Order Carnivora - carnivores
Mount Desert Island and the adjacent ocean are home to 12 species in 11 genera in 6 families. Click on a link below or scroll down for more information.
Canidae (2 genera, 2 species)
Canis latrans - coyote
Vulpes vulpes - red fox
Mephitidae (1 genus, 1 species)
Mephitis mephitis - striped skunk
Ursidae (1 genus, 1 species)
Ursus americanus - black bear
Mustelidae (4 genera, 5 species)
Lontra canadensis - river otter
Martes pennanti - fisher
Mustela erminea - short-tailed weasel
Mustela frenata - long-tailed weasel
Neovison vison - mink
Procyonidae (1 genus, 1 species)
Procyon lotor - common raccoon
Phocidae (2 genera, 2 species)
Halichoerus grypus - gray seal
Phoca vitulina - harbor seal
Canidae (dog family)
| Vulpes vulpes (red fox). Attention was drawn to this fox by the raucous cawing of many crows. |
Mustelidae
| Lontra canadensis (river otter). From p. 140 of "Tracking & the Art of Seeing" by Paul Rezendes: "When otters move on snow, they tend to bound a few steps, then get down on their belly and slide, pushing themselves along with their short legs as though they were swimming. ... The slide is usually 6" to 10" wide." The image of the slide was taken on 17 January 2008 at the pond that is north of Eagle Lake Road (Bar Harbor) and just east of the Eagle Lake parking lot. The picture of the river otter was taken by Don Lenahan on 27 March 2008 at the marsh along the west side of Schooner Head Road, from which there is a clear view of the east face of Champlain Mountain. |
Procyonidae
| Procyon lotor (raccoon). The raccoon is the sole Mount Desert Island member of Family Procyonidae. This lower left photograph was taken at a “bird” feeder one night in April 2007 at a private residence in Bass Harbor. The lower right image show the raccoon’s track in a natural habitat, the muddy edge of a small pond (9 September 2018). |
