Furbearing Mammals of Texas

Mammals of Texas (157)
Marsupials (1)
Insectivores (5) – shrews and moles
Bats (30)
Carnivores (28)
Seals (1) – Caribbean monk seal - extinct
Rodents (63)
Rabbits (5)
Hoofed Mammals (8)
Armadillos (1)
Manatees (1) – West Indian manatee – extant – 1986 stranding –
Federally endangered
Whales and Dolphins (14) – bottlenose dolphin most common –
most only infrequently seen in Texas coastal waters
Accidental Mammals
Hairy legged vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata),
one female taken May 24, 1967 from an
abandoned railroad tunnel 19 km west of
Comstock, Val Verde County
Little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) one
specimen Fort Hancock, Hudspeth County
Northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) one
specimen Winterhaven, Dimmitt County
Mammals Unique to Texas
Kangaroo Rat Dipodomys elator — STATUS: State Threatened
Gulf Coast Kangaroo Rat Dipodomys compactus —STATUS: Not
well known. THREATS: development on Mustand and Padre
Islands. NEEDS: monitoring
Attwater’s Pocket Gopher Geomys attwateri —STATUS: locally
common THREATS: hybridization, fire ants
Texas Pocket Gopher Geomys personatus —STATUS: Good
Llano Pocket Gopher Geomys texensis — STATUS: Locally
abundant THREATS: Limited range
Streckers Pocket Gopher Geomys streckeri –STATUS: Unknown
Threats: limited range NEED: documentation of full range.
Marsupials – Order
Didelphimorphia
Common across
Texas – excepting
dry areas in TransPecos
Armadillo
Order Insectivora - Shrews and
Moles
Southern Short-tailed Shrew, Eastern one-fourth of
Texas; venomous; highly reproductive; few survive 2
years: Current study by East Texas Baptist University,
Marshall
Elliot’s Short-tailed Shrew, Aransas, Montague, and
Bastrop Counties; slightly venomous
Least Shrew, eastern and central portions, west in the
Panhandle to New Mexico; inhabitant of grasslands;
entirely animal matter
Desert Shrew, western 2/3 of Texas; do not construct or
make use of underground burrows; eat larval stage of
insects
Eastern Mole, south, east, central, and panhandle
restricted in their distribution by the nature of the soil
Bats- Order Chiroptera
30 bat species – ex.
Pallid bat, yuma bat, cave
bat, Mexican free-tailed
etc.
15 of 33 species Tracked
in TXBCD
Federally Endangered –
Mexican long-nosed bat
only known from Big
Bend National Park
3 species state
threatened
State Threatened Bats
Southern yellow bat
Status: state
threatened
Threats: Limited
distribution and Palm
trees required roost
sites
Common around
Brownsville found up
to Corpus Christi
State Threatened Bats
Spotted bat
Status: State
Threatened
Widely distributed in
western North
America
Known from Big Bend
National Park
USFWS: Need
Knowledge prior to
any categorization of
status
State Threatened Bats
Rafinesque’s bigeared bat
Status: State
Threatened
Threats: Degradation
of habitat from
commercial logging
and general lack of
knowledge
State Threatened Bats
Southern yellow bat
Spotted bat Rafinesque’s bigeared bat
Rodents
19 of 69 species
tracked in TXBCD
3 State Threatened
Tracked Species Primarily
Pocket Gophers (12)
– Geomys
Desert, Davis, Jones,
Texas, Maritime, Carrizo
Springs, Frio, and Llano
– Thomomys –
Guadalupe southern,
Limpia southern, and
Limpia Creek
Prairie vole – Uncommon
Rodents
– 2 counties Lipscomb and Hansford
– Recently reported by biologist Jim Ray from Pantax Complex
Presidio mole
– Subspecies of common mole
– Presidio County 1887
– northern Coahuila 1951
Gray footed chipmunk
– Status good in GMNP
– high elevations Sierra Diablo and
– Guadalupe Mtns
Yellow nosed cotton rat
– Thought rare and in need of listing
– Recent trapping evidence indicates
abundant in range in Trans Pecos
Prairie dog
–
–
–
–
Former Candidate for listing as federally threatened.
