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New Hampshire has many habitats, and these are home to many animals, both on land and in the sea. With forests, mountains, coastal islands, grasslands, marsh, and shrub wetlands, these habitats are essential for the many different types of mammals you can find in New Hampshire.
There are 69 species of mammals in New Hampshire, including bears, bats, rodents, whales, and others. The state mammal of New Hampshire is the white-tailed deer.
According to the American Society of Mammalogists, there are currently 69 species of mammals in New Hampshire
10 Best Places to Find Wildlife In New Hampshire
- Connecticut Lakes State Forest (Route 3, North of Pittsburg)
- Route 26 Wildlife Viewing Site (Route 26, Dixville Notch)
- Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge (Route 16, North of Errol)
- Crawford Notch State Park (Route 302, Bartlett)
- Franconia Notch State Park (Franconia Notch Parkway, Franconia)
- Arthur and Christie Johnson Memorial Forest (Route 3, Pittsburg)
- The Rocks Estate (Route 302, Bethlehem)
- Pontook Reservoir (Route 16, 8 miles north of Milan Village)
- The Balsams (Route 26, Dixville Notch)
- Thirteen-Mile Woods Scenic Easement) (Route 16, 8 miles north of Milan Village)
Would you like to know what your state mammal is? Find out in this article I wrote
American Beaver
The North American beaver is a nocturnal semiaquatic mammal and the largest rodent in North America. They live in colonies and have orange teeth, which contain a lot of iron. This makes their teeth stronger than regular teeth.
Beavers are well known for building dams, canals, and lodges. Their color is dark brown, and they measure from 74 to 90 cm, weighing from 11 to 32 kg.
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.
American Black Bear
The American black bear is a midsize mammal from North America. Their color is not always black but can be brown, tan, and even blonde.
Black bears measure from 130 to 190 cm and weigh 200 to 300 kg.
The black bear is an omnivore and has an extensive diet. This consists primarily of fish, mammals, insects, grasses, roots, and berries.
This bear species is broadly distributed in forest habitats, with an average lifespan of 20 years.
American Mink
The American mink is from the northern part of North America. The color varies from brown to black, and they have a white patch on the throat.
Mink measure from 31 to 45 cm and weigh from 400 to 1580 g. This carnivore eats muskrats, snakes, mice, fish, rabbits, chipmunks, birds, and frogs.
American mink live in wet areas like swamps and marshlands or near water bodies.
Their lifespan is 3 to 4 years in the wild and ten years in captivity.
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin
The Atlantic white-sided dolphin grows from 6.2-9.2ft (1.9-2.8m) with a weight between 360-520 lb.
Atlantic white-sided dolphins are similar in coloration to the common dolphin, with gray, white, and yellow along the flanks and a white underside.
The Atlantic white-sided dolphin has a dark-gray stripe from the eye to the flipper and a dark dorsal fin and flippers. They give birth to a single calf after a gestation period of 11 months.
Big Brown Bat
The Big Brown Bat is an insectivore that eats mostly beetles and consumes other flying insects like moths, flies, and wasps.
Big brown bats live in many habitats, living 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.
These bats live in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and the northern portion of South America.
Bobcat
The Bobcat is a nocturnal and elusive midsize wildcat from North America (related to the lynx). They look like big domestic cats with bobbed tails.
Bobcats range in color 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.
Bobcats 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 Brown Rat is a rodent that lives all over the world. Their color is brown with a lighter color on the underbody. They measure from 15 to 28 cm and weigh 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, areas with bushes, and urban and suburban areas, with a lifespan of two years.
Canada Lynx
The Canada Lynx is a diurnal and solitary wildcat. Their paws are thick so that they can travel through the snow.
Their color ranges from grayish-yellow to reddish-brown, and they have a black mark on the tip of their ears and tails. They measure from 76 to 110 cm and weigh 8 to 18 kg.
This carnivore eats mostly snowshoe hares and feeds on birds, fish, rats, and sometimes deer. They usually live in cold, dense forests with a lifespan of 15 years.
