Colorado History: Do Colorado

Colorado is full of wildlife.  Several species of mammals roam Colorado's three regions.  Larger mammals, known as "big game" animals are found mostly in the Rocky Mountain and Colorado Plateau regions of Colorado where they can roam through the forests and grasslands in search of food.  When the first explorers entered Colorado, they hunted big game mammals that included grizzly bears and bison.  So many of these animals were hunter, they are no longer found roaming freely in Colorado. 

Today, most of Colorado's big game mammals are protected by strict laws.  They can only be hunted during certain times of the year with the purchase of a hunting permit.  Black bears, elk, pronghorns, mountain lions, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and bighorn sheep are some of the most popular big game mammals found in Colorado.

Colorado is also home to several smaller mammals.  They are often preyed upon by the larger, more powerful mammals.  It is not unusual to see jackrabbits, pika, and squirrels running along Colorado's roadways on a hot sunny day.  At night, you can hear the sounds of kangaroo rats, bobcats, and badgers scurrying in search of food.  Don't get too close to the spotted and striped skunks; they will defend themselves by spraying you wiht a foul smelling perfume that is sure to keep your friends away from you!  Raccoons, coyotes, long-tailed weasels, and foxes are also part of Colorado's small mammal population.

BIG GAME MAMMALS

Black Bear: Black bears are omnivores that usually roam the central and western forests and woodlands of Colorado.  Black bear cubs only weight about eight ounces at birth.  Full grown females can weigh as much as 600 pounds and males can weigh up to 1200 pounds!  Black bears are protected by strict laws and only a limited number of hunting permits are issued each year.

Mountain Lion: Mountain lions are the largest wildcats in the United States.  They are also known as cougars, pumas, or panthers.  Mountain lions can grow to be sever or eight feet long and weigh 150 to 300 pounds.  They are most active at night and their diets consist mostly of mule deer, procupines, and other small animals.  Adult mountain lions will eat one deer each week.  Mother mountain lions teach their babies to hunt by practicing on rodents and rabbits.  Mountain lions have brownish-orange coats and small rounded black-tipped ears.  The tips of their tails are also black.

Elk: Elk, or wapiti, are Colorado's largest native deer.  Elk can be easily spotted in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado by their large bodies and huge horns.  Their body colors can range from light tan to dark brown.  In the late 1800s, the elk population in the United States was almost completely wiped out because they were being killed for their hides, antlers, or sometimes just their canine teeth, which are made of ivory.  Today hunters must buy a huntinf permit from Colorado's Division of Wildlife to hunt these big game  mammals. 

Mule Deer: Colorado has a large number of mule deer.  Mule deer can be found in the early evening or at night wandering throughout many areas of Colorado.  They can be identified by their wide antlers, long ears, and the black tips on their tails.  During the summer mule deers' coats can be yellow or reddish brown.  In the winter, their coats are gray.  Their throats, inside ears, and inside legs are white.  Mule deer don't graze on grass like most big game herbivores; they eat mostly leaves and shrubs. 

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