Part 6

Although possessing a wing-like structure, the bat does not have a wing in the sense that a bird has. The “wing” consists of a much modified hand with very long fingers. This is covered with a thin, but very tough membrane, that enables the animal to fly. The bat’s flight is seemingly aimless, but is actually purposeful. It is during these “drunken flights” that it catches the insects upon which it lives.

By far the most astonishing and marvelous feature about the bat’s anatomy is the delicate mechanism that guides it in flight. This animal has operated on the principle used by radar thousands of years before man discovered the device. The hearing is extremely acute and bats are able to receive sound impulses at a vibration frequency too high for the human ear. During flight it sends out shrill cries of high vibration frequency. As these sounds travel out through space they are reflected back by any object, large or small, that they strike. Through sensitive ears the bat receives these rebounding sounds and thus is aware at all times of the nearness of any object. This explains the bat’s uncanny ability to fly through a room in total darkness without striking even such small objects as wire or lamp cords. This ingenious device fails around water, however. Experiments have shown that a small wire stretched just above the surface of a pond is not “seen” by the bat when it swoops down to get a drink.

Some bats rest in leafy treetops where they cling to small branches. Most species stay in hollow trees or caves during the daytime, and “bat caves” are common in many parts of the country, the most famous one is at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. While resting or sleeping the bat hangs head downward, always in a position to drop and fly at any moment. It is helpless on the ground, and must obtain sufficient elevation to allow for a few inches of drop before it can fly.

MOUNTAIN COYOTE _Canis latrans lestes_ Merriam

The mountain coyote resembles a small collie dog in size, with a slender body, erect, pointed ears, and bushy tail. The upper parts of its body are light brownish gray, with numerous long, coarse, black hairs. The under parts are whitish, with the long hairs of the throat tipped with black. The tail is heavily tipped with black above and light beneath. The muzzle and crown of the head is a bright yellowish brown.

_Specimens in park collection:_ RNP-98, Longmire Museum, Park Headquarters.

The geographical distribution of the coyote includes all of western North America. The mountain coyote is found from British Columbia southward through Washington, Oregon, and the highlands of the Great Basin, Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains to the plateau region of northern Arizona and down the Continental Divide in New Mexico to the Mexican border.

It is found locally throughout the park, at all elevations from the extreme lower portions to forest line, although usually more abundant in the vicinity of the old fire burns near the south and west boundaries.

The shrill, wild, evening song of the coyote rising from an open slope or brushy burn never fails to bring the listener to a rapt and keen attention. There is a spine-tingling, eerie quality in the call that seems symbolic of a wilderness land. It is descriptive also, in that it may sound like one animal or a pack. Usually it is heard at sunset or on moonlight nights in the fall or winter, as the pack gathers for the night’s foraging.

The park is not especially well suited to the coyote, as it lacks the open sagebrush flats and rolling hills that are such important parts of the animal’s natural environment. Coyotes are highly adaptable animals, however, and seem to fit themselves into almost any habitat. Having respect but little fear of man, they are often found even in the farming districts and near the smaller towns. Wherever there is sufficient food there seem to be coyotes, even though they are mercilessly hunted in many such localities.

Food consists mainly of small animals, such as ground squirrels, mice, chipmunks and marmots, although an occasional deer falls prey to this wily hunter. Fruits and berries are eaten in large quantities when available. During the late summer it has been observed catching grasshoppers in the open meadows, such insects are staple articles of diet. The wild antics of a coyote as it dives and twists trying to capture an agile grasshopper, sometimes apparently as a game rather than in a serious quest for food, afford an amusing picture. As a mouser the coyote is hard to equal, and it may frequently be seen in the early evening catching meadow mice. Destruction of deer is not overly extensive, with the old animals and an occasional unwary fawn being the principal victims. Once in a while a deer is found that refuses to become an easy prey and a merry chase often follows—this time with the coyote beating a hasty retreat with the enraged, wouldbe victim close behind. There are numerous instances of such chases on record, and authentic observations of coyotes being knocked down and trampled by deer.

Coyote pups, normally about five to seven in a litter, are usually born in April or May and have all the playful characteristics of a puppy dog. Just as soon as they are able to walk, they may be seen around the entrance to the den where they tug and pull at each other in mock ferocity. As they grow older their interest in the outside world keeps pace with their growth, and by fall they are out learning the serious business of obtaining food under the direction of the father or mother, or both. It is during this time that they range in family groups of five or six animals.

TIMBER WOLF _Canis lupus fuscus_ Richardson

The wolf is a large, dog-like animal, with dull yellowish-brown fur, heavily clouded over the back and tail with black-tipped hairs. Occasionally it is almost entirely black or grayish. The young are black at birth, changing later to the adult coloration.

