A.O.T.W. Eastern Cottontail

Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Length: 14-19 inches

Weight: 4.4 to 6 lbs

Food: grasses, shoots, flowers

Habitat: popular in urban areas as well as near rural and suburban human dwellings

Voice: generally silent, will squeal if in trouble or alarmed

Life span: 1-3 years

Extras: Annoying for aspiring gardeners as they chew off buds.

A.O.T.W. Raccoon

Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Length: 27-36 inches

Weight: 4-23 lbs

Food: opportunistic, will eat anything, especially garbage

Habitat: Forest, suburban areas, landfills

Voice: generally silent, otherwise a raspy scratch is given

Life span: 2-3 years

Extras: Despite its hunched features, the raccoon can easily straddle branches and limbs going up and down.

A.O.T.W. Beaver

Beaver 

Length: 30-51 inches

Weight: 60 lbs

Food: bark, wood, pondweed, waterlilies

Habitat: Marshy Woodlands, Swamps

Voice: generally silent, more often heard by scraping sound of knawing

Life span: 12-24 years

Extras: If a beaver doesn't chew wood, it's teeth will grow very big and it will die.

A.O.T.W. Moose

Moose (Alces alces)

Length: 5-6.5 feet

Weight: 1800 lbs

Food: leaves, grasses, moss

Habitat: Forest, Swamps, Marshy Woodlands

Voice: Cow-like grunt

Life span: 15-20 years

Extras: They are very good swimmers and can swim for several miles without stopping for a break.

A.O.T.W. Cougar

Cougar (Felis concolor)

Length: 3.25 to 5.25 feet

Weight: 136 lbs

Food: small mammals and birds

Habitat: Forest, Mountains, Riversides,

Voice: raspy screech, growl or snuffling sound

Life span: 8-13 years 

Extras: The cougar is endangered! It is also called a Puma, Mountain Lion, and Catamount.

National Geographic: Cougar                                                                                                                          

A.O.T.W. Black Bear

A.O.T.W. Feb 25, 2015

Black Bear (Ursus americanus)

Length: 5-6 ft (1.5 to 1.8 m)

Weight: 200-600 lbs (90 to 270 kgs)

Food: omnivorous; eats berries, fruit, small mammals and shoots

Habitat: thick forests and, in the north, the tundra

Voice: short grunts

Life span: 20 years

Extras:

Black bears don't actually hibernate, though they do not eat, drink, or urinate during hibernating season.

A.O.T.W. Walrus

Animal of the Week, Feb 20, 2015

Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)

Walrus Bio:

Length:      7ft-12ft

Weight:      1.5 tons

Food:         carnivorous

Habitat:      arctic, near water

Voice:         human-like whistle or loud grunts

Life Span:   up to 40 years

Extras:

Tusk Length: about 1ft, dominant males up to 3.5ft

Tusk Value: $100-$50,000
The walrus' Latin name literally means "tooth-walking sea-horse."