Marsupials |
|
Virginia
Opossum (Didelphis virginiana). The Indians called
him “opassom,” the French explorers “rat de bois”—rat
of the woods. This animal with a ghost-like face has a long nose, a
rat-like tail, and is grayish-white in color. It is mostly nocturnal,
feeding on insects, frogs, nuts and berries. Opossum can sometimes be
seen in the daytime around the picnic areas. |
Armadillos |
|
Nine-banded
Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). A "little fellow
in armor" to the Spanish, this animal may not look like a mammal,
but it is. Armadillos are expanding their range from the tropics. They
are most commonly seen nosing for insects along the tour road and trails
in the late afternoon and evening. |
Shrews
& Moles |
|
Elliot's
Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina hylophaga). A seldom-seen
forager of live oak mottes, known to eat its weight in insects in
one day. The Refuge's subspecies of Elliot's short-tailed shrew has
been found only at Aransas. |
|
Least Shrew
(Cryptotis parva). The smallest mammal at Aransas, this tiny
shrew inhabits the brushlands and meadows. First reported in 1972, but
is actually quite common. |
|
Eastern
Mole (Scalopus aquaticus). A winding ridge of earth
along the ground surface marks the passage of this burrower of the higher
sandier soils. |
Bats |
|
Eastern
Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis). A seldom-seen brick-red
bat that migrates through the Refuge. It flies quite low and may gather
part of its food (insects) from the ground. |
|
Silver-haired
Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans). Found near the
headquarters in September, 1978, this bat occurs in the area during
migration. |
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Eastern
Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus). Although not
recorded specifically for the Refuge, this small bat is probably a
resident. It may inhabit wooded areas near water and is common in
this part of the state. Look for a bat with a slow, erratic flight. |
|
Brazilian
Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana). This
chocolate-brown bat is a common migrant in spring and fall. The free-tails
are high-flying bats with long, angular wings and rapid wingbeats. A dead
bat was discovered in the Refuge Manager's quarters in 2005. |
|
Big
Free-tailed Bat (Nyctinomops macrotis). Although
uncommon to this area, this bat was sighted at the Refuge in 1974. |
Canines |
|
Coyote
(Canis latrans). A species found throughout the Refuge, but
seen infrequently because of its nocturnal habits. Listen for the
yipping chorus in the evening. |
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Gray
Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). This species, first
sighted on the Refuge in 1956, remains a seldom-seen bushy-tailed
phantom of the night. |
Raccoons
& Relatives |
|
Ringtail
(Bassariscus astutus). This nocturnal cat-sized carnivore
has the face of a fox and the tail of a raccoon. In 2003, this species
was first documented on the Refuge. This documentation also represents
the only record of this species for Aransas County. |
|
Northern
Raccoon (Procyon lotor). The common, masked prowler
of the Refuge, whose tracks are often found in muddy or wet, sandy
areas. Can often be observed around the main picnic area. Remember,
feeding these or any other wildlife at Aransas is prohibited. |
Weasels
and Skunks |
|
Long-tailed
Weasel (Mustela frenata). A small, brown and white
weasel that has only been reported in 1972, 1985, and 2004. |
|
American
Mink (Mustela vison). A brown, cat-sized weasel that
was seen in 1968 and 1971 on Thomas Slough. Otherwise, very rare at Aransas. |
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American
Badger (Taxidea taxus). A two-foot long, short-legged,
stocky, gray mammal with a black and white face. Formerly common on
the Refuge, it is doubtful that any more badgers occur at Aransas.
They do, however, occur fairly commonly on Matagorda Island. Badgers
are more suited to upland, drier habitats. |
|
Eastern
Spotted Skunk (Spilogale putorius). A small skunk
with white spots on its neck, back, and sides. It is rarely seen on
the Refuge, but occasionally occurs around area farms and ranches.
It feeds on rats, mice, insects, eggs, and berries. |
|
Striped
Skunk (Mephitis mephitis). The “enfant du diable”—child
of the devil—to the French and anyone who’s ever been sprayed
by one, this common night prowler has two large white stripes running
from head to tail. Its food habits are similar to those of the spotted
skunk. |
|
Hog-nosed
Skunk (Conepatus leuconotus). A rare skunk on the
Refuge with an all-white cap, back, and tail. The last two sightings
at Aransas were in 1972 and 1973. |
Felines |
|
Mountain
Lion (Puma concolor). A species with infrequent sight
records at Aransas but with no recent documentation by specimen or photo.
Its status is considered a casual vagrant. See description under Bobcat. |
|
Jaguarundi
(Herpailurus yagouaroudi). Several sight records at Aransas
exist for this unusual and endangered species. However, since no specimen
or photo documentation exists for the Refuge, and because its range
is mostly tropical, its status is hypothetical. See description under
Bobcat below. |
|
Bobcat
(Lynx rufus). At Aransas, visitors see cats on less than 5
percent of their visits, and the vast majority of these sightings are
of bobcats. Bobcats show quite a bit of variation in both size and coloration.
