Common Name: Squirrel
Scientific Name: Carolinensis
Traits: The tree squirrel is a very special animal. It is one of very few wild animals that have adapted to humans and learned to coexist with man. It can live on both natural foods and hand outs. The squirrel is an acrobatic wonder to young and old. Its large tail makes it the most recognized mammal on Earth. It amazes us with daring high wire acts, as it races through the tree branches. Its determination to find a way to get seeds from a so called "squirrel proof" bird feeder is a delight to watch.
Favorite Food: nuts and sunflower seeds
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Common Name: Fox
Scientific Name: Vulpini
Traits: Foxes are small animals of the dog family, and they can be found all around the world. Wild canids are found on every continent, except Antarctica, and inhabit a wide range of different habitats, including deserts, mountains, forests, and grassland. They vary in size from the fennec fox at 24 cm in length, to the gray wolf, which may be up to 200 cm long, and can weigh up to 80 kg.
Favorite Food: squirrels, rats, birds, and other small creatures like bugs.
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Common Name: Rabbit
Scientific Name: Lepus Capensis
Traits: The long ears of rabbits are most likely an adaptation for detecting predators. In addition to their prominent ears, which can measure more than 10 cm long, rabbits have long, powerful hind legs and a short tail. Full-bodied and egg-shaped, wild rabbits are rather uniform in body proportions and stance. The fur is generally long and soft, and its color ranges through shades of brown, gray, and buff.
Favorite Food: grasses, weeds, leaves, shoots, twigs as well as the bark of shrubs, bushes and trees. They will also eat crops, roots, fruit and vegetables.
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Common Name: Raccoon
Scientific Name: Lotor
Traits: The raccoon is a medium-sized mammal with a black mask and ringed tail. Its fur is gray, brown, or reddish black. This mixture of light and dark colors helps it to camouflage themselves. Adult raccoons weigh 15 - 20 pounds, but may weigh as much as 40. The raccoon's tracks look like tiny human hand and footprints, but raccoons can't oppose their thumbs (fold their thumb across their palm) like people can. Raccoons can open garbage cans, jars, and latches.
Favorite Food: berries, acorns, and grapes. It also eats animals including baby mice, baby birds & eggs, frogs, crayfish, fiddler crabs, fish, and even some snakes.
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Common Name: Opossum (Poss-ummm)
Scientific Name: Didelphis Virginiana
Traits: Opossums are slow, secretive and solitary. They venture from their dens at night to look for food, traveling distances of 1/2 to 2 miles depending on food availability and the time of year. Opossums tend to wander a great deal and shift their home sites frequently, but most spend their lives in an area 10 to 50 acres in size. Opossums do not hibernate, but stay denned up during extremely cold weather. Opossums are well adapted for climbing.
Favorite Food: snails, slugs, insects, snakes, rats, and overripe fruit.
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