Riparian: Mammals

River Otter

A long body, short legs, feet with webbed toes and a long, tapered tail are very suited to the under water lifestyle of the river otter. The otter spends most of its time in the water, feeding on fish. It comes out to forage on shore and to den under the roots of a large tree or under slabs of rock in the river bank.

Beaver

These large aquatic rodents are well adapted to a life in the water. Their hind feet are large and webbed, their tail is paddle-shaped and scaly, and their eyes have a special membrane to shut out the water. Beaver lodges are made of sticks, logs and mud with a nest chamber chewed out above the high-water mark. The leaves and bark of aspens, willow, and cottonwood are the favoured foods, but roots of water lilies, cattails and pond weeds are also eaten. Young beavers leave the family lodge at two years of age.

Fringed Myotis

The largest of the Myotis species of bats in BC, the fringed myotis has pale brown fur and long ears. Emerging and hour or two after sunset, it feeds around thickets along rivers and streams. Its diet consists mainly of moths, flies, beetles, leafhoppers and other insects. Wingless insects have been observed as a part of its diet, indicating that it must glean these insects from leaves. Little is known about the roosts of the Fringed Myotis.

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Here are some other representative species in riparian areas:

Big Brown Bat
Black Bear
California Myotis
Common Shrew
Coyote
Deer Mouse
Mule Deer
Muskrat
Northern Flying Squirrel
Red Fox
Silver-haired Bat
Voles
White-tailed Deer
Yellow-pine Chipmunk
Red:
Western Red Bat

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