Mammals of Mount Rainier National ParkPotts, Merlin K.
History
Mammals of Mount Rainier National Park
Potts, Merlin K.
Mammals -- Washington (State) -- Mount Rainier National Park
This vociferous, restless bundle of energy is seen and heard by almost
every park visitor, bounding across the highway or trail, or scampering
madly up a nearby tree, to peer around the trunk or perch upon limb just
out of reach where it scolds and chatters vehemently at all intruders.
Unlike the flying squirrel, the chickaree is abroad throughout the
daylight hours, busy, inquisitive, obviously and usually noisily,
resentful of interference with what it considers its own affairs. Only
in the spring is this squirrel somewhat subdued, probably because of the
youngsters tucked away in a nearby nest in some tree hollow. The young
do not venture into the world until more than half grown, when they take
their places in the regular routine of family activities.
Because the Douglas squirrel does not hibernate, it gathers the cones of
most of the coniferous trees, as well as the winged seeds of the vine
maple and even mushrooms to furnish food over the lean winter months.
The late summer and early fall is a busy time for this industrious
fellow. The swish and thump of falling cones is a common sound through
the woods when the harvest is in progress. A number of cones are neatly
clipped from the tree tops, then the worker descends the tree to gather
and store them in a hollow stump, beneath a log or the roots of a tree,
or even in a hastily excavated hole in the forest floor. Interrupt this
activity by secreting a few of the fallen cones, and the imprecations
called down upon your head would scorch the printed page if they could
be translated into human speech.
Although preyed upon by winged and four-footed predators alike, the
chickaree holds its own very well, probably because this fellow is
seldom caught napping, certainly not because of shy and retiring habits,
since the “chatterer” is one of the most conspicuous and interesting of
our woodland creatures.
CASCADE FLYING SQUIRREL
_Glaucomys sabrinus fuliginosus_ (Rhoads)
A medium-sized, arboreal squirrel; dark-brown above, light brown on the
under parts, light gray or sometimes light brown on the sides of the
face, the sexes colored alike, the young darker than the adults. The
eyes are large and dark, the pelage is soft and silky. The flat, furry
tail and the fold of loose skin between the fore and hind legs on either
side distinguish this animal from any other.
_Specimens in park collection:_ None.
Flying squirrels inhabit a large part of forested North America. The
Cascade sub-species is found from southern British Columbia southward
along the Cascade Range to the Siskiyou Mountains of Northern
California.
[Illustration: Park visitors rarely see the beautiful little flying
squirrel.]
Although seldom seen because of its nocturnal habits, the flying
squirrel is locally abundant in some sections of the park, particularly
at Ohanapecosh Hot Springs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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