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By Rick Latshaw Each year in the world of natural resources, life “springs” anew. After a long, harsh winter, the warming rays of spring sunshine trigger the annual renewal of the miracle of life. During this wondrous time to be enjoying the outdoors, an observant student of nature can bear witness to this cycle. But remember this rule - young wildlife should be observed and not disturbed.
Spotted – not necessarily seen Newborn fawns are very good at remaining well hidden. Their spotted coat gives them excellent camouflage, said to mimic dappled sunlight on the forest floor, and they are reported to be almost scent free. Hence, their main defense against predation is to remain curled up and motionless in the cover of vegetation. Well-meaning wildlife enthusiasts occasionally happen upon a fawn alone in the woods and assume that it has been abandoned. Usually this is an incorrect assumption. The doe will visit the fawn for short periods throughout the day to nurse and then leave it hidden in the brush and vegetation so that her scent doesn’t attract predators. Fawns are more commonly observed in mid-summer when they start venturing into fields at dusk with their mothers. At this time they are at least partially weaned, able to feed, and move with the doe to avoid predators. If approached by a perceived predator, a fawn will instinctively lie on the ground and remain motionless. Often they can be approached to within inches and their only movement will be from blinking and respiration. Although the doe may be a few hundred yards away, the fawn will appear to be alone. But like all good mothers, the doe knows just where to find the fawn at feeding time. So if you should encounter a fawn by itself, the quicker they are left alone, the better off they will be.
It bears repeating… Bears typically breed in midsummer, with an average of three cubs being born in February while the sow is in the den. Although there is a seven to eight month gestation period, fetal development occurs only during the last six to eight weeks. This is the result of a biological phenomenon known as delayed implantation, where the egg is fertilized but the embryo remains dormant until winter when it implants and begins to develop. When born, the cubs are small, blind, hairless and helpless, weighing only about eight to ten ounces. It is believed that newborns are instinctively attracted to heat given off by the mother’s mammaries, and are able to suckle and find nourishment without much help from the sleepy sow. The rich milk makes the cubs grow rapidly and by the end of March they will weigh eight to ten pounds. By the time the cubs roll out of their den, following the sow as she forages, they weigh 15 pounds or more. Cubs usually stay with the mother through the first summer, learning to forage and avoid predators such as male bears and automobiles. They will usually den near the sow their first winter, and be sent on their merry way when she gets ready to breed again. Although reproduction occurs only every other year, good nutrition in western Maryland yields some of the largest average litters in the black bear’s range, with three cubs being most common, and four or five born on occasion.
Bag o’ Babies The opossum mates throughout the year from December through October, but most often February through June. They can have up to three litters per year if nutrition is adequate. Young are born about 12 days after mating, one of the shortest gestation periods of any wildlife species. With such a short gestation, the young are quite underdeveloped, not much more than embryos, hairless and about the size of a honeybee. An entire litter of eight to ten young can fit in a tablespoon. The young must find their way to the mother’s pouch where they will find nourishment, warmth and protection. They remain in the pouch for two to three months and when they can no longer fit, hitch a ride on the mother’s back as she forages. A hands-off policy is recommended, as mamma opossum can be mighty protective. The young are weaned by three months of age and usually on their own at five months. Largely nocturnal, the opossum is the epitome of the term “opportunistic feeder.” They will eat things that even a goat -- well known for their tendency to eat just about anything, including tin cans - would find offensive. They are scavengers of the first order, relishing the contents of bird nests (eggs and young), carrion, fruit, and anything they can find in the trash. And they are able to chew extremely well with their 52 teeth, the most of any North American mammal. This unique dentition becomes more apparent if, after ignoring “hands-off” advice, you should happen to get bitten by one or two of them.