Common Muskrat
The Common Muskrat is the only species of the genus Ondatra. They are medium-sized semiaquatic rodents found in wetlands in a wide range of climates and habitats.
A muskrat’s average measurements are about 40-70 cm in length, and they usually weigh around 0.6-2kg. Although commonly referred to as a rat, muskrats are a different kind of rodent.
The fur of the muskrat is thick and short of a dark-brown color. Their tails are covered with scales (not hair) which helps 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 one male and female and their offspring.
Muskrats’ nests protect themselves from the cold and predators, usually constructing burrows with an underwater entrance.
Coyote
The Coyote is a midsize wild canine with the look of a domestic dog, although they are thinner and smaller than the gray wolf. Their color is grayish-brown with a white underbody.
They measure about 1.5 m (including the tail) and weigh 6.8 to 21 kg.
This highly adaptable omnivore has a highly varied diet, which includes: cactus fruits, flowers, insects, rodents, rabbits, birds, and reptiles.
Coyotes can be found in any habitat across North and Central America. Their lifespan ranges from 10 to 14 years in the wild and 21 years in captivity.
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.
Chipmunks 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 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.
Eastern gray squirrels measure from 23 to 30 cm (including the tail) and weigh 400 to 600 g. This 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.
Eastern 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 pointed, long wings, short ears, and a long tail.
Eastern red bats are very maneuverable and can fly quickly. They do not hibernate, chasing to stay in the same regions all year.
They are prioritized as the least concern by the IUCN.
Eastern Small-footed Myotis
The Eastern Small-footed Myotis is a nocturnal mammal found in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada.
Their face, ears, and wings are black, and the rest of the body is grayish brown. They measure from 6.5 to 9.5 cm, with a wingspan ranging from 21 to 25 cm, and weigh 4 to 8 g.
The Eastern small-footed bat is an insectivore eating beetles, moths, mosquitoes, and flies. They live in forests with caves and rock formations adequate for roosting.
Their lifespan is 6 to 12 years in the wild, hibernating in winter.
Eastern Water Shrew
The Eastern 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.
This species of water shrew is an omnivore eating aquatic insects, small fish, plants, and snails.
They live in streams and ponds for about 18 months.
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. They measure from 17 to 32 cm and weigh about 260g.
Ermine is a carnivore that eats mainly rodents but sometimes will eat birds, fish, amphibians, small reptiles, and insects.
Ermine live in taigas and tundras, with a lifespan of 4 to 6 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 an excellent climber. They live in forests in the southern part of Canada and the northern and western parts of the United States.
Gray Fox
The gray fox is a solitary canine that lives in the southern part of the United States, Mexico, Central America, and the northern parts of South America.
Their back has a scattered combination of light and dark gray, the sides are reddish-brown, and the underbody is white. They measure from 76 to 112.5 cm and weigh from 3.6 to 7kg.
The gray fox is an omnivore that eats mice, birds, voles, rabbits, insects, corn, fruits, nuts, and berries. They live in dense forests, in areas with rocky terrain or thick vegetation.
Their lifespan is 16 years in the wild and 20 in captivity.
Gray Seal
The Gray Seal is a mammal that lives in huge groups on all the coasts of the North Atlantic Ocean.
Their colors vary from gray to black or dark brown, and usually, their skins are spotted. They measure from 1.95 to 2.3 m long and weigh 170 to 310 kg.
The gray seal is a carnivore that eats fish, crabs, lobsters, shrimp, octopuses, squids, and seabirds.
They live on rocky coasts, floating ice sheets, sandbanks, and icebergs. Their lifespan is 25 to 35 years.
Hairy-tailed Mole
The Hairy-tailed Mole is a midsize mammal found in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada.
The color of the hairy-tailed mole is dark gray. It measures from 13 to 15 cm and weighs about 51 g. This insectivore eats worms, larvae, slugs, and ants.
The hairy-tailed mole lives in deciduous and coniferous forests and open areas. Their lifespan is up to four years.
