These printable flipcards are a guide to mammals in your community, to help explore nature nearby. Use the flipcards to engage teachers and caregivers and their students (pre-schoolers to fifth grade) to observe and learn about animals in the world around them. Contents: What is a mammal? The mammals selected are common in the eastern US: people, bat, chipmunk, deer, fox, groundhog, mouse, opossum, rabbit, racoon, rat, and squirrel. Bonus included: design a mammal activity and mammal tracks. Print the flipcards double-sided onto card or polyester card Trim to 5 x 4 inches Punch or drill hole in top left side Fasten with metal book ring

1. M a r y Va n D y k e
www.greenstem.us
M A M M A L S
in
My Community

2. Contents
- What are Mammals?
- People
- Bat
- Chipmunk
- Deer
- Fox
- Groundhog, Woodchuck
- Mouse
- Opossum
- Rabbit, Eastern Cottontail
- Raccoon
- Rat
- Squirrel
- Woodchuck, see Groundhog
- Draw a Mammal
- Tracks
Photo Credits ~ scan for sources

3. MAMMAL
What are Mammals?

4. All mammals are animals that:
- Have mammary glands. Mother
mammals produce milk from their
mammary glands to feed their young
- Are warm-blooded
- Are vertebrates
- Have hair or fur
- Have three middle ear bones
MAMMAL
Most mammals:
- Give birth to live young (except a few
egg-laying mammals, including the
platypus and echidna)
- Have teeth (except the anteater)

5. MAMMAL
People

6. MAMMAL
People, Humans
Homo sapiens
Look for people wearing different kinds of clothes
depending on weather and cultural influences
- Peop le m ake t ools an d b u ild t h eir h om es
- Omnivores: prefer fruits, vegetables and cooked
meat, fish, eggs, some dairy products
- Active during day year-round, sleep at night

7. MAMMAL
Bat

8. MAMMAL Bat, Little Brown Bat
Myotis lucifugus
Look for bats circling around at dusk using high-pitched
squeaks and echolocation to find insects to eat
- Lit t le Br ow n Bat s ar e sm all: w in g sp an u p
t o 25 cm , an d w eig h in g less t h an 12 g
- Insectivores: mainly eat moths and wasps
- Hibernates up to six months, sleeps and grooms
during day and is active hunting at night

9. MAMMAL
Chipmunk

10. MAMMAL Eastern Chipmunk
Tamias striatus
Look for chipmunk's stripes along its back
- Lar d er -h oar d in g an d sav e f ood
- Omnivores: flowers, fruit, seeds, insects, grubs
- Hibernates mid-November to early February
- Diurnal, mid-morning and mid-afternoon activity

11. MAMMAL
Deer

12. White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
Look for deer signs: tracks, scat, bark rub, scrape
marks on ground, shed antlers in spring
- Faw n s b or n lat e M ay t o ear ly Ju n e
- Herbivores: consume nuts, acorns, leaves
- Most active dawn and dusk
MAMMAL

13. MAMMAL
Fox

14. MAMMAL
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
Size of a small dog. Notice fox's pointed nose,
triangular upright ears, long bushy tail with white tip
- Lit t er of 4 t o 7 p u p s, M ar ch -Ap r il
- Omnivores: mostly eat rabbits and mice
- Generally nocturnal, and build large den

15. MAMMAL
Groundhog

16. MAMMAL Groundhog, Woodchuck
Marmota monax
Look for groundhog's burrows around the garden fence
- Ext en siv e b u r r ow s w it h m ou n d in f r on t
- Omnivores: prefer tender plants, will eat insects
- Hibernate in winter, October to February

17. MAMMAL
Mouse

18. MAMMAL White-footed Mouse
Peromyscus leucopus
Preferred habitat is brushy forest edges, may venture
into open grassland
- Sev er al lit t er s of 4-5 y ou n g /lit t er
- Omnivores: seeds of oak, maple, pine, insects
- Preyed on by owls, hawks, foxes and weasels

19. MAMMAL
Opossum

20. MAMMAL Opossum
Didelphis virginiana
Opossums are marsupials and mothers have pouches
to carry babies
- You n g (2-4 m on t h s) r id e on m ot h er 's b ack
- The opossum has 50 teeth
- Omnivores: fruit, grain, plants, carrion
- Mostly nocturnal and make leafy nests
Opossum has hind
foot with opposable
toe like a thumb

21. MAMMAL
Rabbit

22. Rabbit, Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
Look for rabbit signs: tracks, scat (smaller than deer
pellets), nibbled leaves and flowers
- W h it e cot t on -like t ail
- Herbivores: prefer green leaves and eat their
own droppings for added energy and vitamins
- Most active dawn and dusk
MAMMAL

23. MAMMAL
Raccoon

24. MAMMAL Raccoon
Procyon lotor
Look for raccoon's distinctive ring-round striped tail
and black mask across forehead and eyes
- Raccoon s like t o b e n ear w at er
- Omnivores: prefer fruits, insects, frogs, eggs
- Mostly nocturnal and eat at night

25. MAMMAL
Rat

26. MAMMAL Norway Rat
Rattus norvegicus
Rats are most commonly found in association with
human populations, and are a vector for disease
- Br eed all y ear r ou n d w it h u p t o 7 y ou n g
p er lit t er
- Omnivores: eat one-third their weight daily
- Mostly nocturnal and make burrows

27. MAMMAL
Squirrel

28. MAMMAL Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
Look for squirrel dreys, leafy nests, in trees
- Sq u ir r els m ay each b u r y 1000 n u t s a y ear
- Mainly herbivores: seeds, nuts, some insects,
eggs
- Most active early morning and late afternoon

29. MAMMAL
My animal is called
Draw a mammal that interests you

30. MAMMAL What can you tell someone about this mammal
- Where does the mammal live?
- What does it like to eat?
- When does this animal play or sleep?
Draw the mammal in its habitat

31. MAMMAL
Tracks
Felines
Cat
2.5 cm
Rabbit
8 .0 cm
Long-heeled
animals
Hoofed animals
Deer
9.0 cm
People
Bipeds
Canines
Fox
6.5 cm
Dog is similar

32. Long-toed animals
Mouse
0.7 cm
Chipmunk
2.0 cm
Rat
2.5 cm
Groundhog
5.0 cm
MAMMAL
Tracks
Opossum
8.0 cm
Raccoon
10.5 cm
Squirrel
5.2 cm

33. The Eastern US is hom e to about 121 m am m al species
and Virginia is hom e to about 85 m am m al species
Th is g u id e d escr ib es a f ew of t h em
Thanks to:
The Eastern Ridge School for inspiration and field-testing
with families, teachers and preschoolers
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Alonso Abugattas, 'The Capital Naturalist'
Arlington Regional Master Naturalists
Thank you for sharing your extensive knowledge and love
of Virginia animals and their habitats
Use this guide to help explore nature nearby
The pages are durable and rain-resistant
Copyright © 2018 by Mary Van Dyke
All rights reserved
First printing 1.0
www.greenstem.us

34. M a r y Va n D y k e
www.greenstem.us
OURHabitat
Kn o w o u r a n im a ls: m a m m a ls, b ird s, re p t ile s
a m p h ib ia n s, in se c t s + sm a ll in v e r t e b r a t e s