrat is an omnivore and eats aquatic vegetation, farm and garden plants, roots, pondweed, fruits, vegetables, snails, salamanders, crustaceans, fish, and birds.
They live in wetlands in the northern part of North America. They are considered a pest because of the destruction it causes in the places they live and the diseases they can carry.
The fur of the muskrat is thick and short of a dark-brown color. Their tails are covered with scales that help them swim rapidly and efficiently.
Muskrats spend most of their time in the water and can swim underwater for up to 17 minutes. This species usually lives in a group of males, females, and their offspring.
Muskrats make nests to protect themselves from cold temperatures and predators. The nests are usually burrows with an underwater entrance.
North American River Otter
The river otter is an intelligent, semiaquatic mammal found in the northern states.
The river otter has short, very dense fur. Their colors vary from gray to brown, with a lighter underbody.
They measure from 66 to 107 cm and weigh 5 to 14 kg.
River otters are carnivores eating fish, turtles, frogs, crayfish, and insects.
They live in aquatic habitats in the northern part of North America. Their lifespan is eight to nine years in the wild and fifteen to twenty years in captivity.
Northern Short-tailed Shrew
The Northern short-tailed shrew is a mammal found in the northern parts of North America.
Their color is dark gray, with a lighter shade of gray on the underbody. They measure from 11 to 14 cm and weigh 15 to 30 g.
The Northern short-tailed shrew is a carnivore eating insects, salamanders, worms, mice, snails, seeds, voles, and fungi.
They can live in many habitats, including grasslands and deciduous and coniferous forests, with an expected lifespan of 1 to 3 years.
North American Porcupine
The North American porcupine is the second-largest rodent found in North America. Their back is covered with strong quills made of keratin.
They can be easily recognized by solid quills and present around the body, except the stomach. The quills are used as a defense mechanism.
North American porcupines have a color that is dark brown or black with hairless feet. They measure from 60 to 90 cm without counting the tail, which measures around 14.5 up to 30 cm. They weigh from 4.5 to 18 kg.
They are herbivorous, eating leaves, seeds, grass, nuts, buds, fruits, and green plants. They are often found climbing on trees to eat leaves.
The porcupine lives mostly in forests, deserts, and grasslands in the northern part of North America, with a lifespan of about 30 years.
This species of porcupines are endangered because due to hunting and also because of loss of habitat.
Prairie Vole
The prairie vole is grayish-black with brownish tips to the fur. Their underbelly is lighter and generally white or cinnamon-colored.
Male and female prairie voles are about the same size, with a weight of up to 48g and a total length of 170mm, including a tail of 40mm.
Prairie voles are one of the species that practice monogamy. Their diet consists of plant material, including leaves, seeds, and stems, although they will also eat insects.
They live in tunnels underground consisting of many runways. Entrances have a layer of grass to disguise them.
Raccoon
The raccoon is a nocturnal midsize mammal. Their color is gray, brown or black. They have a white face with a black mask around their eyes.
They measure from 40 to 70 cm and weigh 5 to 26 kg.
The raccoon is an opportunistic omnivore eating fruit, plants, oak nuts, insects, worms, rodents, frogs, eggs, and crayfish.
Raccoons live in forests, suburban, and urban areas in the Central and southern states of North America. The average lifespan of a raccoon is two to three years.
Red Bat
The Eastern red bat is found across North America and is a microbat species. They measure 109 mm (4.3 in) with a weight of just 7 to 13.
They have long pointed wings with short ears and a long tail.
Eastern red bats are very maneuverable and can fly quickly with speeds up to 50 km p/h. They do not hibernate, staying in the same regions all year. They enter a state of torpor in hollow trees or leaf litter to shelter.
They are prioritized as least concern by the IUCN. Eastern red bats can be seen in the early evening either around the edges of forests and woods or flying around street lights.
Red Fox
The red fox is a midsize fox that lives in the northern region of North America.
The color varies from light yellow to red, with dark legs and a white underbody. They measure from 45 to 90 cm and weigh 2.2 to 14 kg. Their lifespan is between two to five years.
The red fox is an omnivore, eating grass, fruits, corn, apples, oak nuts, cherries, berries, mice, birds, rabbits, squirrels, crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, and crayfish.
The red fox lives in forests, grasslands, mountains, deserts, and suburban areas.
Silver-haired Bat
The silver-haired bat is a nocturnal, solitary mammal from the central part of North America. They use echolocation when flying to guide them and to find food.
Their color usually is black but can sometimes be dark brown, with gray tips to their fur.
They measure about 10 cm and weigh from 8 to 12 g. This insectivore eats flies, leafhoppers, moths, mosquitoes, beetles, bugs, and ants, which they find in forest habitats.
Their average lifespan is 12 years, and they migrate to warmer climates in winter.
Snowshoe Hare
The snowshoe hare is also called the varying hare or snowshoe rabbit, taking this the name because of the large size of the hind feet.
They are a hare from the northern region of North America.
The snowshoe hare lives in the boreal and montane forests of North America.
They have wide paws for moving in the snow. Their feet prevent these rabbits from sinking in the snow when hopping and walking. They are also covered with fur on the soles for protection against freezing temperature.
Their color is brown in summer and white in winter but always has a gray underbody. They can be distinguished by black tufts of hair on the edge of their ears and by the relatively small size of their ears compared with other hares.
Their lifespan is five years. They usually measure about 36 to 52 centimeters and weigh 1.3 to 1.7 kilograms as adults.
The snowshoe hare is an herbivore that eats grass, leaves, ferns, buds, twigs, evergreen needles, small stems, and bark. They adapt their diet according to the season. They usually feed on grass, fens, and leaves during the summer and turn to twigs and bark in the wintertime.
