Oklahoma State Mammal
American Buffalo (common name) Bison bison (scientific name) Overview The American buffalo, North America’s largest land animal, became the state mammal of Oklahoma in 1972, the official state animal of Kansas in 1955, and the state mammal of Wyoming in 1985. Buffalo were once extremely common on prairie lands across the U.S. and were an integral part of Native American culture. With the arrival of European settlers they were hunted almost to extinction, partly for the meat and skins. Organized buffalo hunts were also planned because many Native Americans relied on buffalo, and settlers and the American government hoped to force native cooperation by removing this important resource. It’s possible that between 300 and 500 bison were left when federal game laws changed in 1889, some in Yellowstone Park and some in private herds. Close-up STATUS Official State Animal ALSO KNOWN AS American bison PHYSICAL DETAILS In winter, bison have a longish, uneven, deep brown coat. In summer they shed this coat, leaving them with a lighter colored, lightweight summer coat. The heads, shoulders, and thorax are oversized and solidly built, and the rear part of the body is much narrower, though this difference is more pronounced in males than in females. The front of the body is also usually a little darker. Both males and females have short, curved horns. Newborn bison are reddish-brown and have no hump or only a very slight hump. This develops as they mature.    Males Females Size full height 5–6 ft (1.5–1.8 m); maximum 6 ft 6 in (2 m); average length 11 ft 2 in (3.4 m) average length 7 ft (2.12 m) Weight 900 to 2,200 pounds (410–1,000 kg); average 1,150 lbs (523 kg); largest 2,500 pounds (1,100 kg) 705.5–970 lbs (320–440 kg) LIFESPAN Up to 40 years in captivity; average of 15 years in the wild. HABITAT Open prairies Range: Today, most bison live in parks such as Yellowstone, Montana’s National Bison Range, Oklahoma’s Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, Nebraska’s Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota’s Sullys Hill National Wildlife Refuge, and Iowa’s Walnut Creek National Wildlife Refuge. Conservation status: Near Threatened (NT). Historically, bison lived south of Canada’s Great Bear Lake all the way into Mexico and east to the Appalachian Mountains. BEHAVIOR Bison generally graze in the mornings and evenings and rest during the heat of the day. They use their horns when fighting for their place within the herd and also for defense. Late summer, usually August to September, is mating season for bison. Bulls generally mate with more than one female and keep other bulls away by fighting them off as needed. Gestation lasts 285 days, after which one calf is born in spring. Calves nurse for a year, and are mature when they are three years old. Bison roll in dust or mud in shallow depressions called buffalo wallows to aid shedding and rid themselves of biting insects. They live in groups divided by sex and age. Female groups include cows, males younger than three years, and a couple of older males. As mating season approaches, additional males join the group. At other times of the year, males may live alone or in groups of up to 30. Both males and females have a clear system of hierarchy, making some animals dominant over others. Bison can run quickly and steadily for relatively long periods. Top land speed recorded: 35 mph (56 kph) DIET Prairie grasses and sedges OFFSPRING Breeding interval: Annual Birthing period: April–May Average litter size: 1 calf Size at birth: 65 pounds TRIVIA Very occasionally, a white bison is born. Such bison were considered sacred by Native Americans. American buffalo normally eat two to three percent of their body weight in food each day. Besides people, bison have few predators, mainly grizzly bears and wolves. Not all wolf packs hunt bison, and wolves and bison can coexist without paying much attention to each other. Wolf packs that hunt bison normally choose herds with young animals. To escape, male bison allow the young and their mothers to run ahead, and try to stay between the wolves and the young.
