: Wild Animals of the Rockies With a List of Mammals found in Rocky Mountain National Park by Gilligan James P James Pershing - Rocky Mountain National Park (Colo.); Mammals Colorado Rocky Mountain National Park Identification; Mammals Rocky Mountains Identi

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Page Wildlife of the Last Hundred Years 7 Wildlife Management 13 Life Zones and Animal Distribution 18 The Mammals of Rocky Mountain National Park 20 The Hoofed Animals Elk 20 Mule Deer 21 Mountain Sheep 22 The Flesh-eaters Black Bear 25 Mountain Lion 26 Bobcat 26 Coyote 31 Red Fox 31 Cross Fox 32 Badger 32 Striped Skunk 32 Spotted Skunk 32 Marten 32 Mink 35 Long-tailed Weasel 35 Short-tailed Weasel 35 The Plant-eaters Beaver 36 Muskrat 36 Porcupine 39 Marmot 39 Abert Squirrel 40 Chickaree 40 Richardson Ground Squirrel 40 Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel 43 Least Chipmunk 43 Western Chipmunk 44 Northern Pocket Gopher 44 Bushy-tailed Pack Rat 44 Deer Mouse 47 Cliff Mouse 47 Jumping Mouse 47 The Voles 47 The Hares, Rabbits, and Pikas Pika 48 Cottontail Rabbit 51 White-tailed Jack Rabbit 51 Snowshoe Hare 51 The Shrews 52 The Flying Mammals 55

Identification Marks of Similar Animals: Marten, Mink, Weasel, Pika, Cottontail, Jack Rabbit, and Snowshoe Hare 28 Abert Squirrel, Chickaree, Chipmunk, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Pack Rat, Richardson Ground Squirrel, and Pocket Gopher 29 Photographs The Tundra from Trail Ridge Road, and Elk on Their Winter Feeding Grounds 11 Deer Fawn and Mountain Sheep Rams 23 Bobcat and Black Bear 27 Red Fox and Coyote 33 Marten 34 Weasel and Badger 37 Porcupine and Muskrat 38 Marmot 41 Chickaree and Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel 42 Least Chipmunk 45 Pika and Cottontail Rabbit 49 Deer Mouse and Big Brown Bat 53 Tracks cover

PREFACE

Among the frequent questions by visitors to the Rocky Mountain region are those pertaining to the wild animals. What animals are found here? How can they be identified? What are the wildlife problems of the high country? These are common queries which this booklet attempts to answer.

The author, a former ranger-naturalist in Rocky Mountain National Park, discovered through a visitor study in 1948 that a predominating interest of vacationers was in the wildlife of the area. Therefore, the writing has been limited to brief descriptions of the four-footed animals as they are seen in nature, with some explanation of their habits and habitat so they may be more readily located. The cover "tracks" and identification plates further this intent.

Many find it difficult to understand why they cannot see "more" animals in this rugged country. These animals are wild in the strictest sense. Many are nocturnal in habit, hiding during daylight, and others must be approached very cautiously. One satisfactory method of observing wildlife is to select a "spot" off the beaten trails and sit quietly for several hours, allowing animal life to move about in a normal manner.

A secondary purpose of this booklet is to provide a check list of all mammals known to use the National Park. Not all species listed have been collected in the area. It is hoped this will be a start toward providing an accurate, more substantial, and growing list of mammals for the Park. The scientific names of the 50 species given conform to all revisions to date. Those interested in a comprehensive discussion of individual mammals should consult such publications as Warren's Mammals of Colorado, or Cahalane's Mammals of North America.

An effort has been made to reduce and simplify the many common names attached to certain mammals. The most representative, and yet accurate name, has been selected for each animal for use throughout its entire area of distribution. For example, there is a large group of ground squirrels inhabiting most western states which closely resemble one another in external features. The variety of common names given these squirrels is highly perplexing to the average person. Therefore the name golden-mantled ground squirrel, by which most of this group is known in far western states, is given for the group representative in north central Colorado, formerly known as the Say's ground squirrel. Similar methods have been followed in limiting the names of other mammals. It is suggested that those interested in wildlife adopt one common name for each similar group of animals in an effort to standardize terminology for the multitude.

Dr. William H. Burt, Curator of Mammals, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, has reviewed the manuscript and made many helpful suggestions. Miss Diana Wiltse, of the Ann Arbor Press, designed the cover and identification pages. I am also grateful for files of information and many photographic cuts furnished by the National Park Service. Unless otherwise indicated, photos were provided through the courtesy of Nature Magazine.

WILDLIFE OF THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS

Before the arrival of settlers in the mountain valleys of north-central Colorado in 1860, only the Ute and Arapaho Indians of the region and a few adventuresome white trappers knew the wildlife then so abundant throughout the area. They alone had observed the thousands of elk and small groups of mountain bison grazing the alpine meadows in the summer. Plentiful herds of mule deer roamed the valleys and forests and hundreds of flocks of wild mountain sheep fed on tufts of grass and flowers on rugged mountain slopes above timberline. Even an infrequent moose wandering down from his more northerly habitat could be seen in the lower wet meadows.

Along with these wonderful groups of hoofed animals lived the predatory, or carnivorous, animals. The powerful and vicious wolverines were common in the heavy forests of the high mountains, as were huge grizzly bears, occasional timber wolves, and cougars. The Canada lynx and mountain bobcat preyed on animals their size and smaller in the pine and spruce timber, while the red fox and rare gray fox were effective squirrel, mouse, and rabbit catchers. Pine martens chased small rodents through deeper forested regions, and they in turn were preyed on the larger carnivores. Numerous otter, mink, and weasel played in and along rushing mountain streams and clear lakes, feeding on a great variety of aquatic animals, fish, and small meadow rodents.

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