WildCo Mammals Flashcards
Grizzly bear
Ursus arctos
Small, round ears
Dished/concave face profile
Shoulder hump, shoulders higher than rump
Long claws
Extirpated in lower mainland and parts of southern BC
Sex: Adult with cub(s) = female, otherwise unknown
Age: Small body size, with adult female = juvenile, otherwise adult
Black bear
Ursus americanus
Tall, prominent ears
Straight face profile
No shoulder hump, rump higher than shoulders
Short, curved claws
Sex: Adult with cub(s) = female, otherwise unknown
Age: Small body size, with adult female = juvenile, otherwise adult
Coyote
Canis latrans
Smaller (~½ size of wolf) and slighter build, especially in legs
Ears large compared to face and pointed
Snout narrow and pointed
Colouration grayish and tan
Often travel alone, but can travel in family groups
Tail often nearly as long as body
Sex: Adult with pup(s) = female, otherwise unknown
Age: Small body size and puppy-like proportions, with adult female = juvenile, otherwise adult
Wolf
Canis lupus
Large and solidly built
Ears smaller compared to head and more rounded
Snout broader, more like a domestic dog’s (e.g. labrador)
Colouration ranging from gray to tan/brown to black
Often travel in packs
Sex: Adult with pup(s) = female, otherwise unknown
Age: Small body size and puppy-like proportions, with adult female = juvenile, otherwise adult
Lynx
Lynx canadensis
Back legs longer than front, causes rump to be higher than shoulders Massive paws Less prominent spotting Long ear tufts Tail shorter with black tip
Sex: Unknown (unless adult with kittens = female (RARE))
Age: Adult (unless small body size and with adult female = juvenile (RARE))
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Back and front legs about the same length, rump and shoulders approximately even
Smaller paws
More prominent spotting
Short ear tufts
Tail longer with black tip on top and white underside
Sex: Unknown (unless adult with kittens = female (RARE))
Age: Adult (unless small body size and with adult female = juvenile (RARE))
Mule deer
Odocoileus hemionus
White bum Tail relatively short with black tip (or top side) Large ears, pointed tips Antlers bifurcating (tine splits in 2, then in 2 again)
Antlers in Apr-Dec or pedicles = male
Small body size and white spots = juvenile
Note: black-tailed deer (O. h. columbianus) and Sitka deer are a subspecies of mule deer
White-tailed deer
Odocoileus virginianus
Tail long, mostly brown with white underside or tip
Smaller ears, more rounded tips
Antlers with all points coming off one main tine
Antlers in Apr-Dec or pedicles = male
Small body size and white spots = juvenile
Elk
Cervus canadensis
Massive White bum Dark neck Antlers go back Horse face
Roosevelt elk (C. canadensis roosevelti)
Related to red deer of Europe (Cervus elaphus)
Caribou
Rangifer tarandus
White neck
Dark body
Different antler shape from elk
Male
Antlers Apr-Nov (larger on bulls)
Testicles and/or penis sheath visible
Narrow, heart-shaped white rump patch coming to a point
Female
Antlers year round (except yearlings or barren cows present only June-Mar)
Dark vulva patch visible on rump below tail, no penis sheath
Wide, rectangular white rump patch
Moose
Alces alces
Massive
Palmate antlers, covered in velvet (drop in winter)
American marten
Martes americana
Smaller (18-25 inches long)
Ears pointed and larger in proportion to head
Reddish colouration with lighter face and chest patch
Tail proportionally shorter and thinner, end of tail is blunt and rounded
Fisher
Martes pennati
Larger (20-40 inches long)
Ears smaller and more round
Brown colouration with lighter brown head and neck
Tail proportionally longer, comes to a point at the end
Often have rump raised when travelling
Wolverine
Gulo gulo
Larger and much stockier than marten or fisher
Thick body and short, bushy tail compared to marten and fisher
Small rounded ears
Dark brown with light markings on chest, face, and around sides and rump
Short-tailed weasel / stoat
Mustela erminea
Summer dark fur with white under-parts, feet, and inner hind legs
Winter white all over
Tip of the tail is black
18-33 cm (7-13”)
