National Historical Park National Park Service Chaco Culture U. S. Department of the Interior

Mammal List

ELK (CERVUS ELAPHUS) The elk herd DESERT COTTONTAIL (SYVILAGUS moved back into Chaco in the 1999. AUDUBONLI) The cottontail is one of Many opportunities arise to see the the most abundant in estimated 60 resident elk throughout the park. You might get a the year. The best time to catch a laugh seeing them sprawled glimpse of the second largest cervid out in the summertime in North America, howerver is in the around the parking lots and fall. Thanks to efforts made by the prehistoric sites. Cottontails state of New Mexico and private conserve their energy and individuals who strove to restore the moisture by avoiding activity in nearly extinct from 1910 to the daylight hours. To provide 1966, elk population estimates within excellent warmth during the winter the state soar upwards of 72,000. months, the Chacoans wove cloaks and blankets out of rabbit fur.

MULE DEER(OBDOCOLLEUS HEMIONUS) Mule PORCUPINE (ERITHIZON DORSATUM) deer can be a little on the This large makes shy side, but keep an eye periodical appearances out for them around the within the canyon. loop road and the washes. Porcupines are Typically seen in the fall, herbivores and love to deer are most visible in the eat tree bark (having early morning and late the potential to strip afternoon. Population trees completely bare). estimates hover around 50, As with all in but its exact size remains the park, keep your distance unknown. The Chacoans utilized deer when viewing porcupines. They bone for tools and ceremonial objects, don’t actually throw their quills, but the meat for food, and hides for warmth. contact with the sharp objects can be rather painful.

COYOTE (CANIS LATRANS) These members AMERICAN BADGER (TAXIDEA TAXUS) of the dog family are quite prevalent in The badger is an excellent Chaco. You can see them running hunter and masters the skill down the road or prowling on top of by digging lots of burrows the mesas. If you’re lucky, you might and capturing its prey with its catch the unusual pairing of the strong, sharp claws. Some- coyote and badger who often hunt times they will invade together. It might sound strange, but another animal’s burrow, this phenomenon has been reported wait for it’s return, and attack many times in the park especially around the prey. You can see many the South Mesa. Many rock art panels feature burrows along the South Mesa Trail coyote images. where you might see the earlier described interaction with coyote. Identify these mammals. Have you seen any of these creatures in the park?

A. B. C.

(See reverse side for answers) Order/ Order/ Common Name Latin Name Abundance Common Name Latin Name Abundance

ORDER: ARTIODACTYLA ORDER: INSECTIVORA Elk Cervus elaphus C Desert shrew Notiosorex crawfordi R Mule Deer Ocdoileus hermonius C

ORDER: LAGOMORPHA ORDER:CARVIVORA Black-tailed jack rabbit Lepus californicus C Coyote Canis latrans C Desert cottontail Syvilagus audubonli C Bobcat Lynx rufus U Striped Skunk Mephitis mephitis U Order: Rondentia Puma Puma concolor U Antelope ground Ammospermophilius leucurus C American badger Taxidea taxus U Gunnison’s prairie dog Cynomys gunnisoni C Common grey fox Urocyon cinereoargenateus U Ord’s kangaroo rat Dypodomys ordi C Black bear Ursus americanus R Banner-tailed kangaroo rat Dipodomys spectabilis C Kit fox Vulpes macrotis U Porcupine Erithizon dorsatum C Colorado chipmunk Neotamias quadrivittatus U ORDER: CHIROPTERA White-throated wood rat Neotoma albigula C Pallid bat Antrozous pallidus C Bushy-tailed wood rat Neotoma cinerea U Western lump-nosed bat Corynorhinus townsendii U Stephen’s wood rat Neotoma stephensi U Big brown bat Epstisicus fuscus R N. grasshopper mouse Onychomys leucogaster C Spotted bat Euderma maculatum R Plains pocket mouse flavescens U Silver-haired bat Lasionycteris noctivagans U Silky pocket mouse Perognathus flavus C Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus R Brush mouse Peromyscus boylii U California myotis Myotis californicus C Canyon mouse Peromyscus crinitus C Western small-footed bat Myotis ciliolabrum C Deer mouse Peromyscus maniculatus A Long-eared myotis Myotis evotis U Pinyon mouse Peromyscus truei C Fringed myotis Myotis thysanodes C Western harvest mouse Reithrodontomys magalotis U Long-legged myotis Myotis volans U Spotted ground squirrel Spermophilis spilosoma R Yuma myotis Myotis yumanensis U Rock squirrel Spermophilis variegatus R Big free-tailed bat Nyctinomops macrotis R Botta’s pocket gopher Thomomys bottae C Western pipistrelle Pipistrellus hesperus C Brazilian free-tailed bat Tadarida brasiliensis U Legend A = Abundant C = Common R = Rare U = Uncommon

Canyon Winged Friends Pallid Bat Chaco hosts a myriad of furry flying mammals. The fringed and California myotis, Pallid bat, Big brown bat, and Western Pipistrelle are some of the most commonly seen bats in the canyon. No need to worry or fear the creatures, since their diet consists mainly of insects. The canyon walls serve as home to the host of bats found in Chaco. If you stay overnight, you might see them flying Fringed around at dusk or early evening. Ongoing studies continue to Myotis identify the flying mammals. Two different means of identifi- cation are used including the netting and release of the crea- tures or the Anabat system which analyses the ultrasonic calls Big Brown Bat of bats to identify the species.

Answers: A. Antelope Ground Squirrel B. Kangaroo Rat C. Black-Tailed Jack Rabbit (for reverse side)

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