Bobcats are one of North America’s most versatile predators. They can be found throughout the United States and survive in most climates. While deadly and incredibly successful, we rarely see out in the open, which is by design. Bobcats have created a niche in the environment by sticking to the shadows and hunting when the …
At first glance, it might seem like gophers aren’t active animals. We don’t see them often, save for occasional glimpses when they leave their holes. But just because we don’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t busy doing their own thing. Pocket gophers spend most of their active time underground, and if one looks at …
When we compare sea otters to other marine mammals, we can immediately see the size difference between them and most sea-dwellers. As the second smallest marine mammals, they come shy compared to their neighbor pinnipeds. So sea otters must have an excellent vision to protect themselves from threats and dangers. They also need their eyes …
By nature, pocket gophers are not aggressive animals. They are not predators nor particularly large, so they don’t get anything from fighting with other animals. When confronted with a threat, they would rather flee than fight. Some people might think that they are harmless as a result. Timid as they are, that doesn’t mean you …
There are very few sightings of a red wolf (Canis rufus ) in the wild. This canid species can only be found today in North Carolina and there are only a few of them left. It may be tough finding wild red wolves but it is much easier to track them—at least–through their scent. These …
Mountain lions have different names in different regions of the Americas. They are sometimes called puma, cougar, or panther. But, no matter where you are or what name they are called, mountain lions are always known for their large size, adaptability, and agility. And aside from those skills, they are also gifted with an excellent …
Here at Floofmania, sea otters are one of our favorite marine mammals – and they could also be yours! After all, who can resist those charming furry faces? But they’re so much more than their fluff and cuteness; they are one of nature’s greatest aquatic environmentalists! As keystone species, sea otters help keep kelp forests …
Bobcats have a powerful skill set – proficient in running, jumping, and even climbing. Plus, they are also highly adaptable! Put them in any habitat and they will surely find ways to survive. But, how about their vision? Do bobcats also have good eyesight? Is it as good as their other senses? Or are they …
Sleeping and resting is the second-most important daily activity in a sea otter’s life, next to foraging and followed by grooming. Sea otters specifically spend 40 to 49% of their daily lives snoozing off and building up energy so they can feed and groom themselves effectively afterward. Biologists routinely observe the resting behavior of sea …
The American beaver ( Castor Canadensis) is known to be a pure herbivore; chomping on trees, twigs, and leaves. A lot is known about the beaver’s feeding behavior but its drinking behavior is less talked about. As an animal living and doing its daily chores on bodies of water, does the beaver drink from the …
The elk or wapiti (Cervus Canadensis) is one of the largest terrestrial mammals in North America and eastern Asia and the most highly evolved Old World deer. In the Cervidae family, this majestic creature stands second only to the moose, reaching a shoulder height of up to 5 feet and a weight of up to …
Red wolves are native to the southeastern United States. They are recognizable by their reddish, tawny, majestic coats and by their black-tipped floofy tails. When red wolf pups are born, they are blind and utterly helpless. To keep them safe and give them the time to grow bigger and stronger, they are kept in dens …
Groundhogs, Prairie Dogs, and Gophers are often confused with one another because of the similarity in their appearance and digging behavior. Even though they have highly similar features, distinguishing one from another is definitely possible. Let’s investigate the characteristics that set these animals apart from one another! Are Groundhogs, Prairie Dogs, and Gophers Related? Groundhogs, …
Before we can compare the two species, we must first figure out what a mountain lion is and what is a panther – a seemingly simple question that is anything but. Mountain lions are large, tan cats that live in North and South America. However, they are also sometimes referred to as cougars or pumas. …
There are several species of opossums in the Americas, but the United States and Canada are home only to the Virginia opossum (scientific name Didelphis virginiana), sometimes called the North American Opossum. Confusingly, they are commonly referred to as “possums,” which also happens to be the name of a completely different animal that lives in …
The American beaver (Castor canadensis) is a semi-aquatic animal that belongs to the Rodentia family. This mammal is an excellent swimmer and thrives in freshwater habitats with lots of vegetation at the water’s edge. As common as the beaver’s types of habitats are, one might wonder if the rodent is as common a sight as …
A sea otter, Enhydra lutris, is one of the most distinctive marine mammals living exclusively in cold coastal waters. These animals can weigh as much as 100 pounds while measuring up to 5 feet in length. You might mistake them for corks or blobs bobbing along the water surface where kelp forests thrive. You’ll quickly …