97 counties historically 86 currently
TPWD survey 170,000 acres
Goal is 293,000 acres – continue to reach that goal
State Threatened Rodents
Texas Kangaroo rat
Status: State
Threatened
Threats: Restricted
range appears heavily
grazed and eroded
sites optimal
Needs: USFWS more
information
State Threatened Rodents
Palo Duro Mouse
(Peromyscus truei
comanche)
Status: State
Threatened
Threats: Restricted
range (Palo Duro
Canyon) Competition
from other species
State Threatened Rodents
Coues Rice Rat
Status: State
Threatened
Threats: Restricted
range coastal
grasslands and loss
of habitat
Needs: habitat
protection especially
resacas
Common Mexico to
Panama
Pocket Gophers
9 Species now 12
– Llano pocket
gopher (G.
texensis)
– Attwater's pocket
gopher (G.
Attwateri)
– Others include
Botta’s, desert,
Baird’s, plains
Jones, Texas,
and yellow faced
Yellow-faced Pocket Gopher
Rabbits – Order Lagomorpha
Swamp rabbit – eastern third of Texas
Eastern cottontail - eastern three-fourths of the state and
in some areas of the Trans-Pecos
Davis Mountains cottontail - Occupies upland habitats in
the western one-half of the state. Status: Tracked
TXBCD Not listed
– Guadalupe and Chisos Mountain populations severely reduced
with no specimens 30 years
– Texas Tech study Davis Mountain population remains healthy
Black-tailed jackrabbit – absent only from the Big Thicket
area
Hoofed Mammals
Javelina Status: Declining?
Elk - Formerly present only in the
Guadalupe Mountains now introduced
species
Pronghorn Status: Declining
Bison Status: Captive herd
Feral Hog
White-tailed and Mule Deer
White tailed deer statewide
Mule Deer Status: Declining
Carnivores – Order Carnivora
Felidae - cats – records of 6 species
– 4 species endangered
– Margay only known from one historical occurrence - extant
– Jaguar - extant
Canidae - wolves and foxes – 6 species
– 2 Red wolf and gray wolf – extant
Procyonidae – raccoons, coatis
– 3 species
– Coati state threatened
Ursidae – Bears
– Historically 4 subspecies black bear: Currently 2
– Grizzly bear extant
Mustelidae – weasels, skunks, otters
– 11 species including 6 species skunk
– Black-footed ferret – extant
Carnivores – Order Carnivora
Felidae - cats – records of 6 species
– 4 species endangered
– Margay only known from one historical occurrence - extirpated
– Jaguar - extirpated
Canidae - wolves and foxes – 6 species
– 2 Red wolf and gray wolf – extirpated
– Swift fox former candidate for listing
Procyonidae – raccoons, coatis
– 3 species
– Coati state threatened
Ursidae – Bears
– Historically 4 subspecies black bear: Currently 2
– Grizzly bear extirpated
Mustelidae – weasels, skunks, otters
– 11 species including 5 species skunk
– Black-footed ferret – extirpated
Ocelot
Status: Federally
endangered
Laguna Atascosa NWR
and population in
northern Willacy County
Threats: Restricted range
small population size,
habitat loss
Needs: Habitat
restoration and
protection, culverts
Ongoing research: Ocelot
PVA, camera trapping,
genetics, GPS collars at
LANWR
Jaguarundi
Status: Federally
endangered
Extreme southern Texas
in Cameron, Hidalgo,
Starr, and Willacy
counties
Last confirmed report
1986 road kill
Issues – loss of habitat,
thought extirpated
White-nosed Coati
Status: State threatened
Texas, NM, AZ is northern
edge of range widespread
in Mexico
Threats: Habitat loss
riparian woodland
Needs: Life history,
abundance, general
ecology and management
Status of Black Bear in Texas
John Young and Dave Holdermann, Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department, Wildlife Division, Wildlife Diversity
Branch
Bears at Our Borders
Bears in Coahuila Mexico
Serranias del Burro
Litter size 2-4
cubs/female
Estimated cub survival
81%, adult survival 8894%
Linkage along mountain
range
