Group 4

Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel By: Elisabeth Huetter (Source: www.forums.applenova.com) What is the Carolina Northe rn Flying Squirrel? The Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel  (Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus)  is a small nocturnal gliding mammal that is found in the Southern Appalachians  (ECOS Species Profile). When full grown, the squirrel is ten to twelve inches long and three to five ounces in weight.  Adults  have bright cinnam on-brown fur on their backs, gray fur on their faces and the tip of the tail, and grayish-white fur on the belly . One of the squirrels most noticeable attributes is their broad, flattened tail and folds of skin between the wrist and ankle that create an aerodynamic surface that help let the squirrel "fly" from tree to tree . (Source: www.sierralegacy.org) Where can the Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel be found? The Northern Flying Squirrel is primarily found in the high elevat...

Caretta carretta The Loggerhead Turtle By: Emily Holloway Description and Ecology Loggerhead turtles get their name from their exceptionally  large heads that contain powerful jaw muscles used to crush hard-shelled prey such as sea urchins and clams. They are the most common sea turtle species  in the Mediterranean and in U.S. waters, but can be found in numerous areas of the ocean around the world. L oggerheads are primarily carnivorous feeding mainly on shellfish that live on the bottom of the ocean. They eat clams, mussels, horseshoe crabs, and other invertebrates along with some fish and jellyfish.  Their front flippers are short and thick with 2 claws and the rear flippers can have 2-3 claws. This sea turtle species is the largest of all hard-shelled turtles with a reddish-brown coloring on their heart-shaped carapace and dorsal scales of the head and fins. These scales are lined with light to medium yellow margin...

Canis lupus baileyi The Mexican Grey Wolf Description and Ecology of Organism The Mexican Wolf is an endangered species, and is a subspecies of the Grey Wolf. These wolves are primarily grey, with tufts of light brown fur on their back; yet there are many with a more diverse arrangement of colors. They are quick and agile predators and fast runners, which they owe to their sleek body and long legs. The wolf normally reaches a weight of 60-80 pounds, a height of 26-32 inches, and a length of 4.5-5.5 feet. The males tend to be the larger sex. The life span of a typical Mexican Wolf is 15 years.  Their mating season occurs in the Winter from mid February to mid March, and they have a gestation period of approximately 63 days. A typical litter will produce 4-7 pups. These pups are born blind and defenseless, and are therefore highly dependent on their mothers. The pack will care for the pups for around 10 months, until they have matured. The Mexican Wolf ori...

San Joaquin Kit Fox ( Vulpes macrotis mutica ) Photo by Defenders of Wildlife Summarize Description and Ecology of Organism Photo by Mark Chappell The San Joaquin kit fox, the smallest member of the canid species (dog-like mammals), measures on average a foot and a half and weighs about five pounds.    Though it has a small body, it has large ears that measure nearly three to four inches long which allow the kit fox to have outstanding hearing and effectively disperse heat.    Depending on the season, the fox’s fur color changes between tan, during the summer, and gray, during the winter.    Typically, the San Joaquin kit fox feeds on small rodents such as mice, rats, and squirrels, along with rabbits and some plants.    In the wild, they usually live for seven to years and begin to mate about a year after being born. Geographic and Population Changes Image by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Until...