Mammals at the Cofrin Center for Biodiversity

Herps banner.

Endangered Mammals

Even though we have domesticated mammals to serve a wide variety of ou needs, essary to exploit other mammals. Including the domestication of mammals, the rise of human population has lead to the loss of habitat for many species. Habitat destruction and fragmentation has lead to the removal of some species from their original homes. Introduction of new species and pollution has caused negative impacts on the ecosystem. Conservation of mammals is important because we do not want to be the cause of any extinction to any species. Establishing preserve or conservation areas allows more species to live in a natural community. Also, new regulations on exploitation laws concerning the hunting, trading, trapping, and exporting of mammals has become a good practice on conserving many species from extinction.Eco-tourism is now becoming more important. Setting aside natural areas for wildlife viewing has increased tourism and revenue for certain areas.

tree Squirel According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, there are two species in the state that are considered endangered or threatened. These two species include the Timber or Gray Wolf (Canis lupes) and the American Pine Marten (Martes americana). Preservation and reintroduction techniques are now being practiced to maintain populations of these species. The population of Wisconsin's Gray Wolves is now just under 250. A Wisconsin Wolf Management Plan endorsed last year by the state Natural Resources Board called for removing the wolf from the state's endangered species list when the population reaches the level of 250 for one year in Wisconsin. The wolves will still be considered a threatened species.

In Mammals of the Great Lakes Region (1995), Kurta lists the Wolverine (Gulo gulo) and the Mountain Lion (Felis concolor) as vanished species that once were found in the Northwoods of the Great Lakes region, maybe most recently as of the early twentieth century. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recently (1997) de-listed the Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) as a Wisconsin species. The Canada Lynx was included on the "protected wild animal" list in 1998. Lynx Mountain Lion

The wolverine is a large relative to the weasel. It has dark brown fur with lighter fur stripes around the shoulder area. This highly aggressive mammal can now be found in boreal forests of Canada, Alaska, and parts of the Rocky Mountains.

The mountain lion is the largest North American cat. It has a light brown, yellowish fur with white and pale belly. This species can be found in forested areas containing rock outcrops for den purposes in Canada and the Rocky Mountains.

The lynx is a short-tailed cat with a black-striped ruff running down the cheeks. Its long, thick, fur is usually yellowish brown, with a gray frosted appearance. The ears are capped by a black tuft of hairs. The lynx occupies mature coniferous forests with thick litter, ferns, and rotting logs. They once lived throughout the Great Lakes area, but now their numbers are very low, with only an occasional sighting in Michigan and Wisconsin.

The current status of threatened or endangered species and rare species list is available on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources web page.

Photos courtesy of California Academy of Sciences/Manzanita Project and CalPhotos.

Biodiversity Topics: Introduction . Plants . Animals . Mammals . Birds . Reptiles & Amphibians . Arthropods . Spiders . Insects