Source population for
recolonization
Mid 1990’s breeding
population established
Not restricted phenomena
1993-1997 15
bear sightings in
east Texas
TPWD Habitat
Suitability Study
Sulphur River
Bottom HIS 0.76
Middle Neches
River HIS 0.89
Lower Neches
River HIS 0.79
Big Thicket
National Preserve
HIS 0.73
•24 confirmed sightings
•67% sightings since
1990
•70% in Northeastern
Counties
•Where are bears
coming from
Panhandle Sightings
21 Sightings
6 confirmed Dallam,
Carson, Hartley,
Oldham, Potter
Counties
2 mortalities – Dallam
Carson – east of
Amarillo
Human ISSUES
Highways
Depredation Conflicts
– female bear and two cubs
killed 14 angora goats and
one sheep
– Damage to remote hunting
camps
– Destruction of horse feed
Illegal/Accidental kills –
– 2002 Val Verde Co. shot
170-pound sow in selfdefense two cubs orphaned
– Electrocution
Landowner and public
attitudes and actions
Biological Issues
Females share range limiting
dispersal
Suitable habitat separated by
Chihuahuan Desert
Continued habitat loss and
fragmentation
– 17,045,000 in 1990
– 20,851,520 in 2000
– projected 27,183,000 by 2025.
east Texas lack of breeding
females
Crider (In Press)
documented cub survival in
Serranias del Burro dropped
to 20% in drought years
Addressing Issues
University of Michigan – East Texas Landowner
Attitude Survey
Texas Tech – GIS study identify, characterize
and map potential habitat, and construct a
predictive model of Trans Pecos Population
Texas Tech – West Texas Landowner Attitude
Survey
East Texas Black Bear Working Group – East
Texas Black Bear Management Plan
Published in Outdoor Annual Black Bears are
state Threatened species
Furbearing Mammals of
Texas
CITES Listed Animals
Bobcat and River Otter
– Neither species endangered in the US
– Listed because they look like other endangered cats
and otters of the world
– TPW Regional Offices also have tags along with
some taxidermists
CITES tag must be acquired and attached for
sale/or movement out of state regardless of
commercially or recreationally harvested
River Otter
TPW surveys 23
counties every 3
years to track
population
Population stable to
expanding
Recent otter taken in
San Saba County
Issues – highways,
habitat loss
Bobcat
Avg. 35 lbs up to
50lbs
Tail 6 – 12 inches
Spotting heavy in
some light in others
Distributed across
Texas – density
varies
Populations stable to
expanding
Mink
eastern one-half of
state westward to
northern Panhandle in
habitats near
permanent water
Reduced harvest in
recent years suspect
increased population
Long-tailed weasel
Little known about
population
Low economic
importance
Eastern, southern,
western Texas
Swift or Kit Fox
Smallest of foxes
found in western third of
state
live in the open desert or
grasslands and adapted
to pasture, plowed fields,
and fencerows
Recently removed from
Candidate list for
endangered
Issues – depredation by
coyotes, rangeland
conversion
Red Fox
Introduced for sport
found east, central
and central TransPecos
Not common
mixed woodland
uplands interspersed
with farms and
pastures
Gray Fox
Distributed statewide
common in wooded
sections east of the
Shortgrass plains and
in the pinyon-juniper
community above
desert
Populations stable to
expanding
Beaver
Increasing
number of
nuisance
complaints
Populations
expanding
Eastern, south
and central
Texas
Skunks
Hooded skunk
– Status: declining; reasons
unclear
– Needs: monitoring
Western Spotted skunk
– Status: declining?
– Threat: loss of prairie habitat
– Ongoing research: ecology
of striped skunks Angelo
State Univ.
Eastern spotted skunk
– Status: once common now
rare some areas and
declining
– Threats: insecticides
Skunks
Hog nosed skunk: 2
subspecies: common and
eastern
Status:– eastern
subspecies extirpated;
– south Texas Plains
extirpated?
