Animals of Nebraska

Bobcat

Lynx rufus

The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It is featured in some stories of the indigenous peoples of North and Central America and in the folklore of European-descended inhabitants of the Americas.

Groundhog

Marmota monax

The groundhog (Marmota monax) is a lowland rodent of North America. It was first scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. These adorable animals play an important role maintaining healthy soil in woodland and plain areas. They are...

Common Snapping Turtle

Chelydra serpentina

The Common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is a species of large freshwater turtle. It is noted for its combative disposition when out of the water with its powerful beak-like jaws, and highly mobile head and neck (hence the specific epithet...

Copperhead

Agkistrodon contortrix

The copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) is a venomous pit viper endemic to eastern North America; it is a member of the subfamily Crotalinae in the family Viperidae. As a common species within its range, it may be encountered by humans. Unlike other...

White-Tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

The White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is a medium-sized deer native to the Americas where it is the most widely distributed wild ungulate. Texas is home to the most White-tailed deer of any U.S. state or Canadian province, with an estimated...

Painted Turtle

Chrysemys picta

The Painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) is the most widespread native turtle of North America. Fossils show that the painted turtle existed 15 million years ago. In the traditional tales of Algonquian tribes, the colorful turtle played the part of a...

North American River Otter

Lontra canadensis

The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) is a semiaquatic mammal that lives along its waterways and coasts. It is the only river otter that is found north of Mexico. These animals live in burrows and like most predators, prey upon the most...

Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus

The Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is one of the most iconic and beloved wildlife in the American West. It is so-named because of its large ears that look like a mule's ears.

Eastern Fox Squirrel

Sciurus niger

The Eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America. Despite the differences in size and coloration, it is sometimes mistaken for American red squirrels or Eastern gray squirrels in areas where...

Nine-Banded Armadillo

Dasypus novemcinctus

The Nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is a mammal found in North, Central, and South America. This makes it the most widespread of the armadillos. Its ancestors originated in South America and remained there until the formation of the...

Black-Tailed Jackrabbit

Lepus californicus

The Black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) is a common hare of the western United States and Mexico. It is one of the largest North American hares. The Black-tailed jackrabbit does not migrate or hibernate during winter and uses the same...

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

The Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is the most common rabbit species in North America.

Eastern Chipmunk

Tamias striatus

The Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) is a small stripped rodent found in North America. The name "chipmunk" comes from the Ojibwe word ajidamoo (or possibly ajidamoonh, the same word in the Ottawa dialect of Ojibwe), which translates literally as...

Blanding's Turtle

Emydoidea blandingii

Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is a semi-aquatic turtle native to North America. It is considered to be an endangered species throughout much of its range. Blanding's turtle is of interest in longevity research, as it shows little to no...

Southern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys volans

The southern flying squirrel or the assapan (Glaucomys volans ) is one of three species of the genus Glaucomys and one of three flying squirrel species found in North America. It is found in deciduous and mixed woods in the eastern half of North...

Spiny Softshell Turtle

Apalone spinifera

The spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera ) is a species of softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America. Both the common name, spiny softshell, and the specific name, spinifera (spine-bearing), refer to the...

Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel

Ictidomys tridecemlineatus

The Thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) is a ground squirrel that is widely distributed over grasslands and prairies of North America. It is well known for standing upright to survey its domain, diving down into its burrow...

White-Tailed Jackrabbit

Lepus townsendii

The White-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii) is a large hare found in western North America. Whitetails are often seen in urban and suburban parks in Western Canada. People often come across bunnies alone during the day in spring and mistakenly...

Eastern Meadow Vole

Microtus pennsylvanicus

The Eastern meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) is a North American rodent. It is active year-round, usually at night. It also digs burrows, where it stores food for the winter and females give birth to their young.

Pond Slider

Trachemys scripta

Pond sliders (Trachemys scripta) are medium-sized, semiaquatic turtles found in North America. Their name 'slider' comes from the behavior of these turtles when startled. Groups of sliders often bask and sun on logs, branches, and vegetation at or...

Speckled Kingsnake

Lampropeltis holbrooki

The Speckled kingsnake (Lampropeltis holbrooki) is a nonvenomous snake which is native to the United States. Its common name is derived from its pattern and this snake is also known as the "salt-and-pepper snake".

Desert Cottontail

Sylvilagus audubonii

The desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii ), also known as Audubon's cottontail, is a New World cottontail rabbit, and a member of the family Leporidae. Unlike the European rabbit, they do not form social burrow systems, but compared with some...

