Harold J. Brodrick

“ Badgers are rather clumsy, heavy bodied and short legged animals, lacking the speed and dexterity needed to capture their prey in the open, but how they do like to dig for their food! Living primarily on the smaller rodents, especially ground squirrels, the badger snoops from burrow to burrow until his nose tells him that the occupant is at home, then dirt starts to fly. If the ground squirrel has provided his home with some extra entrances and he is quick to use one of them he may escape, otherwise the badger has secured a dinner. ”

“ Fortunately the Yellowstone grizzly is inclined to mind his own business and is not addicted to the panhandling or clowning traits of the black bear. He does sometimes come into the camps and cabin areas in search of food but generally is seen only rarely by visitors. In the woods, if given a reasonable chance, he will move away from your vicinity. However, a grizzly surprised at close range will frequently charge the person, surprising him. In this event a tree is the safest place to attain as the adult grizzly is unable to climb trees. ”

“ The higher mountain meadows are ideal summer ranges for the larger mammals. These animals would normally work down into the lower country outside of Yellowstone to the north for the winter. Since that area is now mostly under fence they have been forced to do the best they can up in the winter snows of the lower sections of the park. Bears and several of the smaller animals go into hibernation as soon as or even before the first snow squalls of winter appear so the long winter in the high country holds no terrors for them. ”

“ The wood rat is a very clean animal, of no relation to the common barn rat except in superficial resemblance. A vegetarian in diet he lives on green vegetation such as grass and foliage, fruit, bark, roots, fungi, seeds and nuts. He is active all year but seldom accumulates much of a store of winter food.
Mainly nocturnal in habit, they are, however, occasionally seen in the daytime. Their principal enemies here are hawks, owls, weasels, coyotes and martens.
The young, from three to six in a litter, are born in June or July and are duller in color than the parents. ”

“ Marshy meadows and the margins of lakes or streams are the favorite summer haunts of the moose. His usual summer diet consists of the various aquatic plants and his long legs are of great assistance in wading for the plants as well as helping him get through the deep snows of winter. The moose is better fitted to withstand the rigors of winter than the deer and elk and is accustomed to remaining in higher country during the winter. During such times his food is made up of the foliage, twigs and bark of trees and shrubs. ”

“ In the summer, the bark, buds and foliage of many trees, shrubs and plants are used. Porky is very fond of salt and will gnaw on anything that contains it; shovel or other tool handles with deposits of perspiration on them, or antlers after being shed, are a delicacy. Occasionally he kills a tree by removing too much bark but seldom does enough damage to be of economic importance.
One litter with usually one, or rarely if ever two young, is born each year in late April or May. A baby porcupine at birth weighs about a pound and is as large or larger than a bear cub. ”

“ The cubs grow rapidly and are able to follow their mother around when she comes out of hibernation. If mother is a highway or camp beggar the cubs soon learn it too and then the trouble starts. The female bear is a good mother and it is extremely dangerous to come between her and the cubs. She makes the cubs mind, spanking them vigorously if they fail to do so. The cubs hibernate with their mother their first winter and are then usually weaned by the next summer. The female black bear has a new litter of cubs only every two or three years. ”

“ Most species of shrews are smaller than any mice, with pointed noses, minute eyes, and small ears which are hidden in the fur. They are insect eaters and like any kind of fresh meat. They are active all winter.
66 The dusky shrew is a sepia brown in color and is found throughout most of the park area. Mountain water shrews make their homes in banks of icy streams and are mouse-size with upper parts slaty mixed with hoary. They have larger feet than the dusky shrew and have bristly fringes along the toes with partial webs which equip them for swimming readily. ”

“ The range of the cougar is comparable with that of the various species of deer since they and the other larger mammals of that type are the cougars’ preferred food. They have been found to be quite destructive to domestic stock also and have been extensively hunted for that reason. Normally the cougar does not kill more than it needs at a time and is known to cache the uneaten portion of a carcass for future use. However, occasional animals have acquired reputations as killers.
A cougar’s den is usually in a cave but may be in the shelter of windfalls if a suitable cave is lacking. ”

