The cover provided within rocky habitats such as talus slopes, caves, cliffs, river canyons, and rock outcrops in open forests appear to be favorite habitats for this woodrat. Activity is significantly higher in areas that have 75 to 100% cover than in areas with less cover. The bushy-tailed woodrat requires habitat that offers good security cover. This rodent is not considered to be in jeopardy and is, therefore, not protected (Stevens and Lofts 1988). Most literature reports that the bushy-tailed woodrat is found throughout all of British Columbia’s mainland and is absent from the coastal islands Some authors, however, report that this rodent is also absent from the northeast and northwest corners of the province. The young are weaned at age 26 to 30 days and reach maturity when about eleven months old. Under favourable conditions, two litters, about two months apart, are produced, but in the northern part of its range, usually only one. The litter size is one to six (average 3.5). After the young are born, the female, who is dominant, drives out the male. In autumn, they are provident, collecting and curing the available food items, and stockpiling them in crevices and under large boulders for their winter needs.īeginning in February, the male meet up with a female and pursues her until they mate in March. They also use the seeds and fruit of Douglas-fir, anemones, gooseberries, cinquefoils, raspberries, fireweed, gentians, elderberries, honeysuckles and goldenrod. The nest itself is tidy but nearby are the toilet areas, where the waste encrusts and stains and cements loose debris to the rocks.įor food, they prefer the leaves of aspen, willows, roses, cherries, currants, snowberries and elderberries, but will also eat the twigs and needles of Douglas-fir, Alpine Fir, Englemann Spruce and junipers. Their actual nest is sited in the centre of this mound, and is made of shredded bark, grass and moss - and if in human environments, soft, shredded cloth, cotton batting, wool, etc. Their presence is characterized by their large bulky residence composed of twigs, bones, foliage, debris and all manner of human artifacts, some containing up to three bushels of material. One individual to 20 acres is an average density in its preferred habitat. They are most active during the first half hour after sunset and dawn. Woodrats are active all year and primarily solitary and nocturnal. Males are 8-10 per cent larger than females. Its adult fur coat is long, soft, dense, usually grey on the back and with tawny brown sides. It is a large, gentle, squirrel-like rodent. It is immediately distinguished from the introduced Norway and Roof rats by its bushy tail. The bushy tailed woodrat is the only native rat found in Canada.
0 kommentar(er)