_Specimens in park collection:_ None.

These animals were formerly found over most of the United States, Canada, and Alaska, but they have been exterminated over much of the original range. A few wolves are still found in the timbered regions west of the Cascades from Oregon northward through Washington, British Columbia and into Alaska.

At one time they were reported from several localities in the park, but gradually they were killed off throughout central Washington until they were apparently exterminated in the park prior to 1930. Since that time single animals have been reported in 1933, 1937, 1941, 1943 and 1947. These records appear to be those of stragglers that wander into and out of the park. The wolf can thus be considered as rare in the area today.

The heavily forested ridges and slopes near old fire burns appear to be the type of habitat preferred, and most of the local records are from such areas. The wolf seems to prefer the heavy timber for its home, but uses the more open areas for hunting, as it is in these old burns that deer, elk, rabbits and other important food sources are found. Being extremely shy and silent, the animal is seldom seen even when known to be present.

Little is known regarding the family life of the wolf, although the adults are devoted parents. Apparently the pups number from five to ten, and are born in March or April. They usually stay pretty close to the den, which is a large hole in a bank, or a protected nook in a log jam, rock slide, or similar situation. Here they spend their puppyhood, an always hungry family even though their parents may bring in large quantities of food. In the late summer and early fall they are taken out in a group or pack and taught the essentials of successful hunting.

Powerful and intelligent, the wolf stands out as one of Nature’s finest predator creations. It is unfortunate that man’s economic interests and the food habits of the wolf clash, and the continuous campaign of extermination being waged can have but one inevitable result unless public appreciation of this now rare wilderness animal increases. Like other magnificent predators before him, the wolf appears doomed over most, if not eventually all, of the United States.

CASCADE RED FOX _Vulpes fulva cascadensis_ Merriam

The Cascade red fox is about the size of a small dog, with a very slender body, bushy tail, erect ears and pointed muzzle. It may have several color “phases” of which the red is the one most often seen. In the “red” phase the head and upper parts are a straw yellow; ears blackish and underparts white. The tail is yellowish mixed with black, with a prominent white tip. The “cross” phase is of the same general coloration as the red, but has a dark band running across the shoulders and a dark band down the back, another dark band runs from the chin down the throat onto the belly. The “black” or “silver” fox is all black with silver-tipped hairs, excepting the white tip of the tail. A litter of pups may contain all of the various color phases.

_Specimens in park collection:_ None.

The red foxes occur over most of the United States and Canada. The Cascade red fox ranges from the northern Sierra Nevadas through the Cascades of Oregon and Washington.

It is found in the park at all elevations up to forest line.

Shy and cunning, this beautiful animal is seldom seen, yet is relatively common, especially around the alpine meadows, where its short, sharp bark is sometimes heard in the late evening. One pair of foxes has raised families for several seasons within a short distance of the busy highway to Paradise Valley near Marmot Point, while residents of Longmire have had the thrill of seeing more than one of the shimmering “silver” foxes around their yards.

Few animals are so graceful and agile, and to watch a fox stalking a mouse is to see a gifted expert in the art of hunting. Soundless, alert, poised, it is a wary mouse that successfully escapes the lightning-like pounce. Food is largely made up of such things as mice, ground squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, wood rats, and other small game such as birds and insects. Berries and fruit are eaten in season.

NORTHWESTERN PINE MARTEN _Martes caurina caurina_ (Merriam)

This animal is slightly smaller than a house cat, with soft, heavy fur and a bushy tail. The coloration above is rich, dark brown, darker along the back and tail; face grayish; a large patch of buff or orange on the throat and breast.

_Specimens in park collection:_ RNP-44, RNP-108; Longmire Museum, Park Headquarters.

Martens inhabit the forested regions of northern North America. The Northwestern pine marten is found from southern British Columbia south to northern California, in and west of the Cascade Mountains.

It is fairly common from the park boundaries to forest line, especially around the Paradise and White River valleys.

This beautiful and graceful member of the weasel family is chiefly seen after nightfall, but is also occasionally encountered along the trails during the day. At Paradise Valley a pair lived in the old Community House for several years, and were the source of a keen thrill to the visitors who saw them playing around the building. For the most part the marten is a resident of the dense forest. It is an expert climber, travels through the trees almost as well as a squirrel, and is equally at home among the talus slopes where it searches for conies.

The marten eats a wide variety of foods, with small game such as mice most commonly taken. Chipmunks, wood rats, squirrels, rabbits, pikas, birds and occasionally insects and berries are other important food items. Young martens are usually born from April to June and normally number around four to six in a family. The home is located in hollow trees or logs, or among the rocks.