In the animal kingdom, feces (commonly known as poop) serve many purposes aside from being a “stinky” solid bodily waste. Most animals use it as a form of territorial marker, for communication, for setting boundaries, and even as food! Isn’t that interesting? Speaking of poop, in this article, we will talk about the pooping behavior …
People tend to confuse groundhogs and muskrats with one another because, let’s face it: at first glance, they do look so much alike. For non-experts, it is hard to tell, especially if you are looking at them from a distance, but don’t worry you are not alone. What’s The Difference Between A Groundhog And A …
Bobcats, like most cats, are not big fans of water and swimming but they do frequent bodies of water like streams, lakes, ponds, and rivers to hydrate. Water is part of their daily interaction with nature so it is never far away, bobcats are always around water. Bobcats drink water at least once a day, …
Bobcats, also called red lynx, are elusive and nocturnal medium-sized cats native to North America. They have buff to brown fur, facial ruffs, and bobbed tails, from which their name was derived. But more than these characteristics, bobcats are also best known for their tufted ears, which are very important to the bobcat when hunting …
Beavers are some of North America’s most unique animals, not only because of their intelligence and behavior but also because of their appearance. What sets these little guys apart, aside from their large teeth, are their unusual-looking tails. Beaver tails don’t just look cool; they are also handy tools critical for survival. Just as their …
Sea otters get their food, give birth, groom, play, and rest entirely in the ocean. So even though they can get out of the water and awkwardly walk on land to rest or seek shelter in a storm, sea otters spend most of their lives at sea. Moreover, sea otters live in chilly waters that …
North America is home to an incredibly diverse number of animals and plants that have coexisted with people for thousands of years. Yet, things have been rapidly changing for the past few centuries as more habitats are being destroyed, pushing these once-plentiful animals towards extinction. Thankfully it doesn’t always have to end this way. One …
Arguably two of the most underrated creatures roaming around North America, muskrats and opossums are often mistaken for one another. So what’s the difference? Quite a bit, as it turns out. Though they may look somewhat similar, muskrats and opossums have very different characteristics that set them apart. In this post, we’ll take a closer …
Talking about the beaver’s poop sounds somewhat stinky but it is a very interesting topic. The North American beaver (Castor Canadensis) is a pure herbivore. Its favorite foods are tree bark, roots, and leaves of plants found in the wetlands. With all of these fibers and plants, you can probably already imagine what beaver droppings …
Bobcats are solitary and territorial animals that normally sleep alone in their dens, separate from others of their species. As resilient and adaptable creatures, they are able to align their sleeping patterns with their hunting strategies and the changing seasons, maximizing their survivability in harsh conditions. But, like most cat species, bobcats highly value their …
At first glance, you might think you see double – but you aren’t! One animal in front of you is a bison, and one in front of you is a cow. Why do they look so similar, and how can you tell them apart? There are a wide variety of cows, but only two living …
Hedgehogs are small mammals with cone-shaped faces, porcupine-like quills, and short legs. These spiny animals are known for their elusive behavior in the wild. Because they are solitary animals and usually avoid people, seeing one resting in the wild is quite rare. Let’s learn more about their sleeping behavior and how these cute creatures rest …
Sea otters are the only fully aquatic otter species and the only living members of the Enhydra genus. They are arguably the cutest shallow coastal water dwellers in the animal world – scientifically speaking, of course, ahem. These adorable marine mammals are diurnal. They forage for their food before sunrise and go for another round …
Some people eat to live, others live to eat. Whether the Bison is in it for enjoyment or not is unclear, but one thing is certain. It eats a lot, and it spends almost all of its time doing so! Since eating takes up such a huge part of their life, it is what shapes …
Bobcats are solitary mottle-furred animals that heavily guard their territories. They choose far-ranging wildlands as their home and require a ton of personal space far from their own kind and even predators. The behavior and nature of these cats make them seem immune to imminent danger. Yet as any member of the animal kingdom, these …
The Cervus Canadensis, or simply elk, are generally regarded as large and majestic animals. Originally known to the Shawnee and Cree as wapiti, the elk is one of the biggest deer species on earth. In some Native American cultures, elk are revered as creatures of spiritual significance and held in high esteem. They are truly …
