K - 12 (This program is suitable for all grades. Use age-appropriate vocabulary.)
Forrest L. Wood Crowley’s Ridge Nature Center, Jonesboro
Mammals are a class of animals that has backbones, breathes oxygen and cares for its young. Females in this group produce milk. This is the only group of animals to have true fur. There are more than 70 species of mammals that naturally occur in Arkansas. They range in size from the tiny southeastern shrew to the huge Rocky Mountain elk. Many mammals in Arkansas are prized for their fur or meat.
Hunting and trapping fuel the Arkansas economy and have a long history in the state. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission brought back several populations of large game species that were overly hunted to dangerously low levels. This was accomplished through species reintroduction and wildlife management.
Camouflage – colors, tones, patterns, shapes or behavior an organism uses to blend with its surroundings; also concealment that alters or obscures the appearance; also protective coloration, a common animal defense
Carnivore – any animal that consumes other animals that are living (predation) or dead (scavenging)
Furbearer – wild animal whose pelt is commercially valuable, primarily in the clothing industry
Generalist – a species which can thrive in many environmental conditions with a variety of resources
Herbivore – a plant-eating animal
Omnivore – an animal that eats both animal and vegetable matter
Reintroduction – releasing individuals of a species that has been extirpated, or nearly so, into an area that historically supported that species
Ruminant- any even-toed, hoofed mammal of the suborder Ruminantia, being comprised of cloven-hoofed, cud-chewing quadrupeds including domestic cattle, bison, buffalo, deer, antelopes, giraffes, camels and chevrotains
Scat – an animal’s fecal droppings, especially a wild animal
Specialist – a species that can only thrive in a narrow range of environmental conditions or has a limited diet
Stalking – stealthily approaching prey, quarry, etc.
Wildlife management – application of scientific knowledge and technical skills to protect, preserve, conserve, limit, enhance or extend the value of wildlife and its habitat