Wildlife |
The following descriptions are of wildlife found to
be in the Richland Natural Area (RNA) according to the
Draft General Management Plan for William B. Umstead
State Park (January 1993). Please note that the
accompanying pictures were not taken in the RNA. |
Bobcat With its small
tail, long legs, and large paws, the bobcat eats rabbits,
ground squirrels, mice, pocket gophers, and wood rats.
Ever adapting to different habitats, bobcats may have
life spans as lengthy as 25 years. Unfortunately, bobcat
fur is valuable, thus creating an incentive to hunt
and kill this magnificent animal. (Uncommon)
Source: http://www.desertusa.com/april96/du_bcat.html
Click here to see a Bobcat |
Long-tailed Weasels You
can recognize these creatures by their small heads,
long whiskers, long body, and short legs. Long-tailed
weasels are the quintessential solitary creatures, often
selecting such habitats as rotting logs or tree roots.
They survive largely on staples such as mice, voles,
rabbits, gophers, and chipmunks and consume approximately
40% of their body weight every day due to rapid metabolism.
(Uncommon)
Source: http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/longtailedweasel.htm
Click here to see a Long-tailed Weasel |
Red Fox Unsurprisingly,
the red fox is defined by its bright reddish-orange
fur and a bushy, white-tipped tail. An extremely versatile
species, the red fox lives in Asia, Europe, and certain
regions of Australia but prefers wooded areas, prairies,
and farmland. The red fox is omnivorous and eats fruits,
berries, and grasses and small mammals.
Source: http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/redfox.htm
Click here to see a Red Fox |
Gray Fox Gray
foxes have the same diet as the red fox and they perfect
their hunting technique by pouncing on prey. As foxes
are generally very territorial creatures, the gray fox
often relies on scent to create and maintain its individual
territory. The gray fox is agile enough to scale trees
with relative ease.
Source: http://home.globalcrossing.net/~brendel/fox.html
Click here to see a Gray Fox |
White-tailed Deer White-tailed
deer have slender legs and brown or gray coloring. Despite
their excellent eyesight and keen hearing, they rely
principally on their sense of smell to detect danger.
Their diet includes such vegetation as twigs, leaves,
bark, shrubs, fruits, nuts, lichen, and fungi. (Common)
Source: http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/june/papr/wtdeer.html
Click here to see a White-tailed
Deer |
Gray Squirrel The
gray squirrel provides an important source of energy
for larger predators such as the park’s bobcats
and foxes. Small and quick, they lodge in trees, particularly
young specimens that contain nutritious sap. In addition
to sap, they feed on seeds, nuts, eggs, insects, and
even young birds. (Common)
Source: http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/temp/animals/squirrel.htm
Click here to see a Gray Squirrel |
Dwarf Salamander This
type of salamander is predominantly bronze with vertical
brown and black stripes and a distinctive yellow belly.
They tend to settle in leaf litter, logs, and stones
in damp areas such as wet forests, swamps, and ponds.
Female salamanders lay approximately 22 eggs in late
fall, and the larvae is aquatic till late spring, when
their transformation is completed. (Rare)
Source: http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_NC/salamanders/eurqua.html
Click here to see a Dwarf Salamander |
Four-toed Salamander
This species is clay-colored
with black spots, a slight variation from the coloring
of the dwarf salamander. Similar to its cousin, it has
no lungs and instead breathes through its skin and the
lining of the roof of its mouth. In addition, it favors
damp climates, specifically peat bogs or the mossy boarders
of streams, which are excellent places to lay eggs.
Source: http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/nature/salamand/fourtoe.htm
Click here to see a Four-toed Salamander |
Spotted Turtle
The spotted turtle’s namesake derives from the
yellow spots that may appear on its head, neck, legs,
upper shell, and carapace. They thrive in marshy meadows,
bogs, swamps, ponds, ditches, and other bodies of stagnant
water. In accordance with their habitat, they feed on
algae, water lily seeds, worms, mollusks, crustaceans,
amphibian eggs, and carrion.
Source: http://www.aquariumofniagara.org/aquarium/spotted_turtle.htm
Click here to see a Spotted Turtle |
Queen Snake As
a water snake, a queen snake have a distinctive peach
or light yellow stripe down its body. In contrast with
amphibians and reptiles, queen snakes prefer clear,
moving streams with medium to fast currents. Their main
food source is freshly molted crayfish, which may exceed
93% of the queen snake’s diet. (Not poisonous)
Source: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/ORG/land/er/factsheets/herps/Quesnk.htm
Click here to see a Queen Snake |
Copperhead Snake Ranging
from two to three feet wide, the copperhead snake accounts
for more snake bites than any other snake species; fortunately,
their venom is the least toxic. They may be recognized
by their copper-colored head and their tan-to-pinkish
body tint. Because they rely on camouflage for protection,
they are attracted to vines, vegetation, and debris
such as decomposing leaves. (Poisonous)
Source: http://www.snakesandfrogs.com/scra/snakes/copperh.htm
Click here to see a Copperhead Snake |
Neuse River Waterdog
As its name indicates, this species
is found along the piedmont and coastal regions of North
Carolina. It is marked with multiple colors including
gray (back), rust (belly), and dark spots that permeate
its entire body. In addition, their young have a light
stripe on their bellies. A distinguishing feature of
this species is the fact that each individual foot has
four toes.
Source: http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_NC/salamanders/neclew.html
Click here to see a Neuse River Waterdog |
Earwig Fly Earwigs
are tiny insects, often reaching lengths of only ten
to fourteen millimeters during its lifespan. Despite
the complicated position of the earwig’s wings
(with the hind wings tucked under the forewings), earwigs
rarely choose to take flight. Their forceps are the
earwig’s best means of protection, whether they
are snapping at an unsuspecting child or trapping prey.
(Rare)
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earwig
Click here to see a Earwig Fly |
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