Nature Series

here are many species of mammals At our coastal parks you may catch a glimpse The Monmouth County Park System has two in Monmouth County, but they of a marine mammal such as a seal, porpoise, environmental centers dedicated to nature education. Each center has a trained staff of naturalists to answer can be difficult to observe due to or whale if you look for them during the right visitor questions about area wildlife and natural history. theirT behavior. Many are active at dawn or time of year. And there are some mammal Mammals dusk (crepuscular) or only active at night species that are so common you may find The Huber Woods Environmental Center, on Brown’s of Monmouth County (nocturnal). We are most familiar with them almost everywhere you look. One Dock Road in the Locust Section of Middletown, the species that are active during the day example is the diurnal grey squirrel, who features exhibits and activities about plants, wildlife (diurnal). Despite these different habits, all always seems to be busy feeding on nuts and and the Lenape Indians. There’s a bird observation mammals have a highly developed brain, seeds, although they also eat fungi, fruit, and area and a reptile house. Miles of surrounding trails have hair or fur, are warm-blooded, have a occasionally insects, frogs, and eggs. offer many opportunities to enjoy and view nature. four-chambered heart, and produce milk to 732-872-2670 feed their young. A Variety of Species There are mammals that fly, such as the nocturnal bat that feeds on mosquitoes, moths, beetles and wasps captured during flight; and hole-dwelling mammals that carry their babies in a kangaroo-like pouch Harbor Seal (marsupials), such as the opossum.

Specializing in Monmouth County’s wetland species, the Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center, on Georgia Tavern Road in Howell, has water-related wildlife displays, hands-on activities and a bird and Bald Eagle observation area. Features include an interactive watershed map, aquarium, live animals, Eastern Grey Squirrel and a fossil wall. 732-751-9453 Big Brown Bat Identifying Mammals in the County Parks Use this guide to observe and identify mammals that are most commonly seen on the trails, meadows, forest, fields and water bodies in the parks (and maybe also in your neighborhood or backyard). Some of the more timid or secretive species can be a challenge to spot, but you can always look for clues they Eastern Chipmunk leave behind in the soil or snow, such as tracks Virginia Opossum or scat/droppings. Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders www.MonmouthCountyParks.com Board of Recreation Commissioners G20333 9/20 White-tailed Deer Eastern Coyote Mink Southern Flying Squirrel Odocoileus virginianus Canis latrans Mustela vison Glaucomys volans

Nocturnal. Omnivore; Primarily crepuscular. Chiefly nocturnal. feeds on seeds, nuts, Herbivore/browser; eats Chiefly nocturnal. Semi-aquatic. Carnivore; insects, bird eggs, and twigs, shrubs, fungi, Scavenger; eats plants, feeds on small mammals, carrion. (Does not acorns, grasses and herbs. animals, and carrion. birds, eggs, frogs, crayfish, technically fly; rather it Look for antlers on males. and fish. “glides” using wing-like flaps of skin.)

Red Fox Raccoon Longtail Weasel White-footed Mouse Vulpes fulva Procyon lotor Mustela frenata Peromyscus leucopus

Primarily crepuscular. Chiefly nocturnal. Chiefly nocturnal. Found Omnivore; eats insects, Chiefly nocturnal. Omnivore; eats fruits, nuts, near water and can climb small animals, and Omnivore; feeds on seeds, insects, frogs, crayfish, trees. Carnivore; feeds on sometimes fruits. (Similar nuts, and insects, and eggs. Feeds along streams small mammals, birds, and species is the Gray Fox stores food underground. and near lakes. scavenges carrion. Urocyon cinereoargenteus)

Groundhog/Woodchuck River Otter Beaver Eastern Mole Marmota monax Lutra canadensis Castor canadensis Scalopus aquaticus

Crepuscular. Semi-aquatic, Chiefly nocturnal. Active underground at all Diurnal. Herbivore; feeds lives along streams and Herbivore; feeds on leaves, hours. Omnivore; feeds on on grasses, plants, and lake borders. Carnivore; bark, roots and twigs. earthworms, slugs, snails, fruits. Hibernates from eats fish, frogs, crayfish, Similar appearance to centipedes, larval insects October-February. and other aquatic muskrat, but larger with a and vegetation. invertebrates. broad, flat tail.

Eastern Cottontail Rabbit Striped Skunk Muskrat Meadow Vole Sylvilagus floridanus Mephitis mephitis Ondatra zibethica Microtus pennsylvanicus

Crepuscular. Active day or night. Chiefly nocturnal. Semi-aquatic. Omnivore; Omnivore; feeds on Crepuscular. Herbivore; Omnivore; feeds on mice, feeds on mussels, frogs, grasses, seeds, nuts, bark, feeds on green vegetation, insects, grubs, berries, and crayfish, cattails and fungi, and few insects. bark, and twigs. carrion. Presence often aquatic vegetation. Important food source for detected by its odor. Smaller than a beaver, predators like owls. with a thin, long tail.