trappers, who accused it of stealing from 

 traps, tearing up cabins, and generally out- 

 witting them. However, the animal is rare 

 in Montana today. It eats carrion and a 

 wide range of prey from mice to porcu- 

 pines, beavers, and birds. The young are 

 born in a snow cave during the winter. 



The otter lives along mountain lakes and 

 streams, where it leads a fairly carefree 

 life, swimming, fishing, and building 

 mudslides. Its webbed feet, supple body, 

 and heavy, flattened tail give it speed and 

 maneuverability as it pursues fish, cray- 

 fish, and muskrats. The otter enjoys play- 

 ing with its family, especially sliding down 

 an incline, winter or summer, and ending in 

 a watery splash. 



Rats, Mice, and 

 Other Small Critters 



Without these little mammals most of 

 the larger predators would often go hun- 

 gry. They are the beginning of the carni- 

 vores' food chain, turning grasses, seeds, 

 and other plant materials into protein. 

 Many species of mice and rats inhabit 

 Montana's plains, foothills, and moun- 

 tains. 



Among the most interesting rodents are 

 the packrats, or trade rats, who get their 

 name from their habit of taking shiny ob- 

 jects from cabins and campsites and re- 

 placing them with twigs or other objects of 

 little value to humans. Their nests of 

 leaves and sticks are sometimes found in 

 old mine mills and other deserted build- 

 ings. Unlike most rats, they have a fluffy 

 tail; their ears are large and rounded, and 

 their fur is a silvery gray. 



Deer mice are probably the most com- 

 mon and widely-distributed of the smcill ro- 

 dents. They eat vegetation and insects, and 

 are in turn pounced on by coyotes, owls, 

 weasels, and other meat-eaters. 



Similar in appearance to the mice, but 

 not related to them, the energetic shrew 

 (family Soricidae) eats many times its 

 small weight in a week's time. Insects, 

 worms, and grubs make up its diet; it some- 

 times kills mice as well as other shrews. 

 One type of shrew is the smallest mammal 

 known. 



Kangaroo rats [Dipodomys ordii) have 

 powerful hind legs, and a long tail for bal- 

 ancing. When frightened they can leap an 

 amazing distance— up to 8 feet. They like 

 to live in sandy areas near water, probably 

 because of the plants available there. Al- 

 though very tiny, they hibernate, and are 

 active only during the summer months. 



Raccoons (Procyon lotor], native to east- 

 ern Montana, are now fairly common 

 throughout the state. They are as clever as 

 their bright-eyed, masked faces make 

 them appear. Their long, slender paws and 

 sharp claws make them adept at catching 

 crayfish, frogs, and small fish. They also 

 eat berries, nuts, and fruit, and will not 

 hesitate to invade a farmer's cornfield. 



Favorite habitat for the raccoon is a river 

 or stream with marshlands close by. They 

 may den high in a hollow tree, and have 3 

 or 4 young in a litter each year. The rac- 

 coon swims and climbs with equal ease, 

 but suspends its activity and hibernates in 

 the cold months. 



Raccoon 



Montana Dcpartmrnt nf Fish, WildliTr & Parks 