Some may show very prominent spots, while others may appear almost solid
brown. And the tail, which some observers may expect to be a short stub,
can actually reach a length of 7 inches.
The bobcat differs
from the above two cat species by the tail and body proportion, and
by overall size. The bobcat’s tail is quite short and does not
even come close to touching the ground when the animal stands (it does,
however, “swish” like a regular tail). The other two cats
have tails that easily reach the ground. In size, the jaguarundi is
about ½ size larger than a regular house cat, the bobcat similar
to a medium-sized dog, and the mountain lion the size of a large dog.
The bobcat is the only one of the three with pointed, tufted ears.
All of these
identification tips should be used together to help determine which
cat you are observing. Many observations, however, are of very short
duration. Make your cat identification with care, and keep in mind
that feral house cats also occur occasionally at Aransas. Report
any sightings of cats, especially of mountain lion and jaguarundi,
to the Refuge staff. |
Whales,
Porpoises, and Dolphins
The following species of Whales, Porpoises, and Dolphins have
been found stranded alive and dead on Matagorda Island: |
|
Pygmy Sperm
Whale (Kogia breviceps). These whales are found in waters
world-wide. This species of whale has been found stranded on Matagorda
Island. |
|
Dwarf Sperm
Whale (Kogia sima). Similar in appearance to the
pygmy sperm whale, this species has also been found stranded on Matagorda. |
|
Cuveier's
Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris). This whale at first
glance looks like a large dolphin with its beak protruding in front of
the eye. This species was found stranded on Matagorda Island in 2004. |
|
Pygmy Killer
Whale (Feresa attenuate). Found in deep tropical, subtropical,
and warm temperatures of the world. |
|
Melon-headed
Whale (Peponocephala electra). Found world-wide
in tropical and subropical waters, this species travels in groups
of 100 -1,000. |
|
Risso's
Dolphin (Grampus griseus). Found world-wide in warm
temperature and tropical waters, they are uncommon in the Gulf of Mexico.
This medium-sized dolphin averages 3 meters in length. |
|
Bottle-nosed
Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). A common gulf dolphin
often seen swimming in the bays and waterways. Often follows boat wakes.
Most common species found stranded on Matagorda Island. |
|
Clymene
Dolphin (Stenella clymene). Also known as the short-snouted
spinner dolphin, this species is found only in the tropical and subtropical
waters of the Atlantic Ocean. |
Hoofed
Mammals |
|
Wild
Boar or Feral Pig* (Sus scrofa). These common Refuge
mammals are a cross between domestic hogs and imported wild boar.
Already a wild population when Aransas was established in 1937, the
hogs have become common throughout the Refuge, despite large-scale
efforts to remove them in the past. Feral hogs can be identified by
large black or black and white bodies, big ears, and straight tails. |
|
Javelina
or Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu).
This is a hog-like animal with a pepper-gray coat, a whitish-gray collar,
small ears and no visible tail. The javelina can be seen, often in groups
of 4 to 12, at various places along the tour road, and occasionally at
the picnic area. |
|
White-tailed
Deer (Odocoileus virginianus). An abundant species
throughout the Refuge. Fawns appear in late April and most of May,
often twins. Antlers lose velvet by late summer, and stay on the
bucks well through the winter.
In past years,
thousands of deer were live-trapped here by the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department for restocking other parts of the state. |
Rodents |
|
Mexican
Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus mexicanus). This brown
ground squirrel, with nine lines of light, buffy spots on its back,
has not been seen on the Refuge since 1968. |
|
Eastern
Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger). The only tree-climbing
squirrel at Aransas, the fox squirrel is often seen searching the large
live oak stands looking for its favorite food: acorns. The color of this
squirrel is grayish-orange above and an attractive yellowish-orange below.
|
|
Attwater's
Pocket Gopher (Geomys attwateri). Gophers tunnel under-ground
after roots and tubers, but come to the surface to deposit their diggings
and to collect acorns and berries. The result of this surfacing by the
gophers are numerous mounds of brown dirt that visitors see along the
tour route. |
|
Hispid Pocket
Mouse (Chaetodiphus hispidus). A seldom-seen mouse of
disturbed areas, this pocket mouse comes out at night to fill its fur-lined
cheek pouches with seeds and insects. |
|
Marsh Rice
Rat (Oryzomys palustris). This is a brown, nocturnal,
semi-aquatic rodent of the wet lowlands. Common, but seldom seen. |
|
Fulvous
Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys fulvescens). A rusty-sided,
grassland mouse which nests in burrows and old bird nests as well as in
brush and grass. |
|
White-footed
Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). A common, big-eared, long-tailed,
brown and white mouse of fields and brushlands. Common food preferences
are seeds and acorns. |
|
Deer
Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus). Hypothetically,
this mouse should occur on the Refuge, although it has not been recorded.