“ Once fed, the bear continues to expect food. He prowls around the camps and a smell of food is an invitation to break into cabin, tent or car, which he can and does do with comparative ease. The offenses he commits pile up—injuries to persons, damage to property—until the offender must be either taken for a long ride or shot. One less bear for a visitor to see, yet the visitor has done much to cause this by his failure to observe the rules against feeding these animals. Every year a long list of personal injuries, varying from slight to serious occur. ”

“ Entirely beneficial from the standpoint of the kind of food he eats, the badger’s activities in obtaining it soon result in numerous holes throughout the area where his foraging operations are carried on. In areas where domestic stock are ranging these excavations made by the badgers are hazards to the stock and rancher alike, often resulting in a broken leg to the horse that steps into a hole and sometimes serious injury to the rider when he is thrown from the horse as it falls. In such areas this animal is usually hunted or trapped by man. ”

“ The westward-moving settlers gradually took over the winter range for agriculture and forced the elk to remain in the mountains throughout the year. Winter hardships have been severe and many of them have died of starvation. This lack of winter range has always been a serious problem in caring for both the northern and southern Yellowstone herds. They depend more upon grass as food than the other members of the deer family. ”

“ Their ancient enemies are the wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats and, in the case of the young, the eagles. In Yellowstone, wolves, lions and bobcats are now rare in occurrence. These create a hazardous life for the mountain sheep. Then with the addition of man and his impact upon them they have had trouble even holding their own and in recent years are threatening to become another of our vanishing species, especially because of the keen competition with elk for forage. ”

“ Very large furry hind feet act as snowshoes enabling these rabbits to scamper readily over the snow without sinking in and thus are the basis for its common name.
Nature also provides these hares with a camouflage to help protect them from their enemies. Their summer coat of fur is dull brown in color which blends well with the forest floor, while in the winter they get a new coat of pure white, except for black ear tips, making them hardly distinguishable from the snow drifts over which they run. ”

“ The cow elk has one, rarely two young at a time, which are born in May and June. At first they are weak and so are kept hidden for several days until able to keep up with their mother. The young are spotted for the first few months, but lose their markings by late summer.
General description: A very large deer with a shaggy mane and short tail. The males with widely branching antlers which are shed annually; females do not have antlers. In color the sexes are slightly different. The males have head and neck a dark chestnut brown, sides and back a yellowish to brownish gray. ”

“ The den is located near the water, either as a burrow in a bank or under protecting tree roots or rocks. Here the one to three or four young are born in late April, there being only one family a year.
Otters are strong and capable fighters, a match for a dog on land and more than a match for one in the water. They have no particular enemies except man. The rich brown fur has brought a high price on the fur market and trapping operations have resulted in the animal becoming rare outside of such protected areas as Yellowstone. ”

“ The elk is the most polygamous of the deer family. In the fall each bull tries to collect the largest harem he can and many spectacular fights result from the clash of rivals that may try to rob each other of a part of the herd. It isn’t long, however, until the bulls forget their rivalry and, leaving the cows, they get together by themselves until the next fall.
8
Elk
In the past elk were in the habit of feeding up into the mountains during the summer and migrating to lower country for the winter. ”

“ It is the policy of the National Park Service to present these animals to the visiting public in as near their natural environment as possible, each species being left to carry on its normal existence unassisted wherever possible. Unfortunately the lack of sufficient winter range within the park for unlimited numbers 2 of animals has made it necessary that the numbers of bison, elk and antelope be controlled and management practices be put into effect in order to hold the number down to the carrying capacity of the range. ”

“ They spend the summer accumulating a heavy layer of fat and then go into hibernation late in August to emerge the following April.
The young, from five to fourteen in number, are born in May or June. Only one litter a year is born; however, this species is so numerous and prolific that its many enemies can hardly keep it in check.
Most common enemies are badgers, coyotes, bears, foxes, weasels, hawks and most small carnivores. These all depend upon the picket-pin for at least part if not considerable of their diet during the summer and they frequently are dug out after they are in hibernation. ”

