Species Spotlight: The Groundhog

In the year 1743, Mark Catesby, an English naturalist visiting the Carolinas, came upon a mammal that had not yet been classified in the New World.  He named it monax, an Indian name that literally means “digger”.  A very similar animal living in Alpine Europe already had the Linnea classification Marmot, so the full species classification became Marmota Monax, loosely translated as mountain rat digger.   Today, we know this animal by a number of names – woodchuck, groundhog, whistler, whistler-pig and of course, Punxsutawney Phil of Groundhog Day fame, fabled for predicting winter’s late demise or spring’s early arrival.  I’m sure there are more names.

Marmota Monas inhabits much of the eastern half of North American and is also found in Canada, Labrador and even Alaska.  There are as many as 31 sub-species with names that usually correspond to geographic locations that include the Kansas, Maryland, Labrador and British Columbia or the red-belied, yellow-belied and Hoary that refer to coat color.  Western varieties are larger than those living in the eastern half of the continent and sport slightly different color variations.

Woodchucks are handsome, stout animals and the largest members of the rodentia or squirrel family.  With short legs, they are powerfully built and low to the ground, about 18” long with a 6-7” tail and weigh an average of 12-13 pounds for adults.  From a distance, their moderately long fur appears to be solid brown but actually is a more grizzled brown with a gray to reddish wash.

Marmots have a total of 22 creamy white teeth that grow at a rate of 1/16” per week, except during hibernation.  Constant grinding while eating keeps them in check, however if malocclusion occurs, the teeth will continue to grow in a circular pattern, often rendering the animal unable to eat and frequently fatally piercing the skull.

 The keen eyes, small round ears and nose sit on a flat plane at the top of a broad skull, allowing the animal a safety check of the surrounding area without being seen before advancing from the borrow.  When digging, the ears close to keep out dirt.  Normally sitting on its haunches to eat, it slowly ambles or waddles along on flat feet.  Although the thumb on the front feet is rudimentary, each foot has 5 toes and curved claws.  If threatened, a woodchuck may give a shrill whistle and gallop at 6-8 mph back to its den for safety.  If cornered, it may growl and grind its teeth, warning the attacker and will bite.

Marmota Monax  are not gregarious, social animals.  They live out their lives in solitude, spending considerable time in a den or burrow that they excavate themselves – under buildings, next to highways, beneath tree roots or stone walls, among rocks or where they have access to clover and grassy meadows.  Woodchucks may have two dens, one for winter in wooded areas on sloping ground and another for summer in an open, flat or gently rolling landscape.  After locating a suitable site, the woodchuck begins loosening the soil with its claws and chopping through roots with its teeth creating a burrow 4 to 6 feet deep and extending 10 to 45feet.  The burrow includes turnaround areas, up to 5 alternate routes for escaping or descending to safety and even a chamber for depositing waste.  Connecting tunnels lead up and down to prevent flooding and are lined with grasses and leaves.  A mound of fresh earth surrounds main entrances.

As the name monad or digger suggests, woodchucks can bury themselves from view in a minute..  In winter when woodchucks are hibernating in a side chamber and oblivious to other activity, the stripped skunk, eastern cottontail, raccoon, Virginia opossum, for or coyote may use other areas of the den for shelter.  Although woodchucks are supreme earth movers, they are also good swimmers and can climb trees.

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Michigan Turtles

By: Kelsey Feighner

As we slowly (very slowly!) inch our way towards spring, the wildlife around us will start becoming more active as they take advantage of the better weather to start about the business of finding mates and having babies. Once spring finally arrives and the ice is gone from lakes, ponds, and rivers, Michigan’s many turtle species will emerge from their burrows at the bottom of the bodies of water to join the spring madness.

After their courtship and mating, males and females go their separate ways. Females will lay their eggs between late May and early June in moist sand in a sunny spot. Female turtles lay their eggs in small cavities dug into the sand, then bury and leave them on their own. Many eggs become food for other species, but some survive to hatch into baby turtles a couple of months later. The eggs hatch into males or females depending on the temperature of the eggs. Warmer eggs hatch into females, while cooler eggs hatch into males. The newly hatched babies are on their own, to quickly get into water and start to learn how to survive in the tough outdoors. They’ll learn to eat foods like insects, tadpoles, vegetation, shellfish, and occasionally other small animals and carrion. If they survive, they will take numerous years (varies by species) to reach sexual maturity and start laying eggs of their own. This late sexual maturity is due to the long lifespan of most turtles, but can mean big trouble with the dangers that face turtles these days.

