Nevada’s tallest mountain, Mount Whitney, is home to a diverse range of animals that have adapted to the mountainous terrain. From the majestic Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep to the elusive Western Spotted Skunk, these animals have made their home atop the mountain.
In this article, we will discover nine animals that lurk atop Nevada’s tallest mountain, including their unique characteristics and adaptations that allow them to survive in this harsh environment.
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9 Animals That Lurk Atop Nevada’s Tallest Mountain
Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep
Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis sierrae) is a subspecies of bighorn sheep that is unique to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. They were listed as a federally endangered subspecies in 2000, and in 2016, over 600 Sierra bighorn remained in the wild.
Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep range in color from white to dark brown, with a white rump and dark tail. They have specialized hooves with adhesive soles that provide traction in steep rocky terrain. Female bighorn (ewes) can weigh up to 70 pounds, while males (rams) can weigh up to 200 pounds.
Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep live exclusively in the Sierra Nevada of California, and historically inhabited an extensive region that spanned from Sonora Pass in the north to Olancha Peak in the south.
Mountain Goats
Mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) are a species of goat that are native to North America. They are found in the Rocky Mountains and Cascade Range, as well as other mountain regions of the Western Cordillera of North America, including Nevada’s tallest mountain.
Mountain goats are the largest mammals found in their high-altitude habitats, which can exceed elevations of 13,000 ft (4,000 m). They have a shaggy white coat, black horns, and a short tail.
Mountain goats are well adapted to their mountainous habitat, with specialized hooves that provide excellent traction on steep and rocky terrain. They are herbivores, and their diet consists mainly of grasses, herbs, and shrubs.
Mountain goats are social animals and live in groups called bands, which can range in size from 5 to 20 individuals. The population of mountain goats in Nevada is relatively small, with most of the state’s mountain goats living in the Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt range.
Blue Grouse
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The blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) is a species of forest-dwelling grouse native to the Rocky Mountains in North America. It is closely related to the dusky grouse (Dendragapus obscurus), and the two were previously considered a single species, also known as the blue grouse.
The male blue grouse is gray to bluish-gray with a red to yellow-orange comb over its eyes, while the female is mottled brown with dark brown and white marks on the underparts.
Blue grouse live in mountain forests of ponderosa and lodgepole pine, aspen, and fir. They are slow-moving and inconspicuous birds, but often heard during their courtship displays.
Wolverine
The wolverine (Gulo gulo) is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscular carnivore that resembles a small bear but is actually the largest member of the weasel family.
Wolverines are solitary animals and are known for their strength and ferocity, with the documented ability to kill prey many times larger than themselves. They have a reputation for being tenacious predators with a taste for meat, and their diet consists mainly of carrion, small mammals, and occasionally larger prey such as deer, moose, and elk.
Wolverines are well adapted to their mountainous habitat, with strong limbs, broad and rounded head, small eyes, and short rounded ears.
Wolverines are found in the high-elevation forests and alpine meadows of Nevada’s tallest mountain, and they need a lot of room to roam. They are known for their ability to climb up and over steep cliffs, trees, and other obstacles with their large, five-toed paws with crampon-like claws and plantigrade posture.
Western Pipistrelle
The western pipistrelle (Pipistrellus hesperus) is a species of vesper bat that is found in Mexico and in the western United States, including Nevada’s tallest mountain. It is the smallest bat in the United States, with fur that varies from reddish-brown to golden-brown on top and white underneath.
Western pipistrelles are small brown-gray bats with a distinct black, leathery facial mask, ears, and patagium. They are common to abundant residents of deserts and arid grasslands and woodlands, and often come out during the daytime and can be seen flying about.
Mountain Bluebird
The mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides) is a small migratory thrush that is found in mountainous districts of western North America. It is sexually dimorphic in the color of the plumage but the sexes are similar in size.
An adult male is bright turquoise-blue above and somewhat lighter blue underneath but with a white lower belly, while an adult female has duller blue wings and tail, grey breast, grey crown, throat, and back.
Mountain bluebirds are fairly small thrushes with round heads and straight, thin bills. They are lanky and long-winged, with a long tail.
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Mountain bluebirds hunt insects from perches or while on the wing, at times resembling a tiny American Kestrel with their long wings. These bluebirds benefited from the westward spread of logging and grazing in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when the clearing of forest created open habitat for them.