Closely resembling the white-footed mouse in general appearance, the
deer mouse can be told by its sharply bicolored tail, white beneath
and dark above. |
|
Northern
Pygmy Mouse (Baiomys taylori). This tiny mouse looks
like a young house mouse but has a pale lower side to its tail. Common,
but fond of dense cover and seldom seen. |
|
Hispid Cotton
Rat (Sigmodon hispidus). A common, brown rat whose maze
of runways can be found in areas of lodged bluestem, cordgrass, and sedges. |
|
Southern
Plains Woodrat (Neotoma micropus). An uncommon, steel-gray
rat of the brush, whose favorite foods include acorns, mesquite beans,
and cactus pads and fruits. Often constructs large nests which are easily
visible by the amount of sticks and other debris collected to construct
them. This practice, along with their affinity for bright man-made objects
(such as coins, jewelry, foil, and pieces of trash), have earned them
the oft-used name “packrats.” |
|
Norway Rat*
(Rattus norvegicus). Like the black rat, this species is also
found in close association with man. |
|
Roof Rat*
(Rattus rattus). Sometimes called the “roof rat,”
this large black or brown rat with an extremely long tail is found in
close association with man, usually in buildings. |
|
House Mouse*
(Mus musculus). A small, gray mouse found in and around human
habitation. The hairless tail is a good way to identify this species.
|
|
Nutria*
(Myocaster coypus). A large, brown rodent that looks like an
oversized, large-headed muskrat. Mostly aquatic, it has become a pest
along the gulf coast since its introduction from South America. Infrequently
occurs on Matagorda Island and rare on mainland. |
Rabbits
and Hares |
|
Swamp Rabbit
(Sylvilagus aquaticus). This rabbit prefers wet, lowland areas,
including in and around bays. Distinguishing this rabbit from the cottontail
is not always easy, but swamp rabbits are larger and darker, with less
contrast between the brown back and the reddish-brown on the back of the
neck (a contrast which is quite pronounced in the cottontail). One good
field mark is the top of the hind feet (if you can see them): on the cottontail
the tops of the feet are light tan, whereas on the swamp rabbit they are
reddish-brown. |
|
Eastern
Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus). A brown coat and
a cottonball tail characterize this rabbit of the higher brushlands. Common
at time, its numbers are regulated by cycles and weather. |
|
Black-tailed
Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus). Once common at
Aransas, most, if not all, of the population of this large hare has
disappeared from the Refuge. Aside from strays which may reach the
Refuge on occasion, the jackrabbit can sometimes be seen around area
ranches and farms. Common on Matagorda Island at the headquarters
area, more rare in dunes. |
Although a positive
sighting or identification has not happened, the following list of species
could possibly occur on refuge land due to recent land acquisitons. |
|
|
Shrews
and Moles |
|
Desert Shrew
( Notiosorex crawfordi) |
Bats |
|
Hoary Bat
(Lasiurus cinereus) |
|
Southern
Yellow Bat (Lasiurus ega) |
|
Northern
Yellow Bat (Lasiurus intermedius) |
|
Big Brown
Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) |
|
Evening
Bat (Nycticeius humeralis) |
Canines |
|
Red Wolf
(Canis rufus). Extirpated, the refuge exists in its historical
range. |
|
Red Fox*
(Vulpes vulpes) |
Raccoons
and Relatives |
|
White-nosed
Coati (Nasua narica) |
Weasels
and Skunks |
|
Northern
River Otter (Lontra canadensis) |
Felines |
|
Ocelot
(Leopardus pardalis). Extirpated, the refuge exists in its historical
range. |
Whales,
Porpoises, and Dolphins
The species of
whales, porpoises, and dolphins that follow may be found off the Coast
of Matagorda Island. |
|
Northern
Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis) |
|
Minke Whale
(Balaenoptera acutorostrata) |
|
Sei Whale
(Balaenoptera borealis) |
|
Bryde's
Whale (Balaenoptera edeni) |
|
Blue Whale
(Balaenoptera musculus) |
|
Fin Whale
(Balaenoptera physalus) |
|
Humpback
Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) |
|
Sperm Whale
(Physeter macrocephalus) |
|
Blainville's
Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) |
|
Gervais'
Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon europaeus) |
|
Killer Whale
(Orcinus orca) |
|
Short-finned
Pilot Whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) |
|
False Killer
Whale (Pseudorca crassidens) |
|
Rough-toothed
Dolphin (Steno bredanensis) |
|
Pantropical
Spotted Dolphin (Stenella attenuata) |
|
Striped
Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) |
|
Atlantic
Spotted Dolphin (Stenella frontalis) |
|
Spinner
Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) |
|
Fraser's
Dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) |
Manatees |
|
West Indian
Manatee (Trichechus manatus) |
Hoofed
Mammals |
|
Axix Deer*
(Cervus axis). A possible sighting was made by refuge staff of
a single individual in 2004. No other observations were made since. |
Rodents |
|
Spotted
Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus spilosoma) |
|
Thirteen-lined
Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus) |
|
Eastern
Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinesis) |
|
Merriam's
Pocket Mouse (Perognathus merriami) |
|
Gulf Coast
Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys compactus) |
|
American
Beaver (Castor canadensis) |
|
Northern
Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys leucogaster) |
|
Eastern
Woodrat (Neotoma floridana) |