Dangers to Turtles

Some of the biggest dangers facing turtles include the draining of wetlands, contaminated runoff into watersheds, predators, pet trade, and vehicles. Since most turtles in Michigan are aquatic (only one, the box turtle, is terrestrial), they are highly dependent and sensitive to changes in the water. They can easily be affected by toxins coming from agricultural runoff or from land development. Their long lifespan only contributes to this by giving the toxins more time to build up in the turtle’s system. Like many species, turtles are highly dependent on wetlands for a home, and wetlands are one of the most endangered ecosystems today. Even if areas of wetlands are left near developed areas, this only opens turtles up to another serious danger – vehicles. Turtles are well-known for being slow-moving animals and the wide stretch of a road takes quite a long time for them to get across. Often they don’t make it. While they do have their infamous shell for protection, it can’t always protect them from the weight and force of a car. Even if the turtle isn’t outright killed by being run over, the shell can still be damaged or cracked, which can open the turtle to infection or make it more easily attacked by predators.

What kind of turtle did I find?

Have you found a turtle in your backyard? Or maybe you stopped to help one safely cross a road, or saw one hanging out on a sunny log in the river. Michigan has nine native species of turtle, but most of them are quite easy to tell apart. The markings on the shell and head, as well as the shape of the shell and mouth are all great ways to identify a turtle. The top of the shell is called the carapace. The scales covering the shell are called scutes. The caparace might be high and dome-shaped on some turtles, like the eastern box turtle or the Blanding’s turtle.

(photos by Jim Harding)

Other turtles, like the painted turtle, have a flatter carapace.

(from http://herpsofmichigan.webs.com/turtles)

Michigan also has the spiny soft-shell turtle, which is the only Michigan turtle to have a soft carapace that lacks scutes and is rubbery and skin-covered.

(photo by Jim Harding)

You can also look at the colors or pattern of the carapace to give clues to what species of turtle you’re looking at. This is the best way to identify the rare spotted turtle, well named for the yellow spots on its carapace.

(photo by Jim Harding)

Turtles can also be identified with the help of the plastron, which is the bottom of the shell. The plastron on many of the Michigan turtle species is yellow or orange, but some may have other markings on it. The wood turtle has black blotches on the outer edges of the plastron.

(from http://herpsofmichigan.webs.com/turtles)

The only terrestrial turtle species in Michigan, the Eastern Box Turtle, has a flexible hinge on its plastron that allows it to completely close itself in its shell for protection. It’s the only turtle that can completely close itself off like this.

(photo by Jim Harding)

You can also use the markings on the head and neck or the shape of the mouth to help identify a turtle you’ve found. The map turtle has narrow yellow stripes on the head and neck, along with a yellow spot behind the eye.

(photo by Jim Harding)

The musk turtle has two light yellow stripes on the side of the head, along with a pointed snout.

(photo by Jim Harding)

Turtles eat a variety of food items, including tadpoles, snails, other mollusks, crayfish, insects, and plants. The shape of their mouth can give you a hint as to what they eat. The map turtle above eats mostly mollusks and uses their strong jaws to crush the shells. The snapping turtle has a hooked beak like a hawk, and will eat just about any small animal it can catch in addition to plants and carrion.

(photo by Jim Harding)

How common are these turtles?

The painted turtle is probably Michigan’s most common turtle, found throughout the state. The Musk Turtle and Snapping Turtle are likewise found throughout the state, though the musk turtle is generally harder to see due to its secretive habits. The Spiny Soft-shell and Map Turtles are commonly found in the Lower Peninsula only, mostly in the southern & central counties.

Unfortunately, due to the many dangers listed above that face turtles, half of Michigan’s turtles are either listed as a Species of Special Concern or Threatened. The Wood Turtle, Eastern Box Turtle, and Blanding’s Turtle are all listed as being of special concern in the state. The biggest threat facing all of these turtles is nest predation, particularly by raccoons. Raccoons are currently overpopulated in the state and they have learned how to easily track down turtle nests and often eat all of the eggs. This means very few juvenile turtles join the population. While these turtles might seem common right now, most of the individuals seen are older, and once they begin to disappear, the population of these species will fall even more. Being hit by vehicles on the road is another major threat facing these turtles, especially the box turtle.

Michigan has one threatened turtle species, the Spotted Turtle. This species has fallen prey to all of the threats listed above, particularly wetland draining and pet trade or private collection. They are completely protected by Michigan law, but only time will tell if this will help this rare species of turtle.

What can I do for turtles?