In North America, you can find many fascinating creatures in the wilderness, but few of them are as iconic as the bison and moose. Bison are some of the unique animals here, and the moose is one of the continent’s largest and most prominent creatures. But while they might seem different, both animals also have …
Sea otters are one of the biggest members of the weasel or Mustelidae family, but one of the smallest among marine mammals. They are native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. They are also extremely fluffy with over 1 million hairs per square inch (for your reference, we generally have …
Beavers are the construction workers of the animal world. They spend most waking hours building dams and lodges in ponds and rivers. But unlike humans, they don’t use tools to make their tasks easier. That sounds like hard work, right? And this is why you might wonder: As hard workers, how much do beavers actually …
Gophers are furry rodents most frequently found in North and Central America. Even though considered pests, they are a crucial part of the ecosystem as they incorporate plant and fecal materials into the soil, improving its fertility. These tiny rodents are known for their digging behavior. They spend most of their time underground and hardly …
Pocket gophers, or simply gophers, are quite different compared to other mammals when it comes to their adaptive behaviors during the winter season. These burrowing rodents from the Geomyidae family are a very resilient bunch. Gophers are quite the “busybodies” due to the fact that they are very active all throughout the year. No heat …
Habitat and Geography of Gophers Gophers are small furry rodents that dig, burrow, and live in a variety of underground habitats. Pocket gophers, or rodents of the family “Geomyidae”, are burrowing (fossorial) rodents endemic to North and Central America and can be found in a majority of the Western Hemisphere. There are a total of …
The American badger (Taxida taxus) and the raccoon (genus: Procyon) are two mammals that are unrelated to each other but they’re roughly the same size, eat many of the same things, and look somewhat similar, are active at night, and live in the same region. They have a lot of things in common but have …
Gophers are burrowing rodents known for tunneling through the ground. They’re found throughout North America in the wild and, probably, in your gardens. While you likely know that gophers love to dig underground, you may also want to know what gophers eat. Since they spend most of their time underground, gophers mostly eat the thick, …
One of the most distinct characteristics of a bobcat is its physical appearance. Their appearance makes them easily distinguishable as a member of the Felidae family. Aside from that, the bobcat’s fluffy coat makes it feel warm in cold seasons and protected during the scorching summer heat. Meanwhile, its whiskers guide the bobcat through the …
Amongst the 12 porcupine species, the North American porcupine is the most common in the New World porcupine family. This had led people to wonder about what they eat. North American porcupines eat vegetation, such as vegetables, roots, bark, grass, fruits, and more. While some have been spotted gnawing on animal bones, they are mostly …
Elks are some of nature’s most beautiful animals. They are tall, graceful, and very strong, but also intriguing. Many people don’t realize it, but they share quite a few similarities with us. Like us, elk are great at adapting to their environment. While they can’t change their physical characteristics, elks can adjust their behavior to …
Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are known to be shy, elusive, and very secretive in nature. Their looks are similar to that of a house cat, albeit them being much larger. However, don’t be fooled by these descriptions. These felines are highly ferocious and are very powerful predators. The bobcat’s teeth and bite are the stuff of …
Raccoons are known as scavengers, and you will most likely see them scavenging trashcans across Europe and America – especially around the latter since they are native there. With this, they often cross paths with cats who are also searching for scraps. Even though raccoons do not see cats as prey and vice-versa, they still …
Do Porcupines See Well? The North American Porcupine is one of the species that belong to the New World porcupines. These are porcupines that are located in North and South America. This porcupine is the largest among its species and can be found in Mexico, the United States, and Canada. It is a tree-dwelling rodent …
The North American elk, or wapiti, has hooves that have distinct characteristics and make them unique compared to other mammal species. Having said that, let’s focus on the elk’s feet and hooves. For sure there are questions you have in mind that need to be answered. What makes the elk’s hooves different from the hooves …
The mountain lion is a large, wild cat species indigenous to North, Central, and South America. They are not only known for having a lot of names but also for their well-adapted skills of capturing their prey. Mother mountain lions are known to use these skills to protect and hunt food for their young. They …
The mountain lion goes by many names like the cougar, catamount, or panther, but whatever name we choose to call this amazing animal, it remains a unique feline because of its special physical features and skill set. Just like the other species of small cats, the mountain lion is built to be an exceptional hunter. …