The document defines and provides information about various furbearers found in Louisiana, including beavers, nutria, raccoons, minks, and skunks. It describes what each animal eats, where it lives, its size, and whether it is herbivorous, carnivorous, or omnivorous. The document then provides a definition of furbearers, noting they can be both carnivores and rodents, and discusses how furs are used from furbearers to make clothing, accessories, and ornaments. Furs are considered a renewable resource that has been used by humans in North America for thousands of years.

1. Louisiana Wildlife

2. Beaver

3. Eats: parts of trees and water plants Home: A den, dam, or lodge made of branches Size: Length of 3 to 4 feet and Weight of 40 to 95 pounds Herbivore

4. Nutria

5. Eats: Grasses, corn, rice, and sugarcane Home: Den made up of Branches Size: Weight up to 20 pounds and length up to 3 feet Herbivore

6. Raccoon

7. Eats: freshwater animals like crabs & crawfish, also acorns, bird’s eggs, corn, fruit, and small land animals like mice & grasshoppers Home: dens in hollow logs or stumps, nests in high grass or abandoned buildings Size: length 2 to 4 feet & weight 8 to 30 pounds Omnivore

8. Mink

9. Eats: crayfish, minnows, mice, muskrats, rabbits, & snakes Home: live on dry land in hollow tree, rock pile, or high grass Size: Weight up to 3 pounds & up to 2 feet Long Carnivore

10. Skunk

11. Eats:caterpillars, insects, small rodents, eggs, fruit, & grain Home: underground den lined with dry leaves Size: length 14 to 19 inches & 4 to 10 pounds Omnivore

12. Technically, the term furbearer includes all mammals, which by definition, possess some form of hair. More often, however, wildlife managers use the term to identify mammals that have traditionally been trapped or hunted for their fur. What is a Furbearer?

13. There are many types of furbearers, including both carnivores (meat eating predators) and rodents (gnawing animals). A few animals, that are normally hunted or trapped primarily for their meat or to reduce agricultural or property damage, may also be considered furbearers if their skins are marketed.

14. Furs are generally tanned, trimmed, and sewn into garments, rugs, blankets and ornaments, and sometimes dyed in a variety of colors and patterns. Furs are also used in fishing lures, fine brushes and other products. Some furs are shaved, and the hair processed into felt for hats and other garments. Beaver hat Skunk hat

15. Nutria vest Dyed rabbit fur lure Raccoon fur coat Goatskin throw rug Goat hair brushes Mink zonker for fly fishing

16. Fur is a renewable resource (naturally replenished), used and valued by many for its beauty, durability, insulative and natural qualities. Fur is only one of many values that people find in furbearers. People have continuously used furbearers in North America for clothing, food and religious ceremonies for the past 11,000 years.

17. Fur resources had a greater influence on Europeans who settled and explored the North American continent than any other factor. Many cities and towns were begun as fur trading centers where settlers bartered, or traded, with Native Americans for furs. Information above taken from " Trapping and Furbearer Management: Perspectives from the Northeast " published by the Northeast Furbearer Resources Technical Committee (NEFRTC) and reprinted with their kind permission.

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