“ As it is, their enemies, which are practically every predatory animal and bird, can barely keep them in check. Meadow mice serve as a valuable source of food for the smaller predatory animals such as coyotes, foxes and for the various hawks and owls.
There are four species of these mice that have been found in Yellowstone Park:
Sawatch Meadow Mouse: Microtus pennsylvanicus modestus. A medium-sized mouse with upperparts dull ochraceous, sprinkled with black. Underparts soiled whitish to ashy or cinnamon. In winter many black hairs along upperparts and underparts with wash of creamy white. ”

“ The Yellow-haired Porcupine of Yellowstone occurs all over the park. Being an unsociable sort of fellow he is usually found alone, except during the mating season or when the young are yet with their mother. He is a common animal but seldom seen. ”

“ Thus, the first white man known to have entered the region later known as Yellowstone Park was John Colter, the representative of a fur trader.
These activities greatly depleted the beaver populations but under protection in recent years they have staged a satisfactory recovery in many parts of their former range.
The dams constructed by this animal are well known. Made of sticks, logs and mud, they are a remarkable accomplishment. The dam is for the purpose of impounding a pond of water in which to construct the beaver lodge or house. ”

“ The beaver’s winter diet consists of bark from the tree branches that it stores up by sticking them into the mud at the bottom of the pond. In the summer the bark diet is supplemented by the addition of roots and green vegetation. ”

“ It is true that they have caused damage in stock-growing areas among sheep, poultry and young animals, for in such areas other food is scarce. The coyotes of Yellowstone were originally blamed for serious wildlife losses until the results of careful research proved differently. This research has shown us that the chief food of the coyote consists of marmots, picket-pins, mice, rabbits and other small animals as well as carrion. Seldom are larger wild animals killed other than the young, the old, sick or crippled that are comparatively easy prey. ”

“ The over all summer park population usually equals or exceeds 15,000 animals.
MOOSE
Alces americana shirasi
The Moose is the largest of our North American deer. The Shiras Moose which is found in Yellowstone and surrounding areas is slightly smaller than the typical American moose, which is found in the northern states east of the Rockies and north to the Arctic. In Europe the moose found there is commonly called elk. This has of course resulted in some confusion between it and our animal known as the elk.
The large, ungainly and grotesque appearing moose is very unlike the graceful deer. ”

“ Wolves ordinarily utilize either a natural cave, a hollow log, a hole dug in the ground by themselves or one dug by other animals, for a nursery den. According to several authorities, the nest for the young is not lined with any material. The young, numbering from 3 to 13 but usually 6 to 8, are born in March or April. They are blind and nearly naked. Most evidence found in available literature indicates that the adults pair permanently and the male assists in securing food for the family. ”

“ Upperparts raw umber-brown, darker on the head; underparts yellow to orange with a white chin. In winter the animal is all white with a black tip on the tail.
Frequenting the more open ground in the park they live primarily on rodents. In the winter they hunt beneath the snow. I have seen them stick their heads up through the snow, look around and quickly dive beneath again. ”

“ An interesting inhabitant of the roughest, rockiest mountain country as well as the high arctic alpine meadows is the Bighorn or Rocky Mountain Sheep. The sure-footedness with which they will dash, in full flight, up or down seemingly impossible slopes is truly amazing. Negotiating with ease places that the most skillful mountaineer, with all his climbing equipment, can scale only by slow and laborious means. ”

“ Bear, regardless of how friendly he may seem, is a dangerous, wild animal, capable of inflicting severe injury by one blow of his powerful paw or a bite from his well-armed jaws. A visitor who feeds or even approaches a bear too closely not only is risking injury to himself but is contributing to a condition that may cause the injury of an innocent visitor in the future. ”

“ The quills are his only battle equipment but are sufficient protection against most animals. Each individual quill is equipped with sharp barbs at the tip which easily penetrate flesh, gradually working their way deeper and are very hard to extract. Porky, however, does not have the power to throw his quills, in spite of stories to the contrary. When attacked he bristles up and looks like an animated pincushion and a slap from his quill-loaded tail is sufficient to fill the face and mouth of his would be attacker with a painful collection of quills which he will long remember. ”