Black Animal That Looks Like a Skunk

Black Animal That Looks Like a Skunk

American marten

Martes americana

The American marten is weasel-like with a long body and pointy face. The legs are short; the toes, including the pads, are completely furred; and the nails are semiretractile. The tail is bushy and long. The pelage in winter is luxuriant, with a dumbo underfur and sparse covering of guard hairs. The colour varies, but unremarkably is a golden chocolate-brown shading to dark brown on the feet and tail; the head is lighter. The pharynx and chest are splotched with orange or xanthous. A small nighttime stripe extends upward from the medial corner of each eye, giving the appearance of a vertical eyebrow.

In Oregon, the marten occurs in the Blue and Wallowa mountains, in the Cascade Range, and to a limited extent in the Coast Range. It seems to be absent from the northern Coast Range, the Columbia Bowl, the southeastern high desert, and the Willamette Valley. It is a woods species capable of tolerating a variety of habitat types if food and comprehend are adequate.

Martens are active year-round, although they may remain in their dens for a twenty-four hours or ii during choppy atmospheric condition. They usually use elevated perches from which to pounce on terrestrial prey; they also may follow tracks of casualty in snow, excavate burrows, enlarge openings to tree dens, and rob bird nests. Martens enshroud prey or parts thereof and return to consume them subsequently, sometimes inside minutes or after a twenty-four hour period or and then at other times.

The American marten is an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in these ecoregions: Blue Mountains, Coast Range, East Cascades, Klamath Mountains, and West Cascades.

Photo from ODFW

Fisher

Martes pennanti

The Fisher is considerably larger than the marten and males are considerably larger than females. It is more stockily congenital than the weasels, but is similar in that the head is somewhat pointed, the body elongate, and the legs brusk. The pelage is long except on the confront. The fur is dark brown grading to black on the rump and legs; the tail is blackness.

Fishers once occurred throughout the coniferous and mixed forests of Oregon'southward Coast Range and Cascade Mountains. Currently, at that place is a native population in the Siskiyou Mountains and an introduced populations in the southern Cascades that remains from ODFW's reintroductions of fishers from British Columbia and Minnesota in the 1960s and 1980s.

Fishers are active year-round, but more active in summer than in winter. They are capable of making extensive movements in relatively brusk periods, and have the reputation of being fleet and agile. Its ability to prey on porcupines is unique and renowned.

Fisher are an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in the Coast Range, Klamath Mountains and Westward Cascades ecoregions.

Photo from ODFW

Ermine

Mustela erminea

The Ermine is the smallest member of the genus in Oregon. It has a long, cylindrical neck and trunk and brusque legs, but the tail is relatively brusk. The head is flattened and somewhat triangular, the eyes are small and slightly protruding, and the ears are rounded. The summer pelage is chocolate-brown dorsally, usually white or yellow ventrally; in some individuals the throat and abdomen are splotched with brown or are entirely chocolate-brown. In some populations eastward of the Pour Range, ermines supervene upon chocolate-brown summer pelage with a white winter pelage. The tip of the tail remains black at all seasons, an adaptation to fox raptors into striking short.

In Oregon, virtually Ermine are found west of the Cascade Range, but a few are found in eastern Oregon. Ermines are agile throughout the twelvemonth. Male and female person ermines do not associate except during the breeding season, a period when juveniles remain in nests under maternal care.

Photo by Fabio Bretto, Flickr

Long-tailed weasel

Mustela frenata

The Long-tailed weasel is the larger of the two weasels in Oregon, only smaller than the other member of the genus, the mink. Males are considerably larger than females. The head is flattened and somewhat triangular; the body and neck are elongate and almost cylindrical; the legs are short, and the tail is long. The summertime pelage is brown dorsally; the venter is yellow to orangish except for a white chin and sometimes one or more scattered chocolate-brown spots. The tip of the tail is blackness. The pelage is molted twice annually. In the Cascade Range and east through the residuum of the state, the winter pelage often is white although in parts of the region some individuals may remain brown in wintertime. This species occurs throughout the state.

Long-tailed weasels are agile throughout the year. Although they sometimes are considered to be nocturnal, they are frequently active during the daylight hours. Weasels tin swim and climb but they mostly chase on the ground. When snow is on the ground, they often seek prey by burrowing beneath the snow.

Photo past Bob Petit

Mink

Mustela vison

The Mink is a semiaquatic species. The torso is elongate and cylindrical, the legs are brusk and stout, the tail is bushy and about one-half as long as the head and body. The caput is flattened, the ears small and rounded, and the nose is pointed. The pelage consists of dense grayish underfur and long lustrous guard hairs. Dorsally, it is dark brown to blackish but somewhat lighter on the venter.

In Oregon, the mink is plant throughout the state and is associated with river, lake, pond, or marsh environments. They forage along overhanging banks, and in holes and crevices. They also peer into the water, quickly diving when they sight prey.

Photograph by Dave Budeau, ODFW

Wolverine

Gulo gulo

The Wolverine is the largest terrestrial mustelid in Oregon that, to some caste, resembles a pocket-size acquit.