Toms in a tizzy Adult turkey hens will lay one egg per day until the entire clutch of 10-12 eggs is ready for incubation. Although one mating is enough to fertilize the whole clutch of eggs, the hen often breeds with the gobbler each day before leaving the flock to find her secluded nesting site. One explanation for this behavior may be that simply she likes it. When the clutch is complete, the hen devotes more and more time to the task of incubating, a process that takes roughly 28 days. Wild turkey babies - known as poults - are precocious and follow the hen almost immediately. The young instinctively peck at movement thereby catching insects that afford the high protein needed for growth and development. Poults are able to fly short distances within a few weeks and by late summer have plumage that is largely indiscernible from that of the adults. If startled, poults can be seen running or flying clumsily behind their mother, seeking cover in the tall grass. An eager observer’s inclination to chase or try to catch a young turkey is ill advised. Harassing the poults could separate them from the safety of their mother’s side and make them more vulnerable to predation. A multitude of wildlife species can be found renewing the cycle of life each spring. These are just a few that the watchful observer might find if they are patient enough as they traverse the woodlands and fields. As you shake off the winter’s cabin fever, keep the field glasses handy and remember: Observe - don’t disturb!
The Facts on Fishers The fisher is actually a member of the mustelidae or weasel family. They most closely resemble their smaller northern cousin, the pine marten, in appearance. The only larger mustelids are the otter, also found in Maryland, and the wolverine, found in Alaska and the Northern Rocky Mountains. Male fishers weigh about 12 to 14 pounds with females averaging eight to ten pounds. They have one of the largest home ranges for an animal their size, roughly 10 square miles, with some males traversing as much as 25 square miles. It is a “big woods” species, meaning that its preferred habitats are large areas of contiguous, mature forests. They typically hunt small mammals and birds on the ground, but can climb trees very well. Their breeding season occurs during late March and early April, with implantation and fetal development occurring 10 to 11 months later. Another delayed implementation species, development begins about 30 days before birth, when an average of three to five kits are born. Breeding occurs again in about ten days, if the female is in good condition. Fishers are more common farther north where they are best known as one of the few species that consistently preys upon porcupines. In western Maryland, the most common prey species are rabbits, mice, small birds, feral cats and squirrels. It is interesting to note that fishers in Maryland are the result of natural expansion of a small population that was trans-located to West Virginia from New Hampshire in 1969. Additional releases have been completed in northern Pennsylvania in the last decade, but Maryland fishers are likely descendants of the West Virginia stocking. They are found primarily in Garrett County and western Allegany County. Though difficult to observe, one can readily find tracks of fishers in the snow. Like many other members of mustelidae, they have a signature gait and tracks, tending to bound along, their footprints side-by-side, front and rear feet paired together. Any good field guide to animal tracks should be helpful in identifying them. Be sure to bring it along on your next winter trip to the big woods of western Maryland.
Rick Latshaw...
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Keep this in mind if ever you should encounter young white-tailed deer, our most common and observable large mammal species. Deer typically breed in mid- to late November, and fawns are born in late May or early June. Twins are most common, with singles and triplets occurring occasionally. White-tailed fawns typically weigh from four to eight pounds when born, but gain weight quickly, doubling their weight within two weeks and tripling it within the first month.
The black bear is another high profile western Maryland mammal that gets lots of attention when sighted in the spring. While cubs can be fascinating to watch, their delinquent antics wrestling and worrying their mother quite entertaining, it should go without saying that they are to be viewed only from a safe distance and certainly not be disturbed.
Life springs anew in the avian world as well. Maryland’s largest bird, the wild turkey, is another springtime favorite. The gobbling of the male, or tom, as he seeks to attract a harem of hens is a loud proclamation that winter is over. The wild turkey can be heard in all Maryland counties, from March through June as the breeding season occurs. Most breeding takes place in late March and early April, but can be delayed for a number of reasons such as the failure of the first nesting attempt. A hen may re-nest two or three times if nests are destroyed before incubation occurs.
There are many species of wildlife found in Maryland that even the most observant enthusiast would be hard pressed to find. One of Maryland’s least known wildlife species is the fisher - a misnomer as this animal doesn’t fish or have any fish-related qualities.