Red Squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
Red squirrels are native to the pine forests of the United States and Canada. They can be distinguished from the fox squirrel (Sciurus niger; common in many North American urban areas) by their small size and their white underbelly. Red squirrels are highly territorial and you may hear them before you see them as they make a chattering call to warn off invaders. A central feature of their range is their midden - a single large larder where they store food. Middens are extremely important not just to the squirrels but also to many small mammals - middens have been connected to a significant increase in the number and diversity of many small mammals. In the winter, the squirrels access their middens from the subnivean - the area under the snow layer! Red squirrels are primarily grainovres (seed-eaters) but they will opportunistically eat and store other food items
pygmy rabbits (brachylagus idahoensis)
Pygmy rabbits are native to the sagebrush-steppe of North America. They are sagebrush obligates - they cannot survive without sagebrush. In the winter, about 99% of the pygmy rabbit's diet is composed of sagebrush. Although often mistaken for rodents, they are actually part of the group Lagomorpha which includes all rabbits, hares, and pika. They are the smallest leporid (rabbit or hare) in the world, and the only one in North America to dig their own burrows. You can distinguish them from other leporids by their small size. Pygmy rabbits play an important role in the sagebush-steppe as ecosystem engineers! Their burrows are used by a variety of species for shelter and their interactions with the sagebrush (browsing and scat production) significantly influence sagebrush growth. Dr. Janet Rachlow and her students have been studying pygmy rabbits for nearly 20 years! You can learn more at her lab website.
snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus)
Snowshoe hares are native to the United States and Canada. They are named for their large hind feet. Most populations of snowshoe hares display seasonal coat color molting - they are primarily white in the winter and brown in the summer for camouflage. Like many species that have this trait, they are threatened by the changing snow year from climate change. Although snow is generally occuring later in the winter and melting earlier in the spring, the timing of their color change is not significantly changing which means the number of days where they don't "match" their background is increasing. Like pygmy rabbits, snowshoe hares are lagomorphs. They can be distinguished by their large feet, their relatively short ears (short for hares), and their changing coats. (Image: (CC)wikimediaAlbertHerring)
What to do if you see these or other wildlife
1) If you spot any wildlife, first calmly make sure that you are a safe distance away. All wildlife is wild, even the small species that we work with in the Wildlife Viewshed Project. For your safety and for theirs, give them space. A good rule of thumb - at least 25 yards from most wildlife, 100 yards from predators. If they react to you in any way, you are too close.
2) NEVER feed wildlife. Feeding wildlife encourages wildlife to approach humans which creates dangerous situations for both wildlife and the humans. Additionally, human food is not healthy for wildlife and can make it more difficult for them to survive.
3) If you have established that you are safe - enjoy the experience! Take photos to share with your friends and family. Practice asking questions - How many animals are you seeing? What are they? What are they doing? What habitat are they in? Why are they in the habitat where you found them and not in different habitat?
Learn more about staying safe near wildlife from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service here.
2) NEVER feed wildlife. Feeding wildlife encourages wildlife to approach humans which creates dangerous situations for both wildlife and the humans. Additionally, human food is not healthy for wildlife and can make it more difficult for them to survive.
3) If you have established that you are safe - enjoy the experience! Take photos to share with your friends and family. Practice asking questions - How many animals are you seeing? What are they? What are they doing? What habitat are they in? Why are they in the habitat where you found them and not in different habitat?
Learn more about staying safe near wildlife from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service here.