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Life on the Prairie

by: Colorado Wildlife Federation. Life on the Prairie. photo by: Maria Stelacio. Colorado Wildlife Federation . The Colorado Wildlife Federation is Colorado’s oldest and most effective wildlife conservation organization. We are advocates for our state’s wildlife.

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Life on the Prairie

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  1. by: Colorado Wildlife Federation Life on the Prairie photo by: Maria Stelacio

  2. Colorado Wildlife Federation • The Colorado Wildlife Federation is Colorado’s oldest and most effective wildlife conservation organization. We are advocates for our state’s wildlife. • Our mission is to serve as determined stewards of our state’s wildlife and the winter range, migration corridors, reproduction areas and waterways they depend on to survive.

  3. Wildlife • Not a pet • Not tamed or domesticated • Examples: • Wolf • Mountain lion • Bear • Squirrel • Fox Photo by: Maria Stelacio Photo by: Maria Stelacio

  4. What four things do all animals need? • Food \ water • Shelter • Space • Oxygen/ air

  5. Habitat • A place where a plant or animal lives • The life range of a plant or animal which includes: • Food / water • Shelter • Space • Oxygen / air • Examples of habitats: • Forest • Ocean • Tree • Open field photo by: Maria Stelacio

  6. Picture the prairie 200 years ago. What would you see? • grass • bison • prairie dogs • Native Americans • teepees • open spaces • very few trees • flat land / no mountains

  7. History of Colorado Prairie • 1800’s • northern Colorado: Cheyenne & Arapahoe • southern Colorado: Kiowas & Comanches • eastern Colorado: Pawnee & Sioux sonofthesouth.net/.../cheyenne/cheyenne.jpg getboulder.com/images/summer05/arapahoe.jpg legendsofamerica.com/.../ChiefSantana.jpg co.kerr.tx.us/.../Comanche_Iindian_Group.jpg castlejb.com/jbpages/indiancity/pawnee.jpg legendsofamerica.com/photos-nativeamerica..

  8. History of Colorado prairie • 1803 • Louisiana purchase • explorers: Lewis and Clark; Zebulon Pike, Stephen H. Long • 1820 – 1840 • mountain men and trappers • 1859 • Colorado gold rush • farmers, ranchers lewisclarknw.com/images/LewisClark.jpg sonofthesouth.net/.../zebulon-pike.jpg dupagehistory.org/.../image014.jpg photo by: Maria Stelacio

  9. History of Colorado prairie • Increase in people resulted in decrease in animals • Fewer beaver, pronghorn, black-footed-ferret • Today no wild bison and no wolves in Colorado photo by: Maria Stelacio

  10. Pronghorn • Fastest land animal in North America • Speeds up to 60 mph • Important adaptation because… • Few trees • Flat • Very little cover digital-images.net/.../1/Pronghorn_0211.jpg canadianfauna.com

  11. Red Fox • Not native to United States • From Europe • Adaptable • No competition from wolves • Found near streams and wetlands king.portlandschools.org/files/houses/y6/anim cwsd.org

  12. Ring-necked Pheasant • Brought to North America from China • Adapted well to prairie fws.gov/jclarksalyer/deslacs/jpg/ringneck.jpg sdakotabirds.com/species/photos/ringed_necked

  13. Western Meadowlark • Very common bird of Colorado prairie • Unique song • Males use to defend territory • Eats insects and seeds • Nest • Dome shaped structure on ground utahbirds.org/.../WesternMeadowlarkJH2.jpg

  14. Coyote • Found just about anywhere in Colorado • Adaptable • No longer competes with wolf for food larryhotz.com/wp-content/files/coyote.jpg savethecoyote.org/images/coyote-3.jpg

  15. Lark Bunting • Colorado State Bird • Breeds on short grass prairie in summer • Winters in Texas and Mexico birdwatching-bliss.com/.../lark_bunting.jpg ucsc.edu/.../img/2008/01/female_LkBu-300.jpg

  16. Burrowing Owl • Nests in holes in ground • Uses holes of prairie dogs, kangaroo rats & ground squirrels • Lines nest with manure • Eats insects along with voles, mice, small birds, lizards and toads environmentaldefense.org/content_Images/B... nabci-us.org/images/burrowing%20owl%20wit...

  17. Prairie Dogs • Important part of prairie habitat • Major food source for birds of prey • Declining numbers threaten bird populations nps.gov/.../images/Prairie-Dogs.jpg parks.ci.lubbock.tx.us/Prairie%20Dog%20scan%2

  18. Ferruginous Hawk • Rely on prairie dogs for food • Largest hawk in North America scienceblogs.com hawkquest.org/mews/Ferruginous_Hawk.jpg

  19. Prairie Chicken • In spring mating ritual takes place on booming grounds • Greater Prairie Chicken • CDOW allows hunting as of 2001 • Lesser Prairie Chicken • State threatened species tarleton.edu/~Sudman/prairie.jpg ksbirds.org/.../gpc_2007/portrait_7531s.jpg nature.org/.../images/male_lpc_display.jpg

  20. Red-headed Woodpecker • Relies on trees • Settlers planted trees on prairie audubon2.org/watchlist/images/birds/Red-heade birdsource.org

  21. Rattlesnakes • Live at elevations up to 9,500 feet • Hibernates in rodent burrows • Largest predator is humans • People rarely die • 1/3 of bites are dry • Venomous • Injects venom with fangs • Takes time to build up venom • Can inject venom an hour after death • 3 types in Colorado • Prairie rattlesnake • Midget rattlesnake • Massasauga photo taken by: Maria Stelacio photo taken by: Maria Stelacio

  22. Bullsnake • Non venomous • constrictor • Many killed every year by people • Important part of ecosystem • Eats rodents • Food for raptors texassnakes.net/bullsnake.jpg

  23. Bats • Eat insects • Some migrate & some hibernate • 18 species of bats in Colorado • Big brown bat • Long-legged myotis • Big free-tailed bat • Pallid bat • Brazilian free-tailed bat • Red bat • California myotis • Silver-haired bat • Western pipistrelle tpwd.state.tx.us • Eastern pipistrelle • Spotted bat • Fringed myotis • Townsend’s big-eared bat • Hoary bat • Western small-footed myotis • Long-eared myotis • Little brown bat • Yumanmyotis education.luther.edu

  24. On behalf of the Colorado Wildlife Federation thank you. • Created by: Maria Stelacio • Technical assistant: Quinn P McGarrigle Credits

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