FISHER _Martes pennanti_ (Erxleben)

The fisher is considerably larger than the marten, although resembling this near relative in general characteristics. The coloration above ranges from buffy gray to brownish black, with the under parts black or blackish. The hair over the head, neck and shoulders has a grayish appearance. Spots of white may occur on the throat and breast.

_Specimens in park collection:_ None.

The fishers are now confined almost entirely to the northeastern United States and Canada, west to British Columbia, although rather common in the Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park.

Its occurrence within the park is open to question as no records have been obtained for several years. Investigation in the more remote sectors may disclose its presence. It was once known to range from the park boundaries to forest line.

The name “fisher” is somewhat of a misnomer, as the animal is not known to catch fish or even to live close to streams. It will eat fish if the opportunity arises, however. It has a wide variety of common names, including that of pennant marten, pekan, and black cat.

Like the marten, the fisher is a lover of the deep woods and is reportedly very agile in the trees. It feeds principally upon rabbits, squirrels, mice, small birds, and frogs. It is not adverse to killing and eating the marten. One of its most interesting sources of food is the porcupine, which the fisher manages to kill without serious injury from the sharp quills. A litter of from two to four young, which are born in a nest in a hollow log or tree, are raised annually.

MINK _Mustela vison energumenos_ (Bangs)

The body of the mink is somewhat like that of a weasel, but heavier and considerably larger. The legs and ears are short; the tail is bushy. The coloration is brown, darkening along the back and becoming almost black on the tail. Sometimes irregular white streaks or spots occur on the throat, chest or belly.

_Specimens in park collection:_ None.

The mink occurs over nearly all of North America, from the Gulf of Mexico north to the Arctic Circle.

Records from the park are few in number and show that it ranges mostly at the lower elevations, although it has been seen at lakes around 5,000 feet. Most records have been obtained along the Nisqually and Ohanapecosh Rivers and around Lake Louise.

The mink seems to be equally at home in the forests or in the open meadows—all it requires is a watercourse or lake that will supply food of some type. Minks are great travelers, often following a stream for a considerable distance as they hunt. The hunting pattern is erratic and every little thing that attracts attention apparently bears investigating. This animal is an expert swimmer and can go long distances under the water in pursuit of fish. Other foods include almost any type of small mammal, birds, eggs, frogs and crustaceans.

There seems to be no sense of fear in a mink and in a fight it is an extremely dangerous adversary. Woe be unto the dog that attempts to corner it, as even the largest dogs usually are sent home with badly slashed faces. Like several other members of the weasel family, a mink gives off a strong odor if disturbed.

WASHINGTON WEASEL, LONG-TAILED WEASEL _Mustela frenata washingtoni_ (Merriam)

The Washington weasel is the largest weasel known to occur in the park, measuring around fifteen inches in total length. During the summer it is dark brown above, darker on the head, with the under parts a dull yellow, lighter on the chin and throat. About two inches of the tip of the tail is black. In the winter its coloration may range from a dull brown, with white underparts, to almost pure white except for a yellowish tinge on the belly, rump and tail. The black tip of the tail remains unchanged.

_Specimens in park collection:_ RNP-45, RNP-79, RNP-82, and RNP-94; Longmire Museum, Park Headquarters.

Weasels inhabit practically all of North America. The Washington weasel is found in the Cascade Mountains of Washington and Oregon, at least as far south as Fort Klamath, Oregon. One specimen is reported from the Chicago Field Museum as having been taken from Happy Lake in the Olympic Mountains.

In the park it is found from the lower elevations to forest line and above, being especially common around the open valleys between 4,000 and 5,000 feet.

Around Paradise Valley this weasel has found excellent hunting near the Lodge and Inn. Here visitors spend considerable time feeding chipmunks and ground squirrels, and attract large numbers with the quantities of food offered. With the slopes literally swarming with choice tid-bits, weasels have taken over each summer and created havoc among the chipmunks and ground squirrels, not to mention arousing the ire of all visitors concerned. Yet some check is necessary on these rodents, which might otherwise multiply beyond the ability of the habitat to support them. In spite of the efforts of the angry onlookers, mother weasel will dodge her way out among the fleeing animals and capture one to take home for her young. Records show that families of weasels have lived beneath the Lodge and Guide House for several years, reaping a rich harvest of food each summer from the rodent population.

LEAST WEASEL, ERMINE _Mustela ermina gulosa_ Hall

The least weasel is small, with a total length of around ten inches. In the summer it is dark brown above, darkest on the head, with the underparts whitish, usually tinged with pale yellow. The tip of the tail is black. In the winter the coat may range in color from a light brown among animals at lower elevations to a pure white at higher altitudes. The tip of the tail remains black, however.

