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Food Webs of Animals at the Utica Zoo

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Food Webs of Animals at the Utica Zoo Food Webs of Animals at the Utica Zoo We have a number of animals at our zoo that are found in the northern deciduous habitat. In this lesson we will discuss how each of our animals fit into a food web in their natural environment. Our food web is divided into what each animal eats. They can be Carnivores (Meat eaters), Omnivores (eat both plants and animals) , Herbivores (plant based diet) and Decomposers. Here is a sample of a food web. Visit us at Http://www.Uticazoo.org/kazoo . ​ ​ Mission: Utica Zoo creates unique experiences and promotes public appreciation of wildlife through education, conservation and recreation. Below is a list of animals that can be found when visiting our zoo and how they fit into their food webs. Turtles ● Three-Toed Box Turtle (Vulnerable) – Eastern and Central United States ● Eastern Box Turtle (Vulnerable) – Eastern and Central United States ● Wood Turtle (Endangered; Special Concern in NYS) – Northeastern United States ● Spotted Turtle (Endangered) – Eastern United States and ● Common Snapping Turtle (Least Concern) – Everywhere East of the Rocky Mountains in the United States Turtle predators: The eggs and hatchlings of snapping turtles may be eaten by other large turtles, great blue herons, crows, raccoons, skunks, foxes, bullfrogs, water snakes, and large predatory fish, such as largemouth bass. However, once snapping turtles become larger, there are few animals that prey on them. Turtles are normally eaten by animals with powerful jaws and sharp teeth, like crocodiles, alligators, cougars, etc. ● Three-Toed Box Turtle (Vulnerable) – Eastern and Central United States Three-toed box turtles are omnivores, their diets varying with availability of food sources and the seasons. They are known to eat earthworms, insects, snails, slugs, strawberries, mushrooms, and green-leafed vegetation. They have been observed eating the eggs of quail. ● Eastern Box Turtle (Vulnerable) – Eastern and Central United States Eastern box turtles are opportunistic omnivores that will eat both animal and plant matter. They are known to eat a lot of different things, including fruits, berries, mushrooms, flowers, grasses, etc. They can catch prey but will happily eat carrion as well. In the wild, they catch suitably sized animals such as snails, worms, slugs and beetles. If opportunity present itself they will happily go after bigger prey as well, e.g. birds caught in nets. ● Wood Turtle (Endangered; Special Concern in NYS) – Northeastern United States Wood turtles are omnivorous, feeding mainly on plant matter and animals both on land and in water. They eat beetles, millipedes, and slugs. Also, Wood turtles consume specific fungi, mosses, grasses, various insects, and also carrion. ● Spotted Turtle (Endangered) – Eastern United States Spotted turtles are omnivorous. They feed primarily on aquatic vegetation and invertebrates, but will also eat invertebrates. This species has been known to eat carrion. ● Common Snapping Turtle (Least Concern) – Everywhere East of the Rocky Mountains in the United States As omnivores, snapping turtles feed on plants, insects, spiders, worms, fish, frogs, small turtles, snakes, birds, crayfish, small mammals, and carrion. Plant matter accounts for about a third of the diet. Frogs ● Northern Leopard Frog (Least Concern) – Northern United States & Southern Canada Frog predators: There are a wide variety of frog predators. Animals that eat frogs for snacks include snakes, lizards, birds, and various small animals like hedgehogs. Even under water frogs can't be safe from hungry sharp toothed fish, swimming mammals like water shrews, and even diving birds! ● Northern Leopard Frog (Least Concern) – Northern United States & Southern Canada Diet: Leopard frogs are carnivores and will eat just about anything they can fit in their mouths. They eat beetles, ants, flies, worms, smaller frogs, including their own species, and even birds, and garter snakes. Snakes ● Corn Snake (Least Concern) – Eastern United States Snake predators: PREDATORS. It is hard to believe but snakes have many enemies. Large birds, wild boars, mongooses, raccoons, foxes, coyotes and even other snakes are a few of the dangers snakes fall prey to. Many people find it surprising that the largest and the scariest snakes can be afraid of anything, but it is true. ● Corn Snake (Least Concern) – Eastern United States Like all snakes, Corn snakes are carnivores. They eat small rodents, such as the White-footed mouse, and other reptiles or amphibians. They will also climb trees to find unguarded bird Birds ● Bald Eagle (Least Concern) – Throughout North America ● Red-Tailed Hawk (Least Concern) – Every Continent except Antarctica ● Barred Owl (Least Concern) – Eastern North America ● Merlin (Least Concern) – North Northern Hemisphere ● Black Crowned Night Heron (Least Concern) – Every Continent except Australia and Antarctica ● Barn Owl (Least Concern) – Every continent except Antarctica Birds of Prey predators: Eagles are other avian vultures that can, and, at occasion, eat a hawk or two. Raccoons, red foxes, and owls are also