Western Spotted Skunk
The western spotted skunk (Spilogale gracilis) is a species of skunk that is found throughout western North America, including Nevada’s tallest mountain. Here are some key facts about the western spotted skunk:
– The western spotted skunk is a nocturnal omnivore that feeds on a variety of foods, including eggs, mice, voles, roots, fruit, berries, beetles, grasshoppers, and small birds.
– They are smaller and more weasel-like than the striped skunk, with glossy black fur interrupted with distinct white stripes on the forward part of the body.
– The western spotted skunk is found throughout the western United States, northern Mexico, and southwestern British Columbia in Canada, and their habitat is mixed woodlands, open areas, and farmlands.
– Their preferred areas of occupation differ greatly depending on what resources are available in the immediate area. In areas such as Idaho and Washington, they prefer riparian areas that have brush thickets in which to hide and forage.
– The western spotted skunk was first described by Clinton Hart Merriam in 1890, and there remains discussion on whether the western spotted skunk is a subspecies of the eastern spotted skunk (S. putorius), a common skunk in the eastern United States.
Coyote
The coyote (Canis latrans) is a species of canine native to North America. Here are some key facts about coyotes:
– Coyotes are smaller than their close relative, the wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely related eastern wolf and red wolf.
– They fill much of the same ecological niche as the golden jackal does in Eurasia.
– Coyotes are very vocal animals, with a number of vocalizations including barks, growls, yips, whines, and howls.
– They are extremely intelligent animals with keen senses of hearing, sight, and smell, and are primarily nocturnal and very opportunistic.
– Coyotes are adaptable and opportunistic predators, and their diet consists of a variety of foods, including rabbits, rodents, fish, frogs, insects, snakes, fruit, grass, and carrion.
– They are found throughout North America, including Nevada’s tallest mountain, and are associated with open plains in the West and brushy areas in the East.
– Coyotes are a prominent character in Native American folklore, usually depicted as a trickster that alternately assumes the form of an actual coyote or a man.
Desert Horned Lizard
The desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos) is a species of lizard that is native to western North America, including Nevada’s tallest mountain. Here are some key facts about the desert horned lizard:
– Desert horned lizards are often referred to as “horny toads,” although they are not toads, but lizards.
– They have a round, squat, toad-like body with thorn-like projections at the rear of their heads, which differ in size and arrangement from one species to another.
– Desert horned lizards are well camouflaged in their surroundings, and their body color can be beige, brown, or gray.
– They have horns that are wide at the base, which is not true for their congener, the short-horned lizard.
– Juveniles are similar to adults, but have shorter and less-pronounced cranial spines.
– Desert horned lizards are found in extremely diverse habitats, including forest clearings, sagebrush deserts, and areas of soft sand.
– As an evolutionary advantage, desert horned lizards have developed larger stomachs to allow them to consume larger concentrations of ants, which make up a significant portion of their diet.
– When they find an area of soft sand, they usually shake themselves vigorously, throwing sand over their backs and leaving only their head exposed. This allows them to hide from predators and await their unsuspecting prey.
– The desert horned lizard has also been observed to exhibit rain-harvesting behavior in the wild, a behavior previously only attributed to a handful of other species.
FAQS
1. What is the tallest mountain in Nevada?
The tallest mountain in Nevada is Mount Whitney.
2. What kind of animals can be found atop Nevada’s tallest mountain?
Nevada’s tallest mountain is home to a variety of animals, including Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, mountain goats, blue grouse, wolverines, western pipistrelles, mountain bluebirds, western spotted skunks, coyotes, and desert horned lizards.
3. Are Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep endangered?
Yes, Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep were listed as a federally endangered subspecies in 2000.
4. What do mountain goats eat?
Mountain goats are herbivores, and their diet consists mainly of grasses, herbs, and shrubs.
5. What is the size of a coyote?
Coyotes are smaller than their close relative, the wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely related eastern wolf and red wolf.
6. What is the diet of a wolverine?
Wolverines are carnivores, and their diet consists mainly of carrion, small mammals, and occasionally larger prey such as deer, moose, and elk.
7. What is the habitat of the desert horned lizard?
Desert horned lizards are found in extremely diverse habitats, including forest clearings, sagebrush deserts, and areas of soft sand.
8. Are western spotted skunks found only in Nevada?
No, western spotted skunks are found throughout western North America, including Nevada’s tallest mountain.
9. What is the size of a mountain bluebird?
Mountain bluebirds are fairly small thrushes with round heads and straight, thin bills.
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Category: Animals
