- Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator Wildlife Species Identification Flashcards

Which physical feature BEST distinguishes a coyote from a similarly-sized domestic dog at a distance?

Answer: Coyotes carry their tail low and straight when running, below the back line

Coyotes characteristically carry their tail low and straight when running, unlike most domestic dogs.

What key difference distinguishes opossum droppings from raccoon droppings?

Answer: Opossum droppings are pointed and smooth while raccoon droppings are tubular with visible seeds or berries

Opossum droppings are pointed and smooth; raccoon droppings are tubular with blunt ends containing visible food remnants.

What MOST reliably distinguishes Eastern chipmunk burrows from Norway rat burrows around a foundation?

Answer: Chipmunk burrows are clean with no soil pile; rat burrows have a fan of excavated soil

Chipmunks carry excavated soil in cheek pouches, leaving a clean entrance, while rats push soil out creating visible mounds.

What anatomical feature makes North American porcupines unique among rodents?

Answer: Modified hairs (quills) covering the dorsal surface and tail

The porcupine's approximately 30,000 barbed quills are unique among North American rodents.

How can an operator distinguish a weasel from a chipmunk during a brief glimpse?

Answer: Weasels have a long, slender body with very short legs and sinuous movement; chipmunks are compact with stripes and a bounding gait

The weasel's elongated, snake-like body shape and undulating movement is distinctly different from the chipmunk's compact, striped body with bounding hop.

Which feature distinguishes Mexican free-tailed bats from big brown and little brown bats?

Answer: Tail extending visibly beyond the tail membrane

Free-tailed bats have about 1/3 of their tail extending beyond the tail membrane, while other species' tails are fully enclosed.