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Ermine

Also known as a Stoat or Short-tailed weasel

In the summer, the Ermine has a brown coat, with white or light yellow belly fur. In the winter, it has a pure white coat. However, during both seasons the Ermine keeps the black tip on it's tail. The male is called a dog, hob, or jack, while the female is called a bitch or jill. The collective noun is either a gang or pack.

The Ermine has large eyes, short rounded ears, and long white or brown whiskers. Males tend to be slightly larger and heavier than females. Male territories include smaller female territories, which they defend from other males.

They nest in the burrows of rodents that they have killed, but they can live under rocks, tree roots, haystacks, around buildings, in old, rotting logs, and even in magpie nests. Each Ermine possesses several dens in it's territory. In North America, Ermine feed on mice, voles, shrews, and young cottontails.

#weaselfamily #ontario #animals #mammals #facts #facts blog #wildlife facts #wildlife #nature #canada

Snapping Turtle

The snapping turtle has a long tail with triangular spikes along the top, similar to those of the stegosaurus. The upper shell is green, tan or black in colour and usually covered in algae. They cannot retreat into their shell, and they defend themselves by snapping its sharp beak to scare the attacker away. They live in almost any freshwater habitat, but mostly in slow moving water, with mud or sand, and weeds. Females breed when they are 17 to 19 years old. They dig a nest in late May or June, in loose sandy soil. One clutch is usually 40 to 50 eggs. The temperature at which the eggs are kept determines the gender. They feed on aquatic plants as well as fish, frogs, snakes, other smaller turtles, and aquatic birds. Most of their diet is made up of dead animal and plant matter.

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Mudpuppy

Mudpuppies are grey to brownish in colour on the back, with dark blue spots and a grey belly. The can grow up to 50cm in length, and they are completely aquatic. They have red, feather gills that remain throughout its lifespan. They live primarily in muddy, weedy streams, as well as in lakes and rivers. They can be found up to 30m below the surface, and typically hide under rocks during the day. In May or June, the female will lay up to 190 eggs, usually on the underside of sunken logs or rocks.

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Four-Toad Salamander

A small salamander with a reddish brown back, grey sides and a white belly with black spots. It is the only salamander with four toes on its hind feet, other than the mudpuppy. They feed on insects and other invertebrates. If caught by a predator its tail can break off, and a new one will soon grow to replace it. The four-toad salamander inhabits bogs, bog-based streams, and nearby forested areas. They are currently Not At Risk.

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Eastern Newt

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Fowler's Toad

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Spring Peeper

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Wood Frog

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Northern Leopard Frog

The leopard frog's back can be either brown, green, or both. They live in a wide range of areas, including ponds, lakes, streams, swamps and marshes in forested, urban and rural areas. They can normally be found in areas with lots of water vegetation, have adapted well to the cold, and can be found on various elevations.

The Leopard Frogs are preyed on by raccoons, snakes, other frogs, and humans. They rely only on their speed as a defensive mechanism, because they do not produce distasteful skin secretions like other species.

They eat crickets, flies, worms, smaller frogs, and even birds and small snakes.

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American Bullfrog

The American Bullfrog lives in swamps, ponds, and lakes, and is usually found along the water's edge. During breeding season, the male will defend his territory using a call that sounds bull-like, giving it it's name.

The back of the bullfrog is a dark olive green colour, and it's belly is an off-white colour, with yellow or gray. Usually there is a contrast between the green upper lip and pale lower lip. They have short, strong front legs with unwebbed toes, and long back legs, with webbed hind feet, except for the fourth toe on each foot. Males are smaller than females, and they have a yellow throat. Males continuously engage in sexual activity with multiple females throughout the breeding season, which typically lasts 2 to 3 months and begins in late May of Early June.

Bullfrogs will eat almost anything small enough for them to swallow. Rodents, other frogs, small turtles, snakes, worms, bugs, crayfish, and bats have been found in bullfrog stomachs.

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Green Frog

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American Toad

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Eastern Red-Backed Salamander

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Smooth Green Snake