Michigan State Mammal
White-tailed Deer (common name) Odocoileus virginianus (scientific name) Overview The white-tailed deer is native to the United States and a common sight in all but a few states. It is the most popular choice in the country as a state animal, having been designated as such by Arkansas in 1993, Illinois in 1980, Mississippi in 1974, Nebraska in 1981, New Hampshire in 1983, Ohio in 1988, Pennsylvania in 1959, and South Carolina in 1972. In 1997, the white-tailed deer was designated the official Michigan state game animal.  The whitetail is a medium-sized brown deer that was an important source of food and leather for the indigenous peoples of the country. It remains the country’s most important game animal and is prized for its meat (called "venison") and the challenge of hunting it, especially with a bow and arrow. Whitetails are larger in the northern part of its range and the smallest sub-species can be found in the southernmost part of the US in the Florida Keys. Close-up STATUS Official ALSO KNOWN AS Virginia deer, Columbian white-tailed deer, Southern white-tailed deer, whitetail PHYSICAL DETAILS Reddish brown in summer and grayish brown in winter. A small population of white (not albino) deer is found in upstate New York. Males shed their antlers from late December to February and re-grow them every year in late spring when they are covered with a fuzzy tissue known as "velvet."    Males Females Size length 4–8 ft (120-240 cm); shoulder height 32–42 in (80-106 cm) length 62–87 in (160-220 cm); shoulder height 32–40 in (80-100 cm) Weight 130–300 lbs (60 kg–130 kg); average 250 lbs (114 kg); largest 500 lbs (230 kg) 90–200 lbs (40–90 kg); average 150 lbs (68 kg) LIFESPAN Up to 15 years; average of 2–3 years in the wild HABITAT Range: Southern Canada to Peru; absent from California, Nevada, and Utah; introduced to parts of Europe and New Zealand. Conservation: Least Concern (LC). Deer were severely depleted throughout their range in the U.S. by the late 1800s and early 1900s. Hunting restrictions brought populations back to historic levels, but then the elimination of the animal’s natural predators led to an overpopulation of whitetail deer over much of its range. BEHAVIOR Whitetails will stay completely still when they sense danger and then will raise their tail in a flash of white and run away at great speed. They are athletic animals that can jump 8-foot (2.5-m) fences and swim at 13 mph (21 kph). Male deer ("bucks") grow antlers they use for marking trees in their territory and sparring with other males to determine the hierarchy within the herd. Bucks rarely eat or rest during the mating season (the "rut") when they will attempt to mate with as many females as possible. Whitetail females ("does") will tenaciously defend their fawns, up to the point of risking their own lives. Top land speed recorded: 40 mph (64 kph) DIET Plant shoots, twigs, buds, leaves, pine needles, cactus, grasses, acorns, wild apples, plums, corn, mushrooms, sumac, hay, and grains. OFFSPRING Breeding interval: Annual Birthing period: May–June Average litter size: 1–3 fawns Size at birth: 3–14 lbs (1.4–6.3 kg); average 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg) for females and 7.5 lbs (3.4 kg) for males TRIVIA The white-tailed deer is an iconic symbol of the American wilderness. Davy Crockett and his buckskin attire symbolized how Americans adapted to their environment and conquered the vast wilderness. Whitetail-related stories like The Yearling and Bambi are a part of the national culture. Deer hunting is also an extremely popular sport and an important source of income in many rural areas. Many collegiate and professional sports teams are named after the whitetail, including the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team. A profile of a whitetail buck’s head appears on the state flag and the coat of arms of the state of Vermont.
	Click to enlarge an image White-tailed Buck White-tailed Doe and Fawn Young Fawn New Antlers on White-tailed Deer CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Cervidae Subfamily: Capreolinae Genus: Odocoileus Species: O. virginianus
	Data Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Author: World Trade Press

Michigan State Mammal
Wolverine (common name) Gulo gulo(scientific name) Status: unofficial Overview Though wolverines are in the same family as weasels, they are much more compact animals that look a little like small bears. Wolverines are extremely strong for their size and have been know to kill moose that are not in top condition or are mired in snow. They have no natural predators but will compete with and fight larger, stronger animals for food.  Though unofficial, wolverines have been a symbol of Michigan for a long time, perhaps since the early 1800s. Some believe that the name originated because of a territory dispute between Michigan and Ohio, and that Ohioans took to calling Michigan residents wolverines because they would not make concessions. Generally, wolverines do not have a positive reputation. They are ill-tempered and have a strong smell. However, they’re also strong, clever, and tenacious, so the state has kept the emblem unofficially. ALSO KNOWN AS skunk bear, nasty cat,  mountain devil, quickhatch, carcajou, gulon Close-up PHYSICAL DETAILS Wolverines are medium-sized, dark brown animals with oily, thick fur that resists both water and frost. They have short legs; wide, round heads; little eyes; and small, round ears. Their legs are short with large, five-toed paws, and the animals are generally adapted for moving over snowy ground with ease. Some wolverines have a pale grayish mask around their eyes, and others have a light-colored patch under the chin or high on the chest. Most have two light-colored stripes running along their backs between their necks and tails, which are bushy. Wolverines have a specially angled upper tooth that allows them to bite frozen meat successfully. They also have very strong jaws, sharp claws, and a thick skin, all of which help them defend themselves and hunt.    Males Females Size length 28–34 in (72–87 cm) length 25.5–31 in (65–79 cm) Weight 28–40 lbs (13–18 kg); average 34 lbs (15.5 kg kg); largest 50.7 lbs (23 kg) 17–24 lbs (8–11 kg); average 20 lbs (9.5 kg) LIFESPAN Up to 13 years; average of 5 years in the wild HABITAT Cold, isolated areas Range: Arctic and alpine Alaska, Canada, Siberia and Scandinavia, and south into Russia, the Baltic states, northern China, Mongolia, and the northern U.S. Conservation Status: Vulnerable BEHAVIOR Wolverines need a large range, up to 240 square miles (620 sq km) for males, who generally include the ranges of more than one female within their own. Females need less space, about 50–100 square miles (130–260 sq km). Same-sex overlapping is avoided by both males and females. Wolverines move about their territory constantly, covering up to 9 miles (15 km) at a time without stopping, and traveling up to 27 miles (45 km) per day. Wolverines use scent glands to mark their territories and signal other wolverines that they are ready to mate. Though they are very strong hunters, they readily steal prey from other predators or feed on wolves’ leftovers. They also fight larger predators, including wolves and cougars, to keep their food. Wolverines mate in summer, but the embryo does not implant until winter, and if food is too scarce, females don’t reproduce after mating. Gestation is 30–50 days. Kits are born in the spring, and are adults at one year old. Top land speed recorded: 30 mph (48 kph) DIET Eggs, carrion, small and large prey including but not limited to rabbits, hares, squirrels, marmots, lemmings, various deer, maral, sheep, elk, and moose. OFFSPRING Breeding interval: Annual Birthing period: May–June Average litter size: 1–3 kits Size at birth: 3 oz (85 g) TRIVIA The wolverine’s Latin name means "glutton." It is the largest member of the weasel family to live on land. Sea otters and giant otters are larger relatives, but they live in the sea. Wolverines were probably once common in Michigan, but no longer live there due to lack of space, lack of woods, and warmer temperatures.
	Click to enlarge an image Wolverine Wolverine Foraging for Food Close-up of Wolverine Wolverine in Thick Winter Fur CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae Subfamily: Mustelinae Genus: Gulo Species: Gulo gulo
	Data Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Author: World Trade Press