Natural History of Ungulates General Ungulate Characteristics Ungulates = hoofed mammals

• Not a taxonomic group Large bodies Taxonomy • “Unguligrade” = type of feet Antlers or horns Characteristics & Adaptations -- only tips of toes touch ground Sexually dimorphic Idaho Ungulates -- hooves Herbivores Other North American Species Fermentation Cetaceans ?? Sexual segregation

Order: Perissodactyla Order: Artiodactyla 10 Families: Artiodactyla - odd-toed - even-toed Perissodactyla Suidae – pigs - low species diversity - high species diverse  Tayassuidae – javelinas, peccaries 3 Families: - hind-gut fermentors - foregut fermentors Hippopotamidae – hippos - less dimorphic - more dimorphic Equidae – horses, zebras, asses Camelidae – camels, vicuñas, lamas, etc. Tapiridae – tapirs Tragulidae – chevrotains or mouse deer Giraffidae – giraffes, okapi Rhinocerotidae – rhinos Moschidae – musk deer  Cervidae – deer family (antlers)  Antilocapridae – pronghorn only  Bovidae – cattle family (horns)

Cursorial Adaptations Idaho Ungulate Species white-tailed deer (Artiodactyla) (Odocoileus virginianus) • Lengthening of limbs Cervidae: white-tail deer, mule deer, elk, moose, • Flexible spine caribou • Loss of clavicle Antilocapridae: pronghorn • Unguligrade feet Bovidae: bison, bighorn sheep, mountain goat • Springing ligament • Reduced weight of limbs No native perrisodactyla (extant)!

1 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) mule deer & black-tailed deer White-tailed deer reproduction • “Flagging” of tail (Odocoileus hemionus) • Antlers • Breeding peak in fall (Oct-Jan) = rut • Subspecies -- 38?? (Florida Key white-tail • Variable # fawns (1-3) and Columbian white-tail – endangered) • Northwest subspecies in ID (O. v. ochrourus) • Small matriarchal groups,  in open habitat • Lots of geographic variation (27 kg – 136 kg) • Polygynous (tending bonds) • Females weigh ~ 20-40% less • Males in bachelor groups winter  summer • browse, acorns, grass • Congregate in “deer yards” in winter • Habitat use = diverse; avoid high elevations & areas without at least some cover

mule deer reproduction mule deer & black-tailed deer elk or wapiti (Odocoileus hemionus) (Cervus elaphus) • Polygynous (tending bond) • Large (mule) ears • Antlers have forked tines • Breed in Nov-Dec • 9 subspecies recognized (includes black-tailed • Variable # fawns (1-2) deer) • Conceptions in fawns not common • Rocky Mt. subspecies in ID (O. h. hemionus) • Social groupings ~ white-tailed deer • Larger than white-tailed deer • Diet variable, browse important during winter • Seasonal migrations • Habitat use = diverse; early successional note deer: (bucks, does, fawns) forests

elk or wapiti (Cervus elaphus) moose (Alces alces) moose • 4 subspecies in NA; Shiras in ID (A. a. shirasi) • Rocky Mt. subspecies in ID (C. e. nelsoni) (Alces alces) • Adults weigh 200-770 kg • Males ~300-350 kg, females < 275 kg • Breed in Sep-Nov, calve in May-June • Breed in Sep-Oct, calve in June • 1-2 calves • Single calves -- twins rare • Polygynous: sequential tending bonds – boreal • Polygynous, harem-defense forests; harems – open habitats • Mixed diet: browse, grass & forbs • Essentially solitary, distinct home ranges • Habitat use = diverse • Browse, forbs & aquatic vegetation • Seasonal migration

2 caribou (Rangifer tarandus) Idaho Ungulate Species pronghorn barren-ground (tundra) caribou (Artiodactyla) (Antilocapra americana) & woodland (mountain) caribou Cervidae: white-tail deer, mule deer, elk, moose, caribou Antilocapridae: pronghorn Bovidae: bison, bighorn sheep, mountain goat

pronghorn Idaho Ungulate Species American bison (Antilocapra americana) (Artiodactyla) (Bison bison) • 5 Subspecies (?) • Adults 36-70kg, females ~10% smaller Cervidae: white-tail deer, mule deer, elk, moose, caribou • Polygynous, resource- or harem-defense • Breed in late summer-fall, fawn in spring Antilocapridae: pronghorn • Almost always twins Bovidae: bison, bighorn sheep, mountain goat • Diet = mainly forbs, some browse & grasses

• Habitat use = grassland & shrub-steppe Historic Distribution • Same-sex groups outside of rut

American bison (Bison bison) bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) bighorn sheep • Bulls ~1800lbs, Cows ~1000lbs (Ovis canadensis) • Breed in July- Sept, calve in spring-summer, singletons • Females 1st breed at 2.5 yr • 3 “types” = Rocky Mtn., California & desert • Polygynous, tending bonds • Rocky Mtn. rams ~72-143 kg, ewes ~53-91 kg • Cow-calf groups, mature bulls solitary or bachelor groups • Breed in Nov-Dec, lamb in May-Jun, singletons • Diet = primarily grasses, not very selective • Polygynous, dominant males mate most • Historically, nomadic vs. migratory

3 • Same-sex groups mountain goat mountain goat • Diet of grasses, sedges, forbs, & browse (Oreamnos americanus) (Oreamnos americanus) • Sexes monomorphic • Habitat use = rugged, steep terrain • Males 46-136kg, females 10-30% less • Disease • Breed Nov-Dec, kidding May-June, twins and singletons • Polygynous, small groups • Diverse diet -- grass, forbs, browse, mosses & lichens • Habitat = alpine & subalpine, steep cliffs

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