1) Help protect wetlands! Wetlands are one of the most threatened habitats in Michigan and in the country. They’re often drained to be turned into agriculture fields or developed for houses or other buildings. Though many of the large wetlands in Michigan are now protected under law, many smaller ones are still threatened with development. You can help by writing to your lawmakers to tell them how important wetlands are and why we need to protect them. You can also check for small areas of wetlands on your own land and how to protect them from pollution or destruction. Vist http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3687—,00.html and https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10370_22664-61132–,00.html for more information about wetlands.

2) Leave turtles in the wild! Many people find a baby turtle and decide it’s a good idea to keep it for a pet. This is a major issue for some of our native turtle species. You are NOT helping that turtle or the species as a whole by taking it from the wild! Turtles are wildlife and need to stay in their natural habitat in order to learn how to survive themselves and eventually contribute to sustaining the population by breeding. Even keeping the turtle for a little while can cause issues if the turtle is fed incorrectly or if it no longer knows how to find its own food once released. It’s best to enjoy turtles by viewing them in the wild. You can do this by visiting the Tollgate Wetlands in Lansing, or the Maple River State Game Area, located just northeast of St. John’s. There’s more information about wetland locations in Michigan here – https://www.michigan.gov/documents/wetland_table_57288_7.pdf

3) Don’t release your pet turtle into the wild! The DNR site lists ten species of turtles in Michigan rather than just the nine I mentioned – the tenth species is the Red-eared Slider. This species of turtle is NOT native to Michigan, and is an invasive species introduced through the pet trade. Red eared sliders are native to the southern US and northern Mexico. In Michigan, they can be found in the Muskegon and Lansing areas, as well as Oakland county. Nonnative species can turn into major problems by competing with native species for resources and habitat. If you no longer wish to keep your pet turtle, it’s best to find a new home for it rather than simply releasing it outdoors.

4) Drive carefully and help turtles cross the road! Watch carefully when you’re driving.   , When turtles are moving about to find habitat, mates, and nesting sites, particularly in the spring and early summer, to avoid hitting turtles.  Be just as careful on back country roads as larger highways – Blanding’s Turtles are known for nesting on the sides of dirt roads and can often by hit while doing so. If you see a turtle in the road or by the edge, please stop if it’s safe to do so; and move the turtle to safety. Make sure you move the turtle in the same direction as it’s moving to avoid it going right back into the road. If the turtle looks like it’s already been hit by a car and has a crack in its shell, you can call WILDSIDE at 517-663-6153 for more information on where to take the turtle for help.

For moving most turtles, the turtle will like pull its head back into its shell for protection when you approach. You can carefully pick the turtle up by the sides of the shell and move it to a safe location. If you discover the turtle you want to help is a snapping turtle, a little more caution is warranted! Snapping turtles are very defensive on land and will snap at anything that approaches them. Their bite is very strong and can be quite dangerous. However, you can still help snappers if you’re careful! If you have leather gloves handy, it’s not a bad idea to put those on. NEVER pick a snapping turtle (or any other turtle, or animal) up by the tail. You can seriously injure the animal by doing so. The safest way to move a snapping turtle to avoid injury for either party is to pick it up by the back of the shell, near the tail. Hold the turtle away from your body; they have a very long neck. Make sure you remember to wash your hands before eating or touching your mouth since turtles are known for carrying salmonella.

For more information about individual turtle species and where you can find them, visit

https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_12201-60650–,00.html

http://herpsofmichigan.webs.com/turtles

For more information on threats to turtles & other reptiles/amphibians in Michigan, and how to help, visit

http://www.herprman.com/amphibian-reptile-management-practices-michigan

Other sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-eared_slider

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Cats Outdoors…A Real Hazard!

By Kelsey Feighner

It’s that time of year again where Wildside starts getting crowded with all kinds of animals! Sometimes we get asked what brings animals to our doors, needing our care. While there are many circumstances that cause trouble for wildlife, many people are surprised to learn that the number one reason we receive wildlife is due to domestic animal attacks, especially cat attacks. Feral and outdoor cats are a major issue for wildlife, particularly for babies. How does your furry friend just enjoying an afternoon exploring and maybe killing a mouse or two add up to major problems for wildlife? Well, it’s quite a bit more extensive than most people imagine.

Danger to Wildlife

Let’s go over some statistics first. There’s around 74 million cats owned in the United States. About 50% of those cats are probably indoor/outdoor cats. There’s also estimated to be around 50 million feral cats in the US, though exact numbers would be difficult to get. According to a study done with small cameras attached to the collars of the cats, about 44% of the cats hunted when let outside. If you apply that percentage to the totals of indoor/outdoor cats and feral cats, along with the average of two animals killed per week found by the Kitty Cams study that means owned cats may be killing around 2.1 billion animals every year, and feral cats add another 6.7 billion animals!