Harbor Porpoise
The Harbor Porpoise is a small, shy, and elusive marine mammal and is a relative to dolphins. Their color is dark gray on top and a much whiter gray on the underbody.
They measure from 1.4 to 1.9 m and weigh 61 to 76 kg. The harbor porpoise is a carnivore and mainly eats fish and sometimes octopuses and squids.
The harbor porpoise likes to swim in shallow bodies of water and even frequents inland water bodies, like rivers and estuaries.
The harbor porpoise lives in the northern part of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (and in both the east and the west coasts of the highest parts of North America). Their average lifespan in the wild is about 20 years.
Harbor Seal
The Harbor Seal is a marine mammal, also known as the common seal. Their color is brownish gray with light or dark spots, and the color is lighter on the underbody.
Harbor seals measure 1.85 m and weigh from 55 to 168 kg. This carnivore eats squids, crustaceans, shrimp, crabs, mollusks, and fish. They live in the harbors of the Northern part of the world (and on both the east and west coasts of the northern part of North America).
Harbor seals are usually found in rocks, beaches, and glacier ice, rarely moving too far, but they will rush to deeper water if there is a danger. They are an excellent swimmer with a lifespan of 20 to 35 years.
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.
House mice measure from 7.5 to 10 cm (including the tail) and weigh 40 to 45 g. The house mouse is an omnivore eating meat, fruits, seeds, and grains.
The house mouse tends to live in places where humans live. Their lifespan is less than one year in the wild and 2 to 3 years in protected environments.
Humpback Whale
The humpback whale grows between 46-56 ft (14-17m) with a weight between 28-45 tons. They approach whale-watching boars and are inquisitive.
Humpback whales are very popular with whale watchers due to their breaching, lob tailing, spy hopping, and flipper-slapping. They have an 11-12 months gestation period and give birth to one calf.
They can be seen in many places in North America, with Hawaii and Alaska being perfect places to spot them.
Indiana Bat
The Indiana Bat is a midsize, social species of bat found in the eastern part of the United States. Their colors vary from dark brown to black. It measures from 4.1 to 4.9 cm and weighs about 7g.
This insectivore eats flies, moths, bees, wasps, midges, ants, mosquitoes, and beetles. They live in wooded areas, where they can be found roosting in trees.
The Indiana myotis hangs from a ceiling (clustered in groups) during the winter and hibernates. Their lifespan is about 14 years, and they are considered an endangered species.
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 myotis measures from 8 to 9.5 cm and weighs 5.5 to 12.5 g. This insectivore eats mosquitoes, moths, beetles, etc. They 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-finned Pilot Whale
The Long-finned Pilot Whale is a medium-sized whale measuring 12.5-22 ft (3.8-6.7m) and weighing 1.4-2.5 tons.
They live mainly on squid, octopus, and fish. They travel in groups of 8-20, but these pods will combine to make groups of 100.
The largest superpod was thought to include more than 1,200 animals. They are black, dark gray, or brown and sometimes have a patch of gray behind the fin.
Long-finned pilot whales mass strand more than any other species of cetacean. This is due to their tight social bonds, which means that if one whale is forced close to shore, the others will follow.
Long-tailed Shrew
The Long-tailed Shrew is a tiny shrew measuring 48 to 79 mm. Their tail takes the total length to 120 mm.
The long-tailed shrew weighs just 3.1 to 8.3 g. They live in mountainous territories, around and under rocks or near streams.
Their long tail is used to help them balance when they climb in their rocky habitat. They are gray to black.
Long-tailed Weasel
The long-tailed weasel is a fearless, aggressive hunter. They are also called the bridled weasel or the big stoat. Their color is reddish-brown with a light yellow underbody. However, in cold, northern regions, they are entirely white.
It measures from 23 to 35 cm and weighs 85 to 267 g. This carnivore can attack animals that are twice its height. They eat primarily mice, voles, rabbits, chipmunks, birds, eggs, and insects.
