Wildlife 2 Flashcards
What is phenology?
The study of the timing of animal/biology (ie when birds migrate, when plants bloom)
What are the three parts of an ungulates year?
Late spring to August = birthing of young. Birthing is timed for when resources are mostly abundant due to the metabolic costs of feeding offspring. Males begin to form their antlers (little nubs) covered with velvet.
September into january: the rut, antlers are fully mineralized. Males begin to compete. Antlers are grown for male competition. Antlers are meant to lock in places for a contest of strength.
Polygynous breeding system = 1 male breeds with multiple females, females breed with one male. This season ends with Males are exhausted.
Jan to march = overwintering, Males and females form separate groups. Males shed their antlers. Females carrying embryos which aggravates food stress. Food stress is at its highest.
What is winter for deer?
Their biggest limiting factor; where most deer mortality events happens.
From a management perspective to promote deer population winter habitat being suitable is the most important thing.
What adaptations for deer need to be considered for their management?
Their digestion method and forage selection.
Long gut retention time = need to eat high quality forage. Winter forage for deer become twigs and buds.
Due to low density of forage deer need to be able to move (connected habitats)
Predator evasion = concealment and not being found, and ability to flee. This means deer need environments where they can conceal themselves, need to both flee immediate danger and relocate regularly to avoid predator discovery
What are the three major needs for ungulate ecology in the winter.
Need for security
Need for forage
Need for movement
What are the different types of wildlife signs?
Tracks
Scat
Tree rubs
Burrows
Nests and cavities.
What are our methods of tracking?
Track measurements = how big the animal is
Track pattern = different types of animals have different gaits
Print shape = numbers and arrangements of toes
Ecology and behavior = what were they doing?
What are the criteria of tracking measurement?
Width = widest part of the track
Length = distance from heel to toe
Stride = distance between placement of the same foot
Straddle = distance between left and right foot
What are the different types of gaits?
Pacers = two limbs on the same side of the body move at the same time. (Bears, skunks, porcupines)
Wide bodied, feet point inwards (looks pigeon toed)
Diagonal walkers = limbs move on opposite sides move together
Hindfoot lands in the track of forefoot often (direct register)
Ungulates, dogs, cats.
Gallopers/hoppers = front feet land first, hind feet land second
Hindfeet reach around in front of forefeet and create a y-shape
Hares, squirrels, mice.
Bounders = front feet land first, hind feet land second and behind. Makes a box shape, groups of four, then a gap
Weasels and ground squirrels.
Who do we differentiate print shape?
In ungulates we can differentiate based on size (ie deer smaller than elk, elk smaller than moose)
Can differentiate based on shape (elk have the bluntest toes, deer they’re quite pointed)
In canids:
Hard to distinguish based on shape, so usually measuring on size. (Fox smallest range, coyote medium, wolf large)
Canid tracks leave claw marks, cat tracks almost never (claws retracted) four toes, one lobe at top of heel pad.
Felids:
Four toes without claw prints, two lobes at top of the heel pad
Can differentiate based on size (bobcat, lynx, puma)
Lynx have a ice cream cone shaped distinct track.
Dogs vs cats
Dogs can draw an x through the track.
Squirrels vs hares
Hares have hindfoot dramatically larger than forefoot (yshape)
How do we tell ungulate scat apart?
Deer = point on one end, bullet shaped point on one end, indent on other
Elk = larger than deer, Oval shape, no point on either end
Moose = similar size to elk but tapered on one end and rounded on the other. Summer scat can be messy like a cow patty
How do we can tell predator scat apart?
Cats = blunted ends, segmented, sometimes covered
Dogs = tapered ends, smooth and shiny, can often see hair and bones.
How do we tell hare and squirrels scat apart?
Hares = hard, rounded, fibrous
Squirrels = oblong, smaller
