Animals of Wisconsin

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...

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...

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...

American Red Squirrel

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

The American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) is one of three species of tree squirrels currently classified in the genus Tamiasciurus, known as the pine squirrels. The American red squirrel is variously known as the Pine squirrel, North...

Eastern Wolf

Canis lycaon

The Eastern wolf (Canis lupus lycaon or Canis lycaon or Canis rufus lycaon) is considered to be either a unique subspecies of Grey wolf or Red wolf or a separate species from both. Regardless of its status, it is regarded as unique and therefore...

Snowshoe Hare

Lepus americanus

The Snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) is a secretive forest-dwelling mammal found only in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet. The animal's feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and...

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.

Northern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys sabrinus

The Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) is one of three species of the genus Glaucomys, the only flying squirrels found in North America. They are found in forests across North America. They are proficient gliders but uncoordinated walkers...

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...

Wood Turtle

Glyptemys insculpta

The Wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) is a semi-aquatic species of turtle endemic to North America. It spends a great deal of time in or near the water of wide rivers and spends the winter in hibernation and the hottest parts of the summer in...

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...

Boreal woodland caribou

Rangifer tarandus caribou

The boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou ), also known as woodland caribou, boreal forest caribou and forest-dwelling caribou, is a North American subspecies of reindeer (or caribou in North America) found only in Canada. Unlike 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...

Cinnamon bear

Ursus americanus cinnamomum

The cinnamon bear (Ursus americanus cinnamomum ) is both a highly variable color morph and a subspecies of the American black bear, native to the central, eastern, and western areas of the United States and Canada. Established populations are found...

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.

Eastern elk

Cervus canadensis canadensis

The eastern elk (Cervus canadensis canadensis ) is an extinct subspecies or distinct population of elk that inhabited the northern and eastern United States, and southern Canada. The last eastern elk was shot in Pennsylvania on September 1, 1877....

Common Musk Turtle

Sternotherus odoratus

Sternotherus odoratus is a species of small turtle in the family Kinosternidae. The species is native to southeastern Canada and much of the Eastern United States. It is also known commonly as the common musk turtle, eastern musk turtle, or stinkpot...

Heath hen

Tympanuchus cupido cupido

The heath hen (Tympanuchus cupido cupido ) is an extinct subspecies of the greater prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido ), a large North American bird in the grouse family. It became extinct in 1932.Heath hens lived in the scrubby heathland barrens...

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...

Northern Map Turtle

Graptemys geographica

The northern map turtle (Graptemys geographica ), also known as the common map turtle, is an aquatic turtle in the family Emydidae. It is endemic to North America.

Diadophis punctatus edwardsii

Diadophis punctatus edwardsii

Diadophis punctatus edwardsii, commonly known as the northern ringneck snake, is a subspecies of Diadophis punctatus, a snake in the family Colubridae. The subspecies is endemic to North America.

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).

British Columbia wolf

Canis lupus columbianus

The British Columbia wolf (Canis lupus columbianus ) is a subspecies of gray wolf which lives in a narrow region that includes those parts of the mainland coast and near-shore islands that are covered with temperate rainforest, which extends from...

American red fox

Vulpes vulpes fulvus

The North American red fox (Vulpes vulpes fulva ) is a North American subspecies of the red fox. It is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, occurring in North America. It is listed as...

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.

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...

Woodland Jumping Mouse

Napaeozapus insignis

The woodland jumping mouse (Napaeozapus insignis ) is a species of jumping mouse found in North America. It can jump up to 3 m (9.8 ft) using its extremely strong feet and long tail.

Western Moose

Alces alces andersoni

The Western moose (Alces alces andersoni ) is a subspecies of moose. It is the second largest North American subspecies of moose, second to the Alaskan moose. This subspecies is prey to timber wolves, bears.

Least Chipmunk

Tamias minimus

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

Butler's Garter Snake

Thamnophis butleri

Butler's garter snake (Thamnophis butleri) is a species of garter snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to 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.

American cockroach

Periplaneta americana

The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) is the largest species of common cockroach, and often considered a pest. In certain regions of the U.S. it is colloquially known as the waterbug, though it is not a true waterbug since it is not...

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...

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.

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,...

Northeastern coyote

Canis latrans thamnos

The coyote (Canis latrans ) is a species of canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely related eastern wolf and red wolf. It fills much of the same ecological niche as the...