other animals that eat hawks when granted the opportunity. The amount of predators are few, from the hawks point of view. The falcon is a bird of prey that, typically sitting close to the top of the food chain, has few predators. Humans, though they do not usually eat falcons, pose the greatest threat to the birds, especially through modifying their habitat. A wide variety of creatures, however, do prey on falcon eggs and nestlings, and a few animals might even take adults if given the opportunity. ● Bald Eagle (Least Concern) – Throughout North America Fish comprise about 70 to 90 percent of the diet of Bald Eagles. However, Bald Eagles are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will feed on what is most available, and requiring the least amount of energy to acquire it. For example, Bald Eagles will often follow the fall migration of ducks and geese and feed on birds that have been injured by hunters. They also can feed on moderately sized wild mammals, such as groundhogs. ● Red-Tailed Hawk (Least Concern) – Every Continent except Antarctica Red-tailed hawks are carnivores, their diet varying with the location and the season. They eat small mammals including voles, rats, ground squirrels and rabbits, birds, and reptiles, especially snakes, bats, frogs, toads, and insects. They may feed on carrion. ● Barred Owl (Least Concern) – Eastern North America Barred Owls eat many kinds of small animals, including squirrels, chipmunks, mice, voles, rabbits, birds (up to the size of grouse), amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. They hunt by sitting and waiting on an elevated perch, while scanning all around for prey with their sharp eyes and ears. They may perch over water and drop down to catch fish, or even wade in shallow water in pursuit of fish and crayfish. Though they do most of their hunting right after sunset and during the night, sometimes they feed during the day. Barred Owls may temporarily store their prey in a nest, in the crook of a branch, or at the top of a snag. They swallow small prey whole and large prey in pieces, eating the head first and then the body. ● Merlin (Least Concern) – North Northern Hemisphere Merlins prey mainly on small birds of the ground and low vegetation, including larks (Alaudidae), sparrows (Passeridae and Emberizidae), finches (Fringillidae) and ptarmigans and grouse (Tetraoninae). Some small mammals, lizards, snakes, insects, and - in North America - dragonflies, also make up a portion of the diet. ● Black Crowned Night Heron (Least Concern) – Every Continent except Australia and Antarctica Black-crowned Night-Herons are opportunistic feeders that eat many kinds of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine animals. Their diet includes leeches, earthworms, insects, crayfish, clams, mussels, fish, amphibians, lizards, snakes, turtles, rodents, birds, and eggs. “What eats me” Black-crowned night herons – particularly young birds — may be taken by birds of prey such as hawks and eagles, and eggs and nestlings are vulnerable to a variety of nest predators such as raccoons. ● Barn Owl (Least Concern) – Every continent except Antarctica The natural diet of the Barn Owl in the wild comprises small mammals, mainly Field Voles, Common Shrews and Wood Mice. A Barn Owl will usually swallow small prey items whole. It is much better to provide small food items for Barn Owls rather than small parts of larger animals (such as pieces of meat). Mammals ● Canada Lynx (Least Concern) – Northern North America ● Arctic Fox (Least Concern) – Northern Hemisphere ● Red Fox (Least Concern) – Northern Hemisphere ● North American Porcupine (Least Concern) – Northern and Western North America ● American Beaver (Least Concern) – Throughout North America ● Virginia Opossum (Least Concern) – Primarily Eastern and Southern United States, but can also be found west to Texas and in parts of Central America What eats Lynx? Large carnivores such as cougars and wolves are direct predators of the Canadian lynx. Coyotes, although relatively small, may also hunt lynx. Other animals threaten the Canadian lynx because they compete for prey. Animals like coyotes and wolverines may try and steal prey from the lynx. ● Canada Lynx (Least Concern) – Northern North America About 75% of the lynx's diet is made up of the snowshoe hare. It also eats birds, meadow voles, carrion and sometimes larger animals like deer and caribou. Lynx often store leftover kill by covering it with snow. What eats Arctic Fox? Natural predators of the Arctic fox are golden eagles, polar bears, wolverines, red foxes, wolves, and grizzly bears. ● Arctic Fox (Least Concern) – Northern Hemisphere The Arctic fox is an omnivore and will eat almost any animal, dead or alive. It prefers small mammals but will eat berries, insects, carrion, and even animal or human stools. In winter it usually eats sea mammals and birds, invertebrates, fish, and seals. (During winter, when food becomes much more scarce, the foxes will often follow polar bears around and then scavenge what they can off of a kill once the bear is done.) What eats a Red Fox?Adult red foxes may also be attacked by coyotes, wolves, or other predators, but this is rare in order to eat them.
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