The long-tailed weasel lives in grasslands and thin forests (sub-tropical areas with mild temperatures) in the southern part of North America, Central America, and the northern part of South America. Their lifespan is up to five years.
Masked Shrew
The Masked Shrew, also known as the Cinereus shrew, is a small, nocturnal, solitary animal. They are also called the common shrew.
The color of the masked shrew is grayish-brown with a lighter grayish color in the underbody. They measure about 9 cm, with a weight of just 5g. This carnivore eats insect larvae, ants, grasshoppers, crickets, spiders, worms, snails, small rodents, and salamanders.
Masked shrews live in grasslands, forests, riverbanks, lakeshores, and tundra in the northern part of North America. Their lifespan is 14 months.
Meadow Jumping Mouse
The Meadow Jumping Mouse is a species of the same family as the woodland jumping mouse, but they are more widespread. They are small-sized rodents with very long tails and feet.
The length of the meadow jumping mouse varies from 108mm to 240 mm, with the tail making up most of its size. On average, their weight ranges from 11.5 to 24.8 grams. They can be distinguished from the woodland jumping mouse because their tail does not have a white tip.
Meadow jumping mice usually have a subdued color compared to woodland jumping mice. They are mainly nocturnal and typically feed on seeds, insects, and berries.
Meadow Vole
The meadow vole is a small, primarily nocturnal rodent. They are also called field mice or meadow mice.
The colors of the meadow vole 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.
Meadow voles live in dense grasslands and thin forests in the northern part of North America (except for the most intense polar regions). They are an excellent swimmer and very good at digging holes.
The lifespan of the meadow vole ranges from 2 to 16 months. Some people consider them a pest because they cause significant damage to plants.
They also carry similar diseases to other rodents.
Moose
The moose is a solitary animal with huge antlers and is the largest member of the deer family.
A moose’s 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 and are herbivores.
Moose 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 15 to 25 years.
Moose can be frequently seen in New Hampshire in the following areas.
- Route 3 north of Pittsburg to the Canadian border;
- Route16 north of Milan to the Maine Border;
- Route 26 east of Dixville Notch to the Maine Border;
- Route 112 from Lincoln East to the Bear Notch Road;
- Route 110 north of Berlin to Rte 110A.
New England Cottontail
The New England Cottontail is also referred to as the gray rabbit or brush rabbit and is usually located in New England and New York.
Their current population is estimated to be 85% less than what it was in the 1960s, which made the species “protected” under the Endangered Species Act.
The weight of the New England cottontail is between 995 grams and 1347 grams, with a total body length of approximately 398-439 mm.
These rabbits live in forests with dense and thick brush, preferably blueberries. They like to live on a higher elevation, creating depressions where they nest.
North American Hoary Bat
The North American Hoary Bat is a vesper bat species found in most of North America and much of South America.
This species usually ranges between 13 to 14.5 centimeters in length and weighs approximately 26 grams. The hoary bat is the largest in Canada.
Hoary bats are characterized by dense and dark brown coats with white tips, from which the name comes. Females can be up to 40% heavier than males.
Hoary bats usually roost solitarily on trees, hidden by foliage. They live in coniferous forests and generally hunt over open areas or lakes. They have a very long migratory pattern.
North American Porcupine
The North American Porcupine is also known as the common porcupine, and they are a rodent with black or brown fur with hairless feet to climb trees.
They can be easily recognized by solid quills at the tip and base and are present around the body, except for the stomach.
The quills are used as a defense mechanism. They are a herbivore, and they are often found climbing on trees to eat leaves. Their size makes it the second-largest rodent in North America.
The head-to-body length is approximately 60-90 cm without counting the tail, measuring around 14.5 up to 30 cm. Their weight is about 9 kilograms on average.
North American Red Squirrel
The North American Red Squirrel is a small, solitary, and diurnal animal of North America. Their color is gray, red, or dark brown, with white on its underbody and sometimes black stripes on its sides.
American red squirrels measure from 28 to 35 cm (including the tail) and weigh 200 to 282 g. This granivore animal eats mostly sunflower seeds and all types of nuts.
