WILDLIFE HABITAT REQUIREMENTS

1. WILDLIFE HABITAT REQUIREMENTS Agriscience 381 Wildlife and Recreation Management #8986-A TEKS: (c)(3)(C)

2. Introduction Wildlife management is a complicated science. Its goal is to establish a healthy, diverse wild population of plants and animals in a symbiotic relationship.

3. Plants, prey species, and rainfall help to meet the food, cover, and water requirements which, along with arrangement, are essential for the survival of wildlife. Photo by J. R. Douglass courtesy of Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service, DOI.

4. Human interference breaks down these elements. Habitat is lost to agriculture, roads, homes, and industry. Photo by Erwin C. Cole courtesy of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

5. Habitat management is providing attention to the needs of wildlife, including food, water, cover, space and arrangement. Photo by John Brandow courtesy of Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service, DOI.

6. Food Food is energy. Plants (producers) provide the base of the food chain. Plants use nutrients from the soil, energy from the sun, and sufficient water to produce energy for growth.

7. Primary consumers eat the plants. Secondary consumers eat the primary consumers. Tertiary consumers eat the secondary consumers. Through this chain of events, energy is passed from one level of consumers to the next level of consumers.

8. Tertiary Consumers  Secondary Consumers  Primary Consumers  Producers

9. Herbivores are animals that feed only on plant materials. Photo by Bill Ratcliff. Photo by TNK. Photo by Jeff Foott. Photo by J. Schmidt. Photo by J. Schmidt. Photos courtesy of Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service, DOI.

10. Carnivores are predatory animals that feed on other animals. Photo by Jim Peaco. Photo by W. L. Miller. Photo by Jim Peaco. Photo by R. Robinson. Photo by K. Fink. Photos courtesy of Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service, DOI.

11. Omnivores will feed on either plants or animals. Photo by Jim Peaco. Photo by Bryan Harry. Photo by unknown. Photo by R. Robinson. Photo by Don Arceneaux. Photos courtesy of Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service, DOI.

12. Plant types vary widely from trees to shrubs to grasses. Plants are even selective where they grow, including aquatic areas or drier climates. Photo by J. Schmidt. Photo by unknown. Photo by J. Schmidt. Photos courtesy of Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service, DOI.

13. The plants serve two major purposes: • to feed animals, and • to protect the soil. Photo by Mike Boylan courtesy of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

14. Plants protect the soil by holding in soil moisture and preventing soil erosion. Photo courtesy of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

15. A balance of plants support a community of animals. Those animals are prey to carnivores and omnivores (predators). Predators prevent herbivores from overpopulating and consuming all of the plants. This cycle of plants and animals eating and being eaten is the food chain.

16. Destruction of habitat breaks the cycle. This reduces plants, exposes soil, removes cover and in turn reduces the population of herbivores, which creates a smaller food supply for predators. Photo courtesy of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

17. Without enough natural food, animals feed on cultivated crops and domestic animals. Predator control and decreased food supply reduce the predator population. The need for a balance in nature becomes easy to understand.

18. Diversity in plants promotes a strong population of plant eaters, which makes more prey available for predators. Managing a food source for wildlife can be simple or complex. More elements in an ecosystem make it more complex to manage.

19. A game manager should understand the concept of “good” or “bad” years, competitors, seasons, and available shelter. A wildlife manager must know the population of all species and the food source of each species to manage the wildlife food supply. Photo by John & Karen Hollingsworth courtesy of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

20. White-tailed deer eat plants that fall into three different categories: • browse (woody plants), • forbs, and • grasses. Photo by Jesse Achtenberg courtesy of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

21. Percentages of these plant groups depend on the season, vegetative areas, soils, individuals, and competition. A good deer diet should contain 14 to 18 percent protein. Photo by John Mosesso courtesy of National Biological Information Infrastructure.

22. Mule deer feed mainly on browse, but will eat succulent grasses and forbs when available. Photo by Miller courtesy of Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service, DOI.

23. Pronghorn antelope mainly eat forbs (65%), but also eat browse (30%) and grasses. In winter, wheat, barley, and oats can make up to 70% of the diet. Pronghorn can eat several forbs that are poisonous to livestock. Photo by William S. Keller courtesy of Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service, DOI.

24. Javelina feed on various cacti. Prickly pear, mesquite beans, sotol, lechuguilla, and other succulent vegetation are preferred foods. Of these plants, prickly pear makes up 80 to 95 percent of the daily diet. They will also eat rats, grubs, and carrion. Photo by Tom Stehn courtesy of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

25. A squirrel will only eat about 0.2 pounds of food a day. Acorns make up about 60 percent of their diet. Squirrels prefer pecans and will feed on the blooms through the nut stage. Photo by W. H. Julian courtesy of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

26. Quail eat about 15 percent animal matter and 85 percent plant matter. Young birds almost only eat beetles, weevils, caterpillars, and crickets. Adults eat seeds and fruits. Photo by M. Jasek.

27. Pheasants are seedeaters, primarily domestic grains. Chicks feed on insects. Ragweed, careless weed, smartweed, and croton make up the winter diet. Photo by Roger Hill courtesy of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

28. Turkey poults’ diets are 90 percent insects. Adults eat forbs, buds, flowers, seeds, and insects. Corn, grain sorghum, and wheat are agricultural crops eaten by turkey. Photo by Jeff Vanuga courtesy of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

29. Mourning dove diets are mainly seeds from grasses, cultivated grains, and forbs. The most popular place for mourning doves to feed is recently harvested crop fields. Photo by Harry and Ruth Crockett courtesy of Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service, DOI.

30. Water Water is basic to all living organisms. Plants and animals have water requirements. Plants are adapted to the amount of rainfall available. Some animals can survive on the dew on plants or moisture in seeds.

31. With animals, the need for water depends on the species. Some animals can travel great distances to find water. For others, water must be close. Still others require a constant water source for their survival. Photo by Gordon Rodda courtesy of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

32. Larger animals can travel farther to water than smaller animals. Smaller birds can travel farther than larger birds. Nesting or nurturing females need water closer than males or females not caring for young. Photo by K. A. King courtesy of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

33. Sources for water include surface water, snow, succulent plants, insects, and metabolic water. Rainfall and groundwater nourishes plants