Reptiles & Amphibians

Previous studies done on cat hunting were based on the carcasses the cats brought home, which were mostly mammals. The Kitty Cams study found that the demographic killed most by the cats were reptiles and amphibians, which were eaten or left at the site of capture. This is a major issue because reptiles and especially amphibians are already dealing with numerous other threats, mostly human-caused. Climate change, habitat destruction, and pollution are all taking an enormous toll on these overlooked animals. As it is, we may lose many of our amphibians and small reptiles due to the irreversible changes that have already happened. Having cats hunt these little critters only worsens the problem.

Mammals

The second groups most killed by the cats in this study were indeed mammals such as shrews, mice, voles, and bunnies. While it’s true that these animals are often plentiful due to their high breeding rate, they’re not infinite. If enough cats are hunting in the area (such as with colonies of feral cats), it’s entirely likely that populations of small mammals in that area could be extirpated completely. Small mammals are typically the main prey item of many other wildlife such as opossums, foxes, birds of prey, coyotes, weasels, and more. If cats wipe out the populations of prey in the area, many of the larger wildlife that depend on them for food will either have to move to find different territory or face starvation. They don’t have the option of finding a friendly doorstep that has a bowl of kibble left out like cats do.  Without their usual prey item, these animals could become “pests” themselves, venturing closer to human houses in order to prey on domestic pets (like those outdoor cats!) or livestock such as chickens and ducks.

Songbirds

While songbirds were the least-preyed-upon group, that they’re being killed at all is still a major issue. Songbirds caught by cats are usually fledglings, the stage where baby birds are feathered and becoming more independent, but still unable to fly. They’re usually found on the ground, which is where they should be, but unfortunately it makes them much more vulnerable to predation. Though the parents are often watching over them and keeping them fed, there’s little they can do against a hunting cat. Songbirds do lay numerous eggs in a clutch, but they produce far less young in a year than small mammals do. In addition, songbirds face numerous other threats such as tall buildings (especially during migrations), other native predators, cars, starvation, disease, etc. As with amphibians, one problem may not be a huge issue, but multiple problems all at once takes its toll and leads to extinctions.

Common Myths

Myth: Cats won’t hunt if they’re well fed.

Cats still follow their instincts to chase and capture small, quickly-moving things, whether or not they’re hungry. In the Kitty Cams study, the cats only ate 28% of their kills. Nearly 50% of the kills were simply left at the capture site. Other wild cats may also play-hunt and kill when not hungry. However, since these cats don’t receive free food from humans, they do usually end up eating their prey, and the play hunting serves to keep their reactions and techniques in practice. Domestic cats have no need to hunt prey for food or for practice. They’re often fed by humans and their instincts can be much better practiced on a variety of toys.

Myth: My cat doesn’t bring home any carcasses, so it probably doesn’t hunt.

While this one could definitely be true, since around half of cats that are let outdoors likely don’t hunt, you can’t necessarily prove that your cat is one of these just because it never brings anything home. Keep in mind that plenty of kills get left at the site of capture, or the cats eat them. Unless you have your cat in sight at all times when they’re outside, it’s possible that they may be hunting wildlife.

Myth: My cat doesn’t kill what it catches, just plays with it, and then lets it go. It should be fine, right?

Even if an animal is not outright killed by a cat, it’s still extremely likely to die. Stress from being captured can easily kill a wild animal, especially juveniles or infants. To add to that, cat bites are extremely dangerous (even for humans!) due to bacteria in the mouth and the sharpness of their canine teeth. Puncture wounds from cat teeth are small, but deep, making it very easy for bacteria to get caught and infect the animal. Scratches are also very likely to cause infection. If you take an animal away from your cat and let it go, it’s almost certain to die anyway. The best course of action is to bring the animal to a wildlife rehab center as soon as possible, where we immediately start cat-caught animals on antibiotics to prevent infection.

Myth: Cats aren’t as domesticated as dogs, so they need free access to the outdoors.

Cats have been domesticated for thousands of years, though not as long as dogs. They are considered completely domesticated, though, and they no longer have a native habitat. Their native habitat is with humans, in a human home, and only taken outside under supervision, just like dogs.

Myth: It’s cruel to keep cats inside.