This arboreal animal lives in coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests, with a lifespan of 5 to 10 years.
North Atlantic Right Whale
The North Atlantic Right Whale is between 49-52 ft (15-16m), weighing 34-78 tons.
Females grow larger than males. They live mainly on krill and copepods. They are a slow swimmer but can be acrobatic. Their behavior includes lobtails, flipper-slaps, and frequent breaches.
The North Atlantic right whale is inquisitive and approaches boats. Their name comes from this, as whalers thought they were the right whale to catch.
They have a single calf after a gestation period of 12-13 months. They have no dorsal fin, a dark body, and an enormous head covered in rough skin patches.
Northern Bog Lemming
The Northern Bog Lemming is a small-sized lemming, typical of the meadows of Canada, Alaska, northern Washington, and New England. They are usually 13 cm long and weigh around 30 grams.
They have short tails and small eyes, with rust-colored hairs at the base of their eats. Generally, their bodies are covered with grey or brown fur.
These rodents are active during the entire year and are both diurnal and nocturnal.
Northern bog lemmings usually come up to the surface to look for food. They typically live in small colonies with other lemmings.
Northern Bottlenose Whale
The Northern Bottlenose Whale is a medium-sized whale. They measure from 19-32 ft (5.8-9.8m) with a 6.4-8.3 tons weight. They feed mainly on squid and shoaling fish.
They are dark gray or brown with a cylindrical bottle. They have a forehead squared off behind the beak, which is tubelike. They often approach boats and are pretty curious.
The Northern bottlenose whales have a single calf after a gestation period of 12 months.
Northern Flying Squirrel
The Northern Flying Squirrel is a nocturnal mammal with a furry membrane between its front and hind legs, which they use to glide from tree to tree.
Their color varies from gray to dark brown, with white on their underbody. They measure about 16 cm and weigh about 140 g. This omnivore eats nuts, acorns, fruits, buds, fungi, insects, bird eggs, and lichens.
The Northern flying squirrel lives in forests in the northern part of the continent with a lifespan of four years.
Northern Long-eared Myotis
The Northern long-eared myotis is a bat in North America. It uses echolocation to navigate while flying. Their color varies from yellowish-light brown to black.
They measure about 8.6 cm and weigh from 5 to 8 g. This insectivore eats mostly moths, beetles, flies, and leafhoppers.
The Northern long-eared myotis lives in boreal forests (Taiga) in the eastern, central part of North America. Their lifespan is about 18.5 years.
They are an endangered species due to a sickness that kills the species.
Northern Raccoon
The raccoon is a primarily nocturnal midsize mammal from North America. Their color is gray, brown, or black and their white face with a black area around their eyes is very characteristic.
They measure from 40 to 70 cm and weigh 5 to 26 kg. This opportunistic omnivore eats fruits, plants, oak nuts, insects, worms, rodents, frogs, nuts, eggs, and crayfish.
Raccoons live in forests and suburban, and urban areas in the Central and southern parts of North America. The average lifespan of a raccoon is 2 to 3 years.
Northern River Otter
The river otter is an intelligent, semiaquatic mammal with short, 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.
The Northern river otter eats mainly fish, turtles, frogs, crayfish, and insects. It lives in aquatic habitats in the northern part of North America.
Their lifespan is 8 to 9 years in the wild and between 15 to 20 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.
This species of shrew is a carnivore eating insects, salamanders, worms, mice, snails, seeds, voles, and fungi.
Northern short-tailed shrews live in many habitats, including grasslands and deciduous and coniferous forests, with an expected lifespan of 1 to 3 years.
Pygmy Shrew
The American Pygmy Shrew is a small mammal from the continent’s north.
Their color ranges from reddish-brown to grayish-brown, and the pygmy has a light color on its underbody. This species of shrew measures up to 5 cm and weighs from just 2 to 4.5g.
The American pygmy shrew is an insectivore and will eat insects and larvae. They live in coniferous and deciduous forests, with a lifespan of about 16 to 17 months.