It is powerfully built with a wide, canis familiaris-like head; short round ears; small eyes; a slightly humped back; relatively curt legs and a bushy, somewhat drooping tale. The pelage consists of a dumbo, wooly, crimped nether fur overlain by course, strong and somewhat shaggy guard hairs. Fur on the tail is about twice as long every bit on the trunk. The base color is blackish dark-brown with a pale brown stripe extending along the sides from the caput or shoulders to the base of the tail. Lighter markings oftentimes produce a face up mask. The throat and chest are splotches with yellowish white, and a ventral gland is marked with a narrow streak of white.

In Oregon, Wolverines have been establish on Three-fingered Jack in Linn County, on the Steens Mountains in Harney County, Broken Pinnacle Mountain in Deschutes County, and in the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area in the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon. More than recently information technology was confirmed in Wallowa County, likewise.

Wolverines do not hibernate, but may exist inactive during inclement weather. Action is greatest at night, but where wolverines are relatively common, sighting a wolverine during daylight hours might be expected.

The Wolverine has a reputation for having a mean and cruel disposition; the reputation likely derived from observations of individuals caught in traps or in cages. Trapped or caged individuals can exhibit defensive aggression unmatched by nearly other species in similar circumstances. They are powerful animals that ofttimes can escape from traps, can tear into buildings or food caches, and can impale fifty-fifty the largest cervids.

The Wolverine is an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in the Bluish Mountains ecoregion.

Photo past ODFW

American annoy

Taxidea taxus

The American badger is a medium-sized, powerfully congenital carnivore strongly adapted for digging. The body is flattened and the legs are short but stout; the toes of the forefeet are partly webbed and equipped with long, curved claws; the hind feet are shaped similar miniature shovels; and each centre is equipped with a membrane that can be extended to encompass it. The ears are rounded and densely covered with fur simply seem big in comparison with those of many digging mammals. The tail is curt and brushlike. Dorsally, the long, shaggy pelage is mottled grayish blending on the venter to low-cal tannish or whitish. A white stripe extends from the olfactory organ pad to the shoulder, and may extend to the rump. The face is black with white splotches surrounding a blackness "badge" on either cheek. Badgers molt annually.

In Oregon, American badgers occur thoughout the region due east of the Cascade Range and in eastern Jackson Canton wherever prey is abundant. They are largely nocturnal but occasionally may be seen away during daylight hours.

Photo by Nick Myatt, ODFW

River otter

Lutra canadensis

The River otter is adjusted for both terrestrial and aquatic environments. The heavily muscled, somewhat cylindrical trunk is thickest at the thorax and tapers posteriorly to a thick, flattened tail. The torso tapers to a blunt and slightly flattened head. The legs are short and powerful; and the toes are webbed. The eyes are small, forwardly directed and set high on the head. The underfur is grayish, short, and dense, and overlain past longer, stiff and shiny baby-sit hairs. The dorsum is brownish and the venter a lighter dark-brown or tan; the lower jaw and pharynx are whitish.

In Oregon, River otters are by and large found w of the Cascade Range just take been found in eastern Klamath County and in Deschutes, Wallowa, and Malheur counties. The River otter is associated with river, lake, pond or marsh habitats, but may make extensive overland excursions from ane such habitat to some other.

River otters are considered among the more social members of the mustelidae family unit. In improver to the developed male-female association during the breeding flavor and the maternal female to young clan, a diversity of groupings of otters in different sex and historic period-classes have been observed.

Photo by Pat Matthews, ODFW

Western spotted skunk

Spilogale gracilis

The Western spotted skunk is smaller and more weasel-similar than the Striped skunk. The pelage is blackness with a somewhat pentagonal white patch between the eyes, a circular white patch on each side of the head and four or half dozen segmented white torso stripes. This skunk is endowed with a muscle-encapsulated musk gland similar to those of the Striped skunk then similarly, tin eject musk from two papillae located under the tail. The odor of the musk is considered somewhat more than pungent or acid simply is less spreading than that of the Striped skunk.

In Oregon, this skunk occurs throughout most of the state but it is believed not to occur in well-nigh of the Willamette Valley. It does not hibernate, merely tends to be less active during periods of unusually common cold weather. It is primarily nocturnal and highly secretive. Although equipped with a superb defense system, the Western spotted skunk tolerates considerable disturbance before resorting to the utilize of musk.

Photo from Wikipedia

Striped skunk

Mephitis mephitis

The Striped skunk is about the size of a business firm cat with a pointed caput; slightly upturned, almost spherical olfactory organ pad; and beady black eyes. The pelage is entirely black except for a narrow white stripe on the forehead and nose, a white pate leading to two diverging white stripes on the dorsum that extend partly or completely to the rump. Entirely white skunks, or skunks with the black replaced by seal brown or the white replaced by xanthous are also know to occur.

Without dubiousness, the most widely recognized characteristic of the Striped skunk is the pungent scent of the musk that it produces. A musculus-encapsulated gland positioned nether the tail produces a liquid that can be expelled.

It occurs in suitable habitats throughout Oregon, except in higher elevations, usually in more open habitats.

Striped skunks tend to be docile and unobtrusive; except during breeding season or when infected with rabies, they are non aggressive or belligerent. In winter they often den communally.

Photo by Thomas Fisk

Black Animal That Looks Like a Skunk

Source: https://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/species/weasels-skunks-badgers-and-otters