Armadillo | Black Bear | Bobcat | Cottontail Rabbit | Marsh Rabbit
White-tailed Deer | River Otter | Raccoon | Gray Squirrel | Fox Squirrel
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Nine-banded Armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus Description: head and body to 17 inches, tail to 16 inches; upper body tan to gray with bony plates on shoulders and rump with nine flexible bands in the center; tail composed of 12 rings (second photo); bony plates don't protect directly against predators which can bit through it but do protect animal from thorns and other sharp plant material so it can move quickly through thickets and undergrowth to escape predators; long snout and tongue; hairless on top but a few white hairs on belly; poor eyesight but well developed senses of hearing and smell Food: 93% of diet is animal such as grubs, insects, and other invertebrates; also eats berries and fungi Habitat: determined by texture of soil it burrows in-- if soil too hard, armadillo unable to survive; prefers sandy soil with dense cover; primarily nocturnal but may be seen during day, especially in colder months; an accomplished burrower that can begin digging and be out of sight in seconds Range: entire state Voice: mostly quiet but does grunt Breeding: male and female pair up for one breeding season at end of July or August; pair shares one den 7-8 inches in diameter and up to 16 feet long; embryo floats free in uterus, remaining dormant until November; four young of same gender develop from single egg and share placenta (identical quadruplets); young born in March-April fully formed, open eyes, and can walk within hours; nurse for about two months but stay with mother for several more; young ready to breed following summer |
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Florida Black Bear Ursa americanus Description: length to 6 feet, height at shoulder to 3 feet; adults range in weight from 150 to 500 pounds or more; adult females average about 180 pounds, adult males about 300 pounds; coats mostly black with a brown muzzle, although backs may be brownish (adult female, top photo); cubs almost all black except for muzzle (middle photo) Food: omnivorous but around 80% of diet is plant material which may include acorns, blueberries, palmetto berries, cabbage palm seeds; also eat insects including bees and wasps, bird nestlings, and small mammals including armadillos and wild pigs Habitat: in whatever habitat provides suitable food and habitats may change with seasons; prefer thick swamps, forested areas with dense understory, pine flatwoods, sand pine scrub; marks home range by clawing boundary trees; primarily active in day but may become nocturnal in areas around human activity Range: entire state; average home range for adult male is about 50 square miles, adult female about 10 square miles; male and female territories may overlap but same sex territories don't; young males and females with cubs frequently wander into more urban developments where won't encounter adult males Voice: variety of huffs, grunts, and whines; young cub calling for mother sounds almost like human infant crying Breeding: mate from May to July; females breed for first time at 3-1/2 years of age, give birth at 4, then tend to reproduce every other year as long as nutrition is adequate; usually two cubs born January or February; cubs stay with mother for up to 18 months; mother doesn't hibernate but creates den-like nest in thick palmetto and goes into stupor in spring when cubs born (called "denning") Notes: excellent tree climbers; cubs often sleep and rest in tree tops; adults climb trees for food (figs, bees/honey, grubs in dead limbs); bears usually solitary and timid, but mothers fearless when protecting cubs; have excellent senses of smell and hearing but are a little nearsighted; often stand on hind legs to see and smell more accurately |
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Bobcat Felix rufus Description: to 30 inches with small stubby tail to 5 inches; long-legged compared to domestic cats; above pale brown to reddish-brown with black streaks and spots; underside whitish with dark spots; ear tufts small; tail black with white at extreme tip; almost exclusively nocturnal Food: rabbits, raccoons, rodents, armadillos, other small mammals; ground birds; capable of taking the much larger white-tailed deer when opportunity presents itself Voice: purr, and females make screaming or squealing noises in heat Habitat: forests and swamps; prefers drier areas in with thick palmetto undercover cover but will venture into swamp (has discovered that boardwalk a convenient way to travel, bottom photo); nocturnal; swims and climbs well Range: entire state; live in shifting territories; same sex territories don't overlap but opposite sex territories may Breeding: breeds in first year; solitary animals that come together only to breed; usually 2-3 kits born in March or April in den or nest in palmetto; raised solely by mother; usually one litter per year but may have two; young disperse at about 6 months of age |
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Cottontail Rabbit Sylvilagus floridanus Description: maximum length to 17 inches; grayish-brown; rust-colored nape (second photo); underside of tail all white; light "ring" around eye; ears to 3 inches and somewhat pointed at ends; good senses of smell and hearing Food: vegetation; fond of emergent grasses, peas, and other legumes Habitat: pine flatwoods to edges of marsh; areas with cover close by; most active at dawn and dusk Range: entire state Breeding: females can breed at nine months and produce up to seven litters a year; about one month gestation period; 3-6 young born in fur-lined nest on ground; young are naked, blind, helpless at birth but are weaned in less than three weeks; only one in five survive to be one year old Similar: Marsh Rabbit (see below) smaller, rounder with shorter and more rounded ears, and underside of Marsh Rabbit tail is brown to gray instead of white |
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Marsh Rabbit Sylvilagus palustris Description: maximum length to 15 inches; dark brown, small hind feet, ears and tail; underside of tail brown or grayish Food: vegetation, especially new and tender growth Habitat: swamps, marshes, and other watery areas in thick undergrowth Range: entire state Breeding: females can breed at nine months and produce several litters a year; about one month gestation period; 4-5 young born in fur-lined nest on ground; young are naked, blind, helpless at birth but are weaned in less than three weeks Notes: nocturnal and secretive; prefers to walk instead of hop; good swimmer that can actually swim from island to island along coastline Similar: Cottontail Rabbit larger with longer ears (see photos at left); underside of Cottontail's tail is white while Marsh Rabbit is brown to gray; Marsh Rabbit's legs shorter and feet smaller |