Rocky Mountain elk

Cervus canadensis nelsoni

The Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni ) is a subspecies of elk found in the Rocky Mountains and adjacent ranges of Western North America.

White-Footed Mouse

Peromyscus leucopus

The white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus ) is a rodent native to North America from Ontario, Quebec, Labrador, and the Maritime Provinces (excluding the island of Newfoundland) to the southwestern United States and Mexico. In the Maritimes, its...

Bushy-Tailed Woodrat

Neotoma cinerea

The bushy-tailed woodrat, or packrat (Neotoma cinerea ) is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae found in Canada and the United States.Its natural habitats are boreal forests, temperate forests, dry savanna, temperate shrubland, and temperate...

Prairie Vole

Microtus ochrogaster

The prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster ) is a small vole found in central North America. The vole has long, coarse grayish-brown fur on the upper portion of the body and yellowish fur on the lower portion of the body. It has short ears and a short...

Hoary Bat

Lasiurus cinereus

The hoary bat (Aeorestes cinereus ) is a species of bat in the vesper bat family, Vespertilionidae. It lives throughout most of North America (possibly including Hawaii, although this is disputed).

Eastern Red Bat

Lasiurus borealis

The eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis ) is a species of microbat in the family Vespertilionidae. Eastern red bats are widespread across eastern North America, with additional records in Bermuda.

Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma

Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma

The western cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma ) was once classified as a subspecies of the cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus ). However, DNA based studies published in 2008 and 2015, revealed no significant genetic difference between...

Meadow Jumping Mouse

Zapus hudsonius

The meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius ) is the most widely distributed mouse in the family Zapodidae. Its range extends from the Atlantic coast in the east to the Great Plains west, and from the arctic tree lines in Canada and Alaska to the...

Least Chipmunk

Tamias minimus

The least chipmunk (Neotamias minimus ) is the smallest species of chipmunk and the most widespread in North America.

Smooth Softshell Turtle

Apalone mutica

The smooth softshell turtle (Apalone mutica ) is a species of softshell turtle of the family Trionychidae. The species is endemic to North America.

Graham's Crayfish Snake

Regina grahamii

Graham's crayfish snakes (Regina grahamii) are nonvenomous semiaquatic snakes found only in the central United States. They are named after their primary choice of diet.

Antheraea polyphemus

Antheraea polyphemus

Antheraea polyphemus, the Polyphemus moth, is a North American member of the family Saturniidae, the giant silk moths. It is a tan-colored moth, with an average wingspan of 15 cm (6 in). The most notable feature of the moth is its large, purplish...

Mexican duck

Anas diazi

The Mexican duck (Anas diazi, and see below) is a species of dabbling duck that breeds in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Most of the population is resident, but some northern birds migrate south to Mexico in winter. The species also...

False Map Turtle

Graptemys pseudogeographica

The False map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica) is a species of freshwater turtle that is found in the United States. It is occasionally called "sawback", in reference to the serrated keels on its shell.

Pantherophis ramspotti

Pantherophis ramspotti

Pantherophis ramspotti, commonly known as the western fox snake, is a species of rat snake that is endemic to the upper midwestern United States, west of the Mississippi river. It is non-venomous.

Franklin's Ground Squirrel

Poliocitellus franklinii

Franklin's ground squirrel (Poliocitellus franklinii ) is a species of squirrel native to North America, and the only member of the genus Poliocitellus. Due to the destruction of prairie, the populations of Franklin's ground squirrel have dwindled,...

Harlan's hawk

Buteo jamaicensis harlani

Harlan's hawk or Harlan's red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis harlani ) is a subspecies of the red-tailed hawk.

Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster

Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster

Agkistrodon contortrix phaeogaster was formerly a venomous pit viper subspecies found in the central region of the United States. However, recent taxonomic changes do not recognizes the Osage copperhead (A. c. phaeogaster ) as a valid taxon.

Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus

Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus

Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus is a venomous pit viper subspecies found in the southwestern plains of the United States. In some areas its range overlaps that of another subspecies, S. c. edwardsii, and intergrading of the two is not unknown.

Spotted Ground Squirrel

Xerospermophilus spilosoma

The spotted ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus spilosoma ) is a species of ground squirrel in the rodent family Sciuridae. It is found throughout Mexico and the central and western United States. Characterized by a white spotted back, the spotted...