The Mitten

Facts you should know about the animals in the book…

It is a burrowing animal, with short, thick legs, and long claws on the fore feet in the Weasel family, Mustelidae The Badger can be quite vicious and will fight off predators such as Bears and WolvesBadgers are omnivores and eat earthworms, insects, frogs, small reptiles, small mammals, small birds, berries and seeds.Badgers are shy, nocturnal animals

Mice have tails that are as long as their bodies. Mice see best in dim light. Their eyesight is weak, but their other senses are acute. Their whiskers are used to sense smooth and rough surfaces, temperature changes and breezes. Like all rodents, mice have teeth that never stop growing. Mice teeth can grow up to 5 inches a year. The average mouse has a life expectancy of just 2 years. Mice squeak at very high frequencies, often above the range of human hearing.Mice can jump down 12 feet without injury; they also have a 12-inch vertical jump.

It eats insects, spiders, other tadpoles. Its a very calm frog. Generally it prefers to stay near water, though it sometimes can be found in damp woodland areas near decaying trees etc. Green Frogs can be found in much of the eastern half of the United States.

Owls are nocturnal hunting birds with eyes that face forwards. Owls have a large head and large eyes that face forwards (unlike other birds, whose eyes are on the sides of their head). This eye placement gives them binocular vision and very precise depth perception. Also, there are circles of radiating feathers surrounding each eye, giving them a wide-eyed, alert look. They are closely related to hawks. Owls sleep during the day and emerge at night to hunt small prey. There are about 162 different species of owls alive today.

Rabbits are fast-moving, big-eared mammals. There are about 25 different species of rabbits. They live in a variety of environments, including deserts, swamps, marshes, forests, grasslands, and prairies. Rabbits are found on every continent except Antarctica.Most rabbits live for about a year in the wild. They are hunted by dogs, foxes, raccoons, weasels, bobcats, lynxes, hawks, and eagles. They have a fast reproductive rate. They eat grass, leaves, bark, and twigs. They have very big and powerful hind legs which they use for hopping and for digging burrows.

Red foxes live around the world in many diverse habitats including forests, grasslands, mountains, and deserts. Red foxes are solitary hunters who feed on rodents, rabbits, birds, and other small game—but their diet can be as flexible as their home habitat. Foxes will eat fruit and vegetables, fish, frogs, and even worms. If living among humans, foxes will opportunistically dine on garbage and pet food. A fox uses its tail (or "brush") as a warm cover in cold weather and as a signal flag to communicate with other foxes.

Wolves are the largest members of the dog family. Adaptable gray wolves are by far the most common and were once found all over the Northern Hemisphere. In the lower 48 states, gray wolves were hunted to near extinction, though some populations survived and others have since been reintroduced. Wolves live and hunt in packs of around six to ten animals. They are known to roam large distances, perhaps 12 miles (20 kilometers) in a single day. These social animals cooperate on their preferred prey—large animals such as deer, elk, and moose. 

Wild boar are nocturnal, foraging in early morning and late afternoon or at night, but resting for periods during both night and day. If surprised or cornered, a boar can and will defend itself and its young with intense vigor. The male lowers its head, charges, and then slashes upward with his tusks. The female, whose tusks are not visible, charges with her head up, mouth wide, and bites. 

Black bears are the largest land mammal in New Jersey. They are an integral part of the state's natural heritage and a vital component of healthy ecosystems.Since the 1980s the Garden State's black bear population has been increasing and expanding its range both southward and eastward from the forested areas of northwestern New Jersey. Within the most densely populated state in the nation, black bears are thriving and there are now confirmed bear sightings in all 21 of New Jersey's counties.

Brown bears dig dens for winter hibernation, often holing up in a suitable hillside. Females, or she-bears, den while pregnant and give birth during this winter rest, usually to a pair of cubs. Brown bear cubs nurse on their mother's milk until spring and stay with her for some two and a half years—so females only reproduce once every three years.

As a hedgehog picks its way through the hedges it emits piglike grunts—thus its name the hedgehog. While on the hunt, they rely upon their senses of hearing and smell because their eyesight is weak.Hedgehogs have a coat of stiff, sharp spines. If attacked they will curl into a prickly and unappetizing ball that deters most predators. They usually sleep in this position during the day and awaken to search for food at night. www. meetmeatthecorner.org/episode/a-kids-introduction-to-hedgehog