Southern Bog Lemming
The Southern bog lemming is a small mammal from the eastern regions of North America.
Their color varies from red to dark brown and light gray on the underbody.
They measure about 13 cm long and weigh about 35 g.
The Southern bog lemming eats plants, seeds, stems, and leaves. They live in moist areas, deciduous and coniferous forests, wetlands, and marshes. Their lifespan is 29 months.
Southern Flying Squirrel
The Southern flying squirrel is a nocturnal mammal that glides from one tree to the next with the aid of membranes between its front and hind legs.
They live in the western regions of North America. Their color is grayish brown, with a white underbody.
They measure from 21 to 26cm (including the tail) and weigh 45 to 82g.
The Southern flying squirrel is an omnivore and eats nuts, seeds, spiders, acorns, fungi, eggs, insects, shrubs, buds, mushrooms, flowers, and fruits.
These squirrels have gray fur and whitish color in their bellies. They use a furry membrane called a patagium that extends between the front and rear legs to glide through the air.
This species of flying squirrel is found in deciduous and mixed woods in the eastern regions of North America, from southeastern Canada to Florida.
They have a lifespan of five to six years in the wild and ten years in captivity.
Star-nosed Mole
The star-nosed mole is a solitary mammal from the eastern regions of North America.
Their color ranges from dark brown to black. They measure from 15 to 20 cm and weigh 37 to 76 g.
The star-nosed mole is a carnivore and eats worms, amphibians, aquatic insects, mollusks, and small fish.
They live in wet lowland areas, forests, and marshes. Their lifespan is 2.5 years in captivity. Using their star-nose, they can gather a clear image of their surroundings.
Striped Skunk
The striped skunk is a primarily nocturnal species of skunk found in the central states of North America.
Their color can be black, gray, or brown, but they always have a white stripe on their back, running from head to tail.
They measure from 52 to 77 cm and weigh between 1.8 to 4.5 kg. Striped skunks are omnivores and eat crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, mice, voles, eggs, and small birds.
The striped skunk lives in open areas such as grasslands or thin forests in southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. Their lifespan is up to seven years.
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel
The thirteen-lined ground squirrel, also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, or squinny, is a species of rodent that inhabits grasslands and prairies of North America.
The name comes from the thirteen lines (sometimes broken into spots) alternating white and brown on the back and sides of these squirrels.
They usually measure about 170 to 297 mm in body length and weigh approximately 110 to 270 grams. Thirteen lined squirrels are diurnal and are especially active on warm days.
They are solitary and feed on grass, weed, seeds, and insects. These include caterpillars, grasshoppers, and crickets. They will also feed on mice and shrews, although this is rare.
Virginia Opossum
The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial found in North America. Their habitats can vary, and they are one of the species to thrive in urban areas. They prefer living close to water sources.
This medium-sized animal measures between 13-37cm in length and can weigh between 0.3-3.7 kg.
They have relatively short legs and typically gray or brownish fur.
This animal is known to act as if they are dead as protection against predators.
The Virginia opossum is an omnivore eating almost anything: carcasses, garbage, plants, animals, and insects.
They live in deciduous forests, farming areas, marshes, swamps, and wooded streams. Their lifespan is four years.
White-footed Mouse
The white-footed mouse is a timid, nocturnal mammal who lives in North America’s eastern regions.
Their color is reddish-brown, with a dark, broad mark on its back and a white underbody.
The white-footed mouse measures from 9 to 10 cm (without the tail) and weighs 20 to 30g.
They are omnivores eating seeds, nuts, grain, insects, fungi, and fruit. They live in warm, dry forests and semi-desert areas. Their lifespan is one year in the wild.
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer is a mammal found in the central part of the American continent. In North America, they live in most of Mexico, the United States, and the southern parts of Canada.
Their color is grayish-brown in the winter and reddish-brown in the summer. They have patches of white on their face, underbody, and tail.
The white-tailed deer measures from 95 to 220 cm and weighs 45 to 68 kg.
White-tailed deer are herbivores eating grass, corn, leaves, nuts, twigs, fruits, and fungi.
They adapt well to different habitats and live in grasslands, forests, farmlands, and deserts. Their lifespan is four to five years.
Wolverine
The wolverine resembles a small bear but is the largest member of the Mustelidae family.
They are ferocious and have considerable strength for their body size. They are the size of a medium dog but can take down prey many times their size, such as elk.
They live in cold climates, with thick, oily fur which is resistant to frost. They are dark in color, with a light mask on their face and a bushy tail.
They have been called the skunk bear due to the scent glands to mark their territory.
Woodland Jumping Mouse
The woodland jumping mouse is a small, solitary, and usually nocturnal midsize rodent found in eastern North America.
Their color varies from yellowish-brown on the sides to dark brown on their back. They have a white underbody.
They measure from 20.5 to 25.6 cm and weigh 17 to 26 g.
They can jump as high as 3 meters (or 9.8 feet) by leveraging their strong feet and long tail. They prefer a quadrupedal walk to move around.
They prefer forested habitats. The fur of the woodland jumping mouse has several shades of brown along with white feet.
The woodland jumping mouse is an omnivore and eats grass, fruits, berries, fungi, seeds, and insects. They live in forests in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada with a four-year lifespan.
Woodland Vole
The woodland vole is a mammal that lives in the eastern regions of the United States.
Their color is light or dark brown, with a white or gray underbody. They measure from 83 to 121 cm and weigh 14 to 37 g.
The woodland vole is a herbivore and eats roots, nuts, seeds, and leaves. They live in deciduous forests and have a very short lifespan of three months.
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Bryan Harding is a member of the American Society of Mammalogists and a member of the American Birding Association. Bryan is especially fond of mammals and has studied and worked with them around the world. Bryan serves as owner, writer, and publisher of North American Nature.