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White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus Description: length to 6 feet; height at shoulder to 3-1/2 feet; tawny brown above and on neck, white on belly; underside of tail all white; raise tail to show white when alarmed; dark streak down back of neck; back of ears whitish to gray; fawn has light spots on coat for first 3-4 months (middle photo); males shed antlers each year; females noticeably smaller than males and lack antlers; excellent senses of hearing and smell Food: grasses, leaves, twigs, fruit, palmetto berries Habitat: pine flatwoods, wet prairie, pond cypress; during dry periods will enter bald cypress forest looking for tender shoots and food; during autumn frequently in saw palmetto eating berries; will "bed down" for the night in trees and palmettos Range: entire state Voice: mostly quiet, but a whistle-like snort when startled Breeding: usually 1-2 fawns born in secluded woody area in May or June; fawns stay close to mother during summer; siblings frequently stay together through following winter Notes: most active in early morning and late afternoon; during heat of day find shady spots near woods to lie down (top photo); older female offspring stay in group with mother and new fawns |
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River Otter Lutra canadensis Description: head/body to 30 inches, tail to 19 inches; adults to 30 pounds; brown with chin and throat grayish-white; snout broad, rounded; tail round with fur, tapers; webbed feet; small rounded ears but great sense of hearing Food: crayfish, frogs, fish, baby alligators and turtles; can detect movement in dark or murky water with sensitive whiskers on face (second photo) or walking along water's edge (third photo); a very noisy eater Habitat: edges of bodies of water, including roadside canals; very mobile; diurnal and most active from dawn to mid-morning and around sunset. Range: entire state Voice: huffs a lot, but also grunts and chatters Breeding: capable of breeding at two years but most males not successful until 5-6 years old; up to four young born in vegetation-lined den near water in March or April; female raises pups; rarely digs own den, preferring to use existing one or a hollow area in an old cypress tree Notes: has scent glands near tail and frequently marks territory, including boardwalk, with odor; very agile swimmer that spends most of its time in or close to water; can hold breath up to 4 minutes and swim at speeds up to 6 mph (about 1/4 mile underwater in one breath); almost no predation by alligators |
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Raccoon Procyon lotor Description: head and body to 33 inches, tail to 12 inches; weight in southern Florida rarely over 8-10 pounds although Northern adults may weigh 30-35 pounds; fur light gray and brown; face with black mask; white above eyes and on snout and chin; tail ringed; snout and ears pointed Food: omnivorous-- fish, crayfish, frogs, turtles, lizards, birds, eggs, berries, fruit; hunts in shallow water by feeling for prey with front legs (second photo at left); also a good sense of smell; also adept at raiding bird feeders and getting food around human activity Habitat: woods and swamps Range: entire state Voice: varied including chattering, barks, growls Breeding: females breed in first year, males in second; males mate with as many females as possible then wander off; females raise litter; litter of 3-4 young born in den in ground or hollow tree in April or May after two-month gestation period; some females may have second litter in August; young weaned at 8-15 weeks Notes: adults primarily nocturnal; young active during day as well; excellent climber and swimmer; frequently sleeps in branches of tree during day, occasionally looking down at sudden noises; can live to 16 years, but most don't survive past 2 |
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Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Description: head and body to 10 inches, tail to 10 inches; weight to one pound; fur gray above and white below; light eye ring; tail close to same color as top of body Food: nuts, berries, fruits, seeds, buds, twigs, bark, bird eggs, fungi, insects Habitat: prefers heavily forested areas and never ventures far from trees when on the ground Range: entire state Voice: not normally vocal except chattering when in groups; alarm call is loud chattering-like scolding Breeding: builds nests in tree cavities or leaf nests in forks of branches; from 2-6 young born after 40-45 day gestation period; one to two litters per year Notes: highly arboreal and an excellent leaper; most active in early morning and late afternoon; age to 15 years; frequently stands on hind legs & tail to see and smell the wind more accurately, holding front legs in front of body (photo left bottom) |
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Big Cypress Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger Description: head and body to 15 inches, tail to 14 inches; may weigh up to two pounds; color varies (photos at left) from black to olive to tan above with slightly darker shoulders, and tan to orange under; tail color usually matches back; whitish feet; black cap; muzzle frequently grayish to white; ears small relative to head size when compared with Gray Squirrel; good sense of smell Food: forage for food on the ground looking for nuts, berries, fruits, seeds, buds and bark, insects; frequently bury food, covering up with brush and leaves and later finding by memory and smell Habitat: forested upland areas; dense pineland; prefers continuous canopy for travel and safety; may also be found around golf courses which include thicker wooded areas Range: fox squirrels overall are found through the state, but three subspecies of fox squirrels exist in Florida and are separated by their geographic location since appearances vary within individual families; the Big Cypress Fox Squirrel (also called the Mangrove Fox Squirrel) is only found in Southwestern Florida; the other subspecies are the Carolina Fox Squirrel in the Florida Panhandle and other southeastern states and the Sherman's Fox Squirrel in open ranchlands in South-Central Florida Voice: not vocal except when around other fox squirrels or when alarmed; teeth chatter to alert fox squirrels when they approach too closely; when one adult chasing another, less dominant one will emit high squeaks; alarm call sounds like rapidly repeated coughing Breeding: nest in tree cavities or build platform twig & leaf nests in forks of branches high up in pines and oaks; from 2-6 young born after 40-45 day gestation period; one to two litters per year; young weaned after 2-3 weeks but stay with parents until nearly adult size (mother of two young in bottom photo was one branch up in the same tree) Notes: highly arboreal but can be found on ground; age to 7-8 years More: additional information about Big Cypress Fox Squirrels |