_Specimens in park collection:_ RNP-70, RNP-87, and RNP-111; Longmire Museum Park Headquarters.

This weasel ranges through the Cascade Mountains from southwestern British Columbia to Southern Oregon.

It is found in the park throughout the forested regions, and up as high as forest line, but is most abundant in the lower elevations.

The weasel never fails to impress one with its utter fearlessness and bewildering agility. It is very inquisitive and will probe around buildings as readily as the rocky slopes in its seemingly never-ending search for food. Its victims are limited only by their size, as the weasel shows no hesitation in attacking anything that it can possibly kill. For the most part its food consists of small rodents, such as chipmunks, ground squirrels and mice. Its lust for killing, and the occasional damage it does around poultry, combine to give it an exceedingly bad reputation which completely overshadows the economic good it does. As a natural control of rodent pests in agricultural and grazing regions it has no equal.

WOLVERINE _Gulo luscus luteus_ Elliot

The wolverine has a stocky body, with a powerful head, neck and legs. The legs and tail are short, the coloration is blackish or dark brown, a broad, yellowish band beginning at the shoulders runs along either side and reunites on the animal’s rump. The lower parts are generally blackish, except for the throat and chest, which are usually mottled with white or salmon color. Large males may measure as much as three feet in length, including the tail, which is about ten inches long, and weigh up to fifty pounds.

_Specimens in park collection:_ None.

The wolverine formerly ranged from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, through the extreme northeastern states, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Colorado, Utah, and Oregon northward to the Arctic Ocean. It is believed to be extinct or nearly so over much of its original range in the United States, although it is reported to occur in fair numbers in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park.

From 1897 to 1918 wolverines were occasionally reported from the park area, but there have been none recorded since 1933, when one was observed near the White River Ranger Station.

Known by a variety of common names ranging from glutton, carcajou, mountain devil, skunk bear, to maneater, the wolverine lives up to any or all of them. A member of the weasel family, it has somewhat the general build and habits of a small bear. Fierce and ready to fight anything that walks, it is a terrifying animal to face. Even such a huge animal as an elk is attacked without hesitation. Its cunning and boldness is greatly respected by the Indians, who believe it to be inhabited by an evil spirit. For the most part it hunts by night and wanders great distances in search of food.

It will eat any kind of game it can kill, a list which is extensive. Not being able to entirely satisfy an enormous appetite by killing, the wolverine also consumes all the dead carcasses that can be located. It is famous for destruction along trap lines, methodically following the line and eating anything that has been caught. Suspicious and canny, it is difficult to lure into a trap, and often if caught will gain its freedom by smashing even a heavy trap to pieces.

PACIFIC OTTER _Lutra canadensis pacifica_ Rhoads

The otter is one of the largest members of the weasel family, somewhat minklike in general appearance, with a small head and rather short legs. The feet are webbed and the tail is thick and tapering toward the tip. The general coloration above is dark chestnut-brown, becoming somewhat paler on the underparts, throat and cheeks.

_Specimens in park collection:_ Mounted specimen, Longmire Museum, Park Headquarters.

Otters are geographically distributed over most of North America. The Pacific Otter is found from Oregon, Washington and British Columbia northward as far as the coast of Alaska.

Recent years have failed to produce any records from the park, and there is some doubt that the otter still exists in the area. However, it was reported by Dr. C. Hart Merriam as fairly common along the Nisqually Valley in 1897, while there were reports from the park in later years. Thus it may be that this animal is still present in some more remote sectors.

Although adapted for living either on land or in the water, the otter seems to prefer the water. It is a graceful, powerful swimmer, and delights in frolicking in pools deep enough to allow lots of freedom of action. Playful by nature, it often amuses itself by sliding down banks into the water, repeating the performance time and again until a well defined slide is made. Its food is made up of a wide variety of animal life, ranging from fish, crayfish, frogs, snakes and birds to small mammals.

In one way it is unfortunate that the otter has such a valuable pelt, because it has been relentlessly trapped wherever found; so much so, in fact, that only in areas protected against trapping is it likely to continue to hold its own or multiply.

LITTLE SPOTTED SKUNK _Spilogale gracilis latifrons_ Merriam

This animal has a slender body about a foot in length, with short legs and a plumelike tail. The general coloration is black with a prominent white spot on the forehead, four white stripes running from the head onto the back, white patches and stripes along the sides, the rump spotted white, and the tail broadly white-tipped.

_Specimens in park collection:_ None.

The spotted skunks, often erroneously called “civet cats,” are found over most of the United States.

The little spotted skunk occurs on the west side of the Cascade Mountains of Washington, and through the Olympic Peninsula to the westward. The northern limits of range are not clearly defined.