ZoOLogy > North American Mammals Coloring Book

Late Spring • Canoe Bay, Alaska

Although brown bears don't mingle much, these two have gathered at a stream. They are lured by the salmon that swim upstream each summer. The nutrient-rich fish help the bears regain body mass after hibernating for the winter.

Did you know?
Brown bears vary in size and color depending on where they live. Those on the Alaska Peninsula coast and islands are the largest carnivores that live on land today. Brown bears that live inland (such as the grizzly bears) eat mainly plants ‐ and can be half the size!

Can you find?

• The bears' next meal
• The sharp claws they use to hunt

July Evening • Central Michigan

The beaver is the largest rodent on the continent and has teeth that are ever-growing. Beavers use their sharp teeth to cut down trees. They then use the timber to build large, elaborate nests inside ponds. Their nests are dome-shaped lodges with underwater entrances. If there is no pond, beavers will create one by building a dam to block a stream. The moat around their lodges keeps wolves, coyotes, and other predators away.

Did you know?
Beavers live both on land and in water. Adaptations such as closable ears and nostrils, webbed hind feet, very dense fur coats, and paddle-like tails allow beavers to be semi-aquatic.

Can you find?

• The beaver's nest
• Dam

June at Noon • Near Tucson, Arizona

Here in the desert, the days are hot and water is scarce. To help them stay cool, the jackrabbits resting here have long ears with blood vessels close to the skin to shed body heat. Their long legs help keep them high off the ground to stay cool. Antelope jackrabbits (right) are so well-adapted to water shortage that they never need to drink. They simply eat water-storing plants like cacti.

Did you know?
In a race between the two hares, the antelope jackrabbit would win. It can reach speeds of 44 miles (72 kilometers) per hour!

Can you find?

• The rabbits' spiny and succulent food

October at Sunset • Sonora, Mexico

Did you know?
Poised on the edge of a canyon, the jaguars study a livestock corral in the shrubland below. They are seeking prey at dusk, which is typical for large predators. A jaguar's muscular, compact frame is built for strength and stealth rather than long-distance running. Its jaws can crush the skulls of small mammals and can even pierce turtle shells. For larger prey, the jaguar pounces and brings down the victim by twisting [ok?] the head with a swipe of its wide paw.

The jaguar is the largest cat in the Americas. They are almost always yellowy tan with black spots called rosettes. Black jaguars are occasionally seen in rain forests. The rosettes of black jaguars are still faintly visible.

Can you find?

• A livestock corral in the shrubland below the canyon.

December at Midnight • Gunflint Lake, Northern Minnesota

This wolf pack is chasing a deer that is running for its life. The pair may pursue the deer for several miles to exhaust it, then bring it down in a joint effort. Group hunting is how wolves can prey on animals much bigger than themselves. Still, deer are fast. If the wolves cannot close in quickly, they will give up and follow the scent of another prey.

Did you know?
All dogs evolved from wolves!

Can you find?

• Deer tracks in the snow

August at Midnight • Denali National Park, Alaska

Camouflaged against the snow, Dall sheep thrive where few mammals can. They live above the tree line on windy peaks in Alaska and northwest Canada. While predators like wolves and bears do threaten, few enemies can pursue these nimble sheep up the very steepest cliffs. Dall sheep are also known as white sheep, yet they aren't all white. The farther south they live, the grayer they are.

Did you know?
Horns are important for mating and defense. They grow on sheep, goats, musk oxen, and bison. (Antlers grow on deer, moose, wapiti, and caribou.) Horns are made from a kind of keratin, a hard protein, that grows continuously over a core of bone. Growth slows as the sheep ages; years are marked by distinct bands. The horns spiral because their sides grow at different rates.

Can you find?

• The number of bands on the sheeps' horns