Mammal Photos

This young bunny is only about half-grown and does net yet exhibit the distinctive long legs and long ears, relative to other rabbits in the east.

While I don't yet have photos of a live American Beaver (Castor canadensis), here is a sure sign that some live in the area!

Beavers build lodges out of sticks in the middle of the pond that forms behind the dams they build.

Living in coniferous forests of the North and high elevations, this is an energetic & feisty species. In NC, they're found only in the mountains, and this is near the southernmost edge of their range in the Eastern U.S.

Very common over much of eastern North America and certainly the most common squirrel in NC, this species is excellent at raiding bird feeders!

A constant battle takes place between backyard bird enthusiasts providing seed and shelter for birds and the opportunistic squirrels who believe those gifts are for them!

The largest squirrel in the eastern U.S., they are abundant in some parts of their range and are found begging at every park bench. In NC, however, they are rare and are found primarily in dry remnant longleaf pine habitats. Their body coloration is variable from grayish and/or rufous to quite blackish with white on the face.

This individual is motly tawny-gray with the black restricted to the head.

Largest chipmunk in North America. Note indistinct face stripes and reddish rump area.

Enjoying black oil sunflower seeds in my back yard!

Appropriately named, this is one of the smallest chipmunks and is found from Michigan's upper peninsula west throughout Canada and down into much of the mountainous areas of the western U.S.

Endemic to the Cascade Mountains of Washington and British Columbia

Endemic to central CA.

Found in and around the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades in the western U.S.

Found in rocky habitats at high altitudes from the northwestern U.S., through Canada, and into Alaska

The only marmot in the eastern U.S. and absent from most of the western U.S., groundhogs range from Alabama & Georgia to northeastern Canada and west through Canada all the way to Alaska! In NC, they're primarily in the mountains & piedmont of the state and are more common in the northern counties.

Introduced to North America in the 1940s, Nutrias have become a pest in parts of the southeastern U.S. They thrive in both fresh and saltwater habitats eating vegetation and invertebrates.

Nutria are accomplished swimmers.

Several Nutria sunning in a huddle!

Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

Native to and widespread throughout the American tropics north to desert southwestern U.S., peccaries resemble pigs but are actually in different families. It's best to observe them from a safe distance as they can give a vicious bite when annoyed.

Widespread across both North Carolina and North America, Bobcats are mostly nocturnal, secretive, and seldomly seen, so Bill Bouton was definitely in the right place at the right time to snap these photos!

Common in a variety of habitats in western North America. Note the black in the tail.

This is a youngster as noted by large-looking head and overall gray coloration. Older individuals are warmer brownish.

This nest was under tin in the gamelands. A few grayish youngsters were tucked under mama.