Red Fox
The red fox is a midsize canine that lives in the northern part of North America, Asia, Europe, and North Africa.
The color varies from light yellow to red, with dark legs and a white underbody. It measures from 45 to 90 cm and weighs 2.2 to 14 kg. Their lifespan is from 2 to 5 years.
This omnivore eats grasses, 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.
Rock Vole
The Rock Vole is mainly found in the eastern parts of Canada and the northeastern regions of the United States.
Rock voles are medium-sized rodents and are also called yellow-nosed voles. Their average length ranges between 12 and 15 cm, and they usually weigh about 39 grams.
As with all the other voles, they are rarely seen and mainly feed on mosses and grass, although they sometimes eat berries or insects.
Roof Rat
The Roof Rat is a nocturnal rodent that lives on every continent except for Antarctica.
Their color ranges from black to light brown, with a lighter color on the underbody. They measure from 12.75 to 18.25 cm and weigh 75 to 230 g.
Roof rats are omnivores eating seeds, stems, fruit, leaves, and fungi. They live in cliffs, rocks, ground, trees, and urban areas. Their lifespan is 12 months. They are considered pests by farmers.
Silver-haired Bat
The Silver-haired Bat is a nocturnal, solitary mammal from the central part of North America.
Silver-haired bats use echolocation when flying. Their color usually is black but can sometimes be dark brown, with the tip of its fur gray. It measures about 10 cm and weighs from 8 to 12 g.
This insectivore eats flies, leafhoppers, moths, mosquitoes, beetles, bugs, and ants. It lives in the forests of North America. 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, and it takes the name because of the large size of the hind feet.
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 temperatures.
These rabbits turn white during the winter and rusty in the summertime. 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.
Snowshoe hares usually measure about 36 to 52 centimeters and weigh 1.3 to 1.7 kilograms as adults. They adapt their diet according to the season. They typically 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 eastern North America. The color varies from red to dark brown and light gray on its underbody.
Southern bog lemmings measure about 13 cm long and weigh about 35 g. This animal eats plants, seeds, stems, and leaves. It lives in grasslands, low moist places, 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 using the membrane between its front and hind legs.
They live in the western part of North America. Their color is grayish brown, with a white underbody. It measures from 21 to 26 cm (including the tail) and weighs 45 to 82 g.
The Southern flying squirrel is an omnivore and eats nuts, seeds, spiders, acorns, fungi, eggs, insects, shrubs, buds, mushrooms, flowers, and fruits.
They live in deciduous forests, with a lifespan of five to six years in the wild and ten years in captivity.
Southern Red-backed Vole
The Southern Red-backed Vole is a primarily nocturnal, small mammal from the central part of North America.
The Southern red-backed vole’s primary color is gray, and they have a red stripe on their back, with an underbody of gray or white. They measure from 7 to 11.2 cm and weigh 6 to 42 g.
This omnivore eats insects, grains, fruits, nuts, seeds, berries, leaves, roots, bark, fungi, and lichens.
This species of vole lives in coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests near water bodies in southern Canada and the northern United States, with a short lifespan of just 10 to 20 months.
Sowerby’s Beaked Whale
Sowerby’s Beaked Whale is a medium-sized whale with a body length between 13-18ft and a weight between 1.1-1.4 tons.
They approach boats with breaching, spy hopping, and tail-slapping behavior. They are blue-gray, gray, or dark brown with a lighter underside.
The beaked whales have a small head for their body and a beak with a straight mouth. They have a bulge in the front of their blowhole and a small dorsal fin towards their rear.
Star-nosed Mole
The Star-nosed Mole is a solitary mammal from eastern North America. Their color ranges from dark brown to black.
They measure from 15 to 20 cm and weigh 37 to 76 g. This carnivore eats worms, amphibians, aquatic insects, mollusks, and small fish. It lives in wet lowland areas, forests, and marshes.
Star-nosed moles have a lifespan of 2.5 years in captivity. By using their star-nose, they gather a clear image of their surroundings.