	Click to enlarge an image American Buffalo American Buffalo with Two Calves American Buffalo Calf American Buffalo in the Winter CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Subfamily: Bovinae Genus: Bison Species: B. bison
	Data Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Author: World Trade Press

Oklahoma 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, Nebraska in 1981, New Hampshire in 1983, Ohio in 1988, Pennsylvania in 1959, and South Carolina in 1972. Michigan (1997) and Mississippi (1974) also include it among their designated state animals. 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 State Game Animal 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); 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 Male White-tailed Deer (Buck) Female White-tailed Deer (Doe) with Fawn Young Spotted Fawn White-tailed Deer with New Antler Growth 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

Oklahoma State Mammal
Common Raccoon (common name) Procyon lotor (scientific name) Overview A medium-sized mammal native to North America, the raccoon is a curious and intelligent woodland creature. It was once hunted aggressively for its valuable water-repellent fur. The coonskin cap worn by Davy Crockett, one of Tennessee's greatest legends, associated the animal with the state and was one of the reasons the raccoon was named the state’s official wild animal in 1971. The raccoon is often referred to as a "masked bandit"—its mischievous behavior includes nighttime raids on trashcans. It is also reported to often carry the rabies virus and transmit it through its saliva. Close-up STATUS Official State Furbearer ALSO KNOWN AS North American raccoon, northern raccoon, "coon" (colloquial) PHYSICAL DETAILS Ther raccoon has a stocky, heavily furred body with short legs; hand-like forepaws; small, rounded ears; and a bushy, ringed tail. Its pointed face has a band of black hair around the eyes, which looks like a mask. Its fur is a grizzled gray color or sometimes black with silver tips. Its belly and muzzle are lighter colored while the feet are darker gray. The long tail is used to balance itself when climbing and to brace itself when sitting up. Males are usually 15 to 20 percent heavier than females.    Males Females Size Total length: 30-38 in (76-96 cm) long, including the tail; body 16-21 in (40-53 cm) long; tail 8-16 (20-40 cm) long Height: The shoulder height is between 9.0–12.0 in (22.8–30.4 cm) Total length: 30-38 in (76-96 cm) long, including the tail; body 16-21 in (40-53 cm) long; tail 8-16 (20-40 cm) long Height: The shoulder height is between 9.0–12.0 in (22.8–30.4 cm) Weight 12 to 25 lbs (5.4 to 11.3 kg) 12 to 25 lbs (5.4 to 11.3 kg) LIFESPAN The average life expectancy of a raccoon is about 2-3 years in the wild. In captivity, they have been known to live past 20 years. HABITAT The raccoon’s original habitats are deciduous and mixed forests where it lives in caves, tree hollows, and ground burrows. It prefers brushy or wooded areas near bodies of water like streams, lakes, or swamps. They can live close to developed areas if sufficient food, water, and cover are available. In urban areas they are found in attics, chimney flues, and culverts under roadways. Range: Found in most of the United States except for parts of the Rocky Mountains, central Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. It is also found in southern Canada and from Mexico to northern South America. Conservation: Least concern. The raccoon population steeply declined in the 1800s due to over-hunting, but it has made a strong comeback. BEHAVIOR The raccoon is primarily nocturnal. In the winter it may sleep in its den for a few weeks but does not hibernate. It is a good climber and swimmer, and while it usually walks, it can run at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour (24 kph). It can stand on its hind legs to examine objects with its front paws and makes a variety of vocalizations including hisses, whistles, screams, growls, and snarls. It can cool its body by sweating and panting. The male adult is unsociable with other raccoons except during the mating season. Unrelated males will sometimes form a loose group to keep outside males away. Related females are more sociable. Breeding occurs mostly between the months of January and March. The male raccoon will mate with more than one female and will have no part in raising the young. DIET Highly omnivorous and opportunistic with a diet of about 40 percent invertebrates (crayfish, shellfish, insects), 33 percent plant foods (fruits and nuts), and 27 percent vertebrates (fish, small rodents, frogs). Also eats bird eggs, carrion, and human garbage. OFFSPRING Breeding interval: Annual Birthing period: 60-73 days Average litter size: 3 to 4 Size at birth: 3.7 in (9.5 cm) TRIVIA Its genus name, Procyon, can be translated as either "before the dog" or "dog-like." The raccoon is the largest creature in the genus. Its species name, lotor, means "washer" and refers to the fact that the animal appears to wash its food if water is close. The word "raccoon" is derived from the Algonquin wordaroughcoune, which means "he who scratches with his hands." The raccoon’s nimble fingers can turn doorknobs and open refrigerators almost as easily as a monkey’s.
	Click to enlarge an image Raccoon Female Raccoon with Her Babies Juvenile Raccoon CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Procyonidae Genus: Procyon Species: P. lotor
	Data Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Author: World Trade Press