Order CARNIVORA 85 



Distribution. — The southeastern big-eared bat is known in 

 Illinois only from Wabash and Alexander counties; it is evi- 

 dently rare in this state. The range of this bat extends from 

 southern Virginia and western West V^irginia westward through 

 southern Indiana and southern Illinois and southward as far as 

 southern Louisiana and central Florida, fig. 50. 



ORDER CARNIVORA 

 Carnivores or Flesh Eaters 



The name Carnivora means flesh eaters. Members of the 

 order are usually referred to as carnivores. Most of them are 

 known as predators because they kill and eat other animals. 

 Domestic dogs and cats belong to this order, as do bears, 

 weasels, otters, skunks, raccoons, and several other wild animals. 



Many of the carnivores are large animals which have van- 

 ished from densely populated areas such as Illinois and occur 

 now only in wilder and more sparsely settled parts of the coun- 

 try. The black bear, the timber wolf, the red wolf, and the 

 mountain lion are among those which once roamed this state but 

 no longer live here. The known distribution in the United States 

 of the least weasel and the badger, two carnivores having a lim- 

 ited range in Illinois, is shown in fig. 59. 



Domestic dogs and cats are extremely similar in skeletal 

 characters to their wild relatives. For this reason they are in- 

 cluded in the identification keys prepared for this order. 



Economic Status. — Wild animals of the order Carnivora are 

 probably second only to those of the order Rodentia from the 

 standpoint of economic importance in Illinois. Several carnivores 

 are important as sources of fur. The annual income from the 

 mink, for example, ranks second to that from the muskrat, one of 

 the rodents. Between 1936 and 1949 the yearly intake from 

 minks averaged about 35,000 pelts, and, at currently prevailing 

 prices, these pelts would have a value of almost half a million 

 dollars. The furs of other carnivores, such as raccoons, skunks, 

 badgers, and red foxes, are of little value currently, but they 

 have been valuable in the past and they may be again when 

 fashion demands long-haired furs. 



Because of their predation on rodents and rabbits, weasels, 

 minks, badgers, and foxes are undoubtedly of great monetary 

 value to the Illinois farmer. Skunks consume enormous quan- 