Striped Dolphin
The Striped Dolphin takes their name from the dark stripes that run down the sides of their bodies.
They have a gray or blue-gray cape on the dorsal side, with stripes from the eye to the flipper along their sides. They can have stripes with the colors pink and blue on their sides.
Striped dolphins grow from 5.9-8.9 ft (1.8-2.7m) and weigh from 200-360 lb. They have some unusual behaviors, able to leap up to 23 ft, with belly flops and somersaults seeming easy.
They also roto-tail when they come out of the water. This involves moving their tails in circles as they leap out of the water.
Striped Skunk
The striped skunk is a primarily nocturnal mammal found in the central part of North America.
Its color can be black, gray, or brown, and it always has a white stripe on its back running from its head to its tail. It measures from 52 to 77 cm and weighs 1.8 to 4.5 kg.
This omnivore eats crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, mice, voles, eggs, and small birds.
The skunk lives in open areas, such as grasslands or thin forests in southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. Their lifespan is seven years.
True’s Beaked Whale
True’s Beaked Whale measures between 15.7-17.7 ft (4.8-5.4m) with a 1.1-1.5 tons weight.
The beaked whales feed on squid and some fish. There have only been a few sightings, so very little is known about their behavior. They are brownish-gray or bluish-gray with a lighter underside.
True’s beaked whales are medium-sized whales with spindle-shaped bodies. They have a dark patch around each eye and a short beak. They have a bulbous head, and at the blowhole is an indentation. They have a short dorsal fin.
Virginia Opossum
The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial found in North America, but it is also in Central America.
The habitat of a Virginia opossum can vary, but they prefer living close to water sources. They can also thrive in urban areas. This medium-sized animal measures between 13-37cm in length and can weigh between 0.3-3.7 kg).
Virginia opossums 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.
White-beaked Dolphin
The white-beaked dolphin is large for a species of dolphin. They can grow from 7.9-10.2 ft, weighing 400-770 lb.
The white-beaked dolphins have white, black, and gray markings, with their tail usually paler. They have a white patch on each side.
Their flippers are primarily dark, with a brown or gray beak. They can be found in St Lawrence River, the Gulf of St Lawrence, and Newfoundland.
White-footed Deermouse
The White-footed Deermouse is a timid, nocturnal mammal that lives in eastern North America.
Their color is reddish-brown, with a dark, broad mark on its back and white on the underbody. It measures from 9 to 10 cm (without the tail) and weighs 20 to 30 g.
This omnivore eats seeds, nuts, grain, insects, fungi, and fruit. It lives 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 and 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.
This white-tailed deer measures from 95 to 220 cm and weighs 45 to 68 kg. This herbivore eats grass, corn, leaves, nuts, twigs, fruits, and fungi.
They are very adaptable to their environments and live in grasslands, forests, farmlands, and deserts. Their lifespan is 4 to 5 years.
Woodchuck
The Woodchuck, also known as the groundhog or the red monk, is typical of the eastern regions of the United States, Canada, and Alaska.
Males are usually bigger than females, but their weight changes considerably across different seasons. Generally, they measure 42 to 68.5 cm, although their weight ranges from 2 to 6.5 kilos during the year.
Woodchucks are diurnal animals that, on average, live two to three years. They enjoy staying in the open air, and they are territorial animals living in colonies.
Woodland Jumping Mouse
The Woodland Jumping Mouse is a medium-sized rodent, with females slightly larger than males. The average weight is about 17-35 grams with a length of 205-256 mm (including the tail).
They can jump as high as 3 meters (or 9.8 feet) by leveraging their strong feet and long tail. Usually, they prefer a quadrupedal walk to move around.
The woodland jumping mice are mainly nocturnal and prefer forested habitats. The fur of this mouse has several shades of brown, with white feet.
Woodland Vole
The woodland vole is a mammal that lives in the eastern part 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.
This herbivore eats roots, nuts, seeds, and leaves and lives in deciduous forests. Their lifespan is a short 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.