Fur Bearing
Animal
Identification
Objectives
List 19 Fur-bearing species of Texas
wildlife.
Describe what the 19 fur-bearing
species look like.
Badger
 Large, robust, short-
legged “weasel”
 Broad body with a
short, thick tail
 Grayish, yellow body
 White face markings
Beaver
Aquatic rodents
Broad, flat, scaly
tails
Webbed hind
feet
Dark brown
color
Red Fox
Bright, golden
yellow body
Chin, throat, &
belly mid-line of
belly are white
Forefeet & legs are
black
Desert Fox
Smaller body
Upper body is
buffy gray
Sides, tail & midbelly are clear buff
Throat is white
Have large ears
Swift Fox
Upper parts are
pale buffy yellow
with frosted
white
Tail is buffy gray
with a black tip
Gray Fox
Gray upper
body
Reddish brown
legs
White throat,
cheeks, & midline of belly
Weasel
Long, slender
animal
Short legs &
long tail
Small, rounded
ears
Mink
Size of a house
cat
Dark brown
Semi-aquatic
Prefer small
streams
Muskrat
 Large, brownish,
aquatic, scalytailed rodent
Tail is naked
Inhabit marshes
Nutria
Beaver-like
Long, round
sparsely haired tail
Dark underfur
with long, glossy
dark brown guard
hairs
Opossum
Long, scaly,
prehensile tail
Nocturnal
White base and
black tipped fur
Otter
Large, dark
brown animal
with slender body
Webbed feet &
long thick tail
Aquatic and feed
mostly on fish
Raccoon
Blackish facial
mask with white
outline
Tail is black and
white alternating
rings
nocturnal
Ringtails
Resembles a
small fox
Long, tail with
alternating white
and black rings
Nocturnal
Bodies are gray
Spotted Skunk
Small white spot
on forehead
Six distinct white
stripes on body
Striped Skunk
Two white stripes
on sides of back
Stripes connect at
the neck region &
continue down
the head
Hooded Skunk
Two color
patterns
Upper body is
chiefly white
OR Upper part is
chiefly black with
white stripes
Hog-nosed Skunk
Single white
stripe that extends
from head to tail
Tail is entirely
white
Black Bear
Medium-size bear
Black or brown
Front claws are
slightly longer and
curved for
climbing
Summary
Review
Tomorrow