Tag Archives: Tennessee

Tennessee’s Endangered Eastern Spotted Skunk

The Eastern spotted skunk, native to our region, has lost up to 99% of its population in the last seventy years. It is likely completely extinct through most of its natural range— including the region of Tennessee where For Fox Sake operates— and it could be completely extinct in the wild within a decade. AndContinue reading “Tennessee’s Endangered Eastern Spotted Skunk”

Tennessee’s Endangered Flying Squirrel

This cutie pie is a rare sight, spotted occasionally in some of the higher altitude areas here in East Tennessee. Carolina flying squirrels are a subspecies of the Northern flying squirrel, currently facing the possibility of extinction due to habitat fragmentation and pollution. Its greatest threats come from the loss of the old-growth spruce forestsContinue reading “Tennessee’s Endangered Flying Squirrel”

Tennessee’s Red Squirrels

American red squirrels aren’t endangered, but here in our home state of Tennessee, they’re not very common. Red squirrels in Tennessee tend to stick to the high-altitude forests in Eastern Tennessee near the North Carolina border. They’re distinguished from their more widespread grey cousins by their smaller size, reddish fur, and less bushy tail. InContinue reading “Tennessee’s Red Squirrels”

Can the Porcupine Return to Tennessee?

Many Tennesseans don’t know that this cutie pie, the American porcupine, once lived in our state. The American porcupine was once abundant in the mountains of East Tennessee, but they were completely eliminated from our state by people who regarded them as pests, mostly because of their tendency to seek out salt-treated woods that wereContinue reading “Can the Porcupine Return to Tennessee?”

Tennessee’s Southern Bog Lemming

Many people think of lemmings as exotic animals that live only in cold wilderness areas. But this little fellow right here, the Southern bog lemming, actually lives right here in the Southern U.S.! Southern bog lemmings are a vital part of our ecosystem, as the preferred prey of many threatened and endangered native animals. AlthoughContinue reading “Tennessee’s Southern Bog Lemming”

Fishers Return to Tennessee

This handsome member of the weasel family, called a fisher or fisher-cat, was driven to statewide extinction by over-trapping. In 2002, conservationists selected a remote, forested area in middle Tennessee to re-introduce this animal to its native habitat. No one knows how successful they have been. Tennessee’s fishers lived on a diet rich in snowshoeContinue reading “Fishers Return to Tennessee”

Tennessee’s Dusky Gopher Frog Extinct Statewide

Conservationists need highlight the struggle of this precious animal, which native to our home state. The dusky gopher frog was once found in wetlands throughout the South, ranging as far north as middle Tennessee. Due to the extreme loss of suitable wetland habitats, dusky gopher frogs haven’t been seen in Tennessee in over twenty years,Continue reading “Tennessee’s Dusky Gopher Frog Extinct Statewide”

Tennessee’s Box Turtles in Danger

It’s important to recognize the plight of wild animals right here in the Southeastern U.S. This handsome fellow is an Eastern box turtle, which has experienced a sharp population decline over the last few decades. Without intervention and protection, this once-common backyard guest could vanish forever. The good news is that everyday people like youContinue reading “Tennessee’s Box Turtles in Danger”

Grey Foxes on the Decline

Three hundred years ago, grey foxes were much more common throughout the U.S. than wolves, coyotes, or red foxes. That’s because we had more old-growth forests and these beautiful animals thrive in areas with large, knobby trees with hollow openings, which are their preferred dens. They also use trees for climbing and hunting. That’s right:Continue reading “Grey Foxes on the Decline”