– Hill country remain
common
Needs: ecology,
behavior, management
recommendations
Raccoon and Ringtail
Raccoon found
throughout state
Ringtail throughout
Texas excepting
extreme south Texas
Ringtail population
status unknown
Raccoon stable and
increasing
American Badger
Status: locally abundant
Possible eastward range
expansion
Threats: habitat
fragmentation from
development
Needs: management
recommendations and
continued monitoring
Ongoing research:
IAFWA best management
trapping practices;
possible study on badger
genetics Angelo State
Univ.
COYOTE
Non-game animal but most important economic
furbearer
Coyote abundant in suburban areas
red and blond coyotes were mistakenly identified
as coy dogs because their coats were not of the
more common tri-color pelage
Predation on cats and dogs
– Pet missing/partially eaten – coyote, hawk, owl
– Pet ripped apart – domestic dog
?
WOLVES
Coyote
Gray Wolf
formerly ranged over
the western two-thirds
of the state
last authenticated
reports of gray wolves
in Texas were 2 in
1970 Brewster
County
Gray wolf collared in
Michigan killed in
Missouri in 2001
Red Wolf
eastern half of Texas
are now extirpated
from Texas
Coyote for
comparison
Texas provided
breeding stock for
captive program
One wild population
South Carolina
Mexican Wolf – Lobo Wolf
smallest of the wolves
in North America.
60 to 90 pounds
4 to 5 feet length
Wolf-dog Hybrid
wolf-dog hybrids are poorly adapted as pets and are
difficult to train
Hybrids are frequently destructive, attack people and
domestic animals, and are generally too wary of people
to be effective guard animals.
Some problem or unmanageable hybrids have been
intentionally released into the wild in Michigan – no
evidence of this in Texas.
wolf-dog hybrid ownership is prohibited in nine states,
restricted in 17 states, and requires a special permit in
three others,
Milwaukee Journal (1992) reported that there are an
estimated 300,000 to 1,500,000 wolf-dog hybrids in
private possession
Mountain Lion
Non-game animal
Open season
Occurs throughout state
– Most mortalities occur in
south Texas and the Trans
Pecos
Population Status
– Reported mortalities steady
since 1985
– between 114 and 180
TPW does not relocate
mountain lion
Mountain
Lion Sign
Reporting a Mountain Lion
Sighting/Road kill
Report sightings
– utilize sightings, hunter
or trapper reported
mortality, and
confirmed road kills to
track population
– sightings form
John Young
(512)912-7047
Mountain Lion or ???
Description – reddish
brown to tawny
Tip of nose to tail males in
excess of 7 feet
Males 100 to 150 lbs
Females 55-90 lbs
Immature puma have light
to heavy spotting
When its NOT a cougar
– Black in color no matter
what grandpa says
– Multiple cats seen at
once ―They jumped over
my fence‖
MYTHICAL BLACK PANTHER
Does not occur in Texas
rare black phase of the spotted leopard
(Panthera pardus) in Africa, Asia, and Indonesia
jaguar (Panthera onca), from northern Mexico
through much of South America
Despite numerous reports of black panthers, a
black specimen or skin has never seen the light
of day in Texas or anywhere else in North
America
biologists will remain highly skeptical of black
mountain lion reports until an actual skin or
specimen lands on someone’s desk
Exotic Cats
Serval
Tiger -"'Pet' Tiger Kills 3year-old Boy in Texas."
Austin AmericanStatesman 12 October
2001
JUNGLE CAT
HYBRIDS/CHAUSIES
BENGAL CATS, a.k.a.
Asian Leopard Hybrids.
Pixie-bob – bobcat house
cat cross
These cats do not require
any special permits and
can be shipped to any air
port in the U.S
Mammal Resources
Wildlife Fact Sheets TPWD
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/nature/wild/mammals/pduromouse.htm
Texas Mammals Online
http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/Default.htm
Mammals of Texas – 4th edition by Schmidly
Internet Hoaxes