Cats can be perfectly happy inside if given the proper toys, furniture, and time. Cats should have at least two 15- minute play times each day, best done right before they eat, to simulate hunting, then eating a kill. They should also have high places to climb and lounge on, such as cat towers and shelves and cabinets. Make sure any levels provided for cats are safely secured and can take the cat’s weight. Cats should have access to at least one shelf or other resting place next to a window so they can look outside from a safe location. This will also help keep them away from sliding glass doors, where they may escape once the door is opened. You can provide further mental stimulation by hanging a bird feeder or two within sight of the window where their perch is located.

If given the proper stimulation and environment, even previously feral or outdoor cats can be very happy inside once they get used to the new routine. If your cat is still having behavior or temperament issues due to being kept inside, or if you want to provide them with a safe way to enjoy the outdoors, you can train your cat to accept a harness and leash for outdoor time, or you can build an enclosure for them to enjoy being outside in. There are many different designs and plans for enclosures of all different materials and costs online. Just make sure the enclosure is completely enclosed, the fencing or wiring is safe and sturdy enough to contain your cat, and never leave your cat in the enclosure overnight unless it’s also completely predator-proofed (which includes making sure it’s also secured underneath).

Danger to Cats

Many people believe their cats are safer outside on their own than dogs because they’re more cautious and less likely to go looking for trouble. This is not true at all. If anything, there are potentially more threats to cats due to their smaller size. Some of the outdoor threats to cats include:

– Hit by cars

– Harassment or attack from unfriendly humans

– Fights with other cats

– Attacks by dogs or wildlife

– Diseases and parasites from other animals

– Poisoning via trash, captured prey, antifreeze, etc.

– Becoming lost and unable to get back home

This is a relatively short list of the many possible fates that could befall an outdoor cat. Many of them would result in the death of the cat, often painful and/or slow. Even if you vaccinate your cat and give them worming medication every month, there’s still a chance they could contract something, and there are not vaccinations for everything. Keep in mind that some of these diseases and parasites can easily be passed on to you, your family, and other pets as well. While not all outdoor cats may end up in any of these situations, it’s very common, and in general, outdoor cats have half the expected lifespan of indoor cats. If you love your cat and wish to be a responsible, caring owner, you’ll keep them safe and keep them inside. Letting your cat outside unattended is not responsible in the least, and is a hazard for both the cat and wildlife. Please make the best decision for everyone and everything involved in this situation and keep your furry friends inside! The wildlife in your area and everyone here at Wildside would thank you, and best of all, your cat would thank you too!

Sources:

– Outdoor threats to cats: http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/adoption-pet-care/caring-for-your-pet/indoor-cats-vs-outdoor-cats.html

– Cat ownership statistics: https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Statistics/Pages/Market-research-statistics-US-pet-ownership.aspx

– Kitty Cams study: http://www.kittycams.uga.edu/research.html

– How to help manage & care for feral cats: http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/feral_cats/tips/what_you_can_do_for_ferals.html

– More about outdoor cats & the issues involved: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/magazines/2011/01-02/peaceable_backyard_kingdom_protect_cats_wildlife_01032011.html

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WILDSIDE Happenings 2014

The end of another year is upon us and I would like to share some of the happy and sad moments we have had at WILDSIDE this year.  We have admitted 900 animals so far (as of 12/14/14), which is an increase from 2013. It is because of your continued generosity that we are able to help so many animals.  We spend thousands of dollars each year on caging, food, supplies and medical care, and without your support we would not be able to save so many animals.

This endangered Short-eared Owl was successfully released (see right) after spending time at WILDSIDE, with good food and exercise.

This Turkey Vulture spent the winter with us, was unable to fly, so it was placed in an educational setting so that many people can learn about Turkey Vultures, their natural history and behaviors.

Baby Barred Owls, join an adult  in perching inside before being moved to a flight cage.  Both young owls were released in Ionia, MI where one of them was found.

This Red-necked Grebe came to us after being found on a road.  Many grebes and loons think that shiny pavement is water and land on it.  They are unable to walk well on land and spend most of their lives on water, needing water to take off.  This grebe was transferred to Carolyn Tropp’s rehab facility,  then was released.

Bald Eagles have recovered their numbers and are no longer endangered.  This eagle was found in Williamston. Unfortunately, she had ingested lead and did not live to be released.  Lead shot, once in the  stomach, causes lead poisoning and the bird usually dies unless it is caught quickly.

We lost 2 very special animals this year, Paddle, our educational North American beaver and Rascal, our education  Virginia Opossum.  We miss them dearly, but we know while they were with us, they touched many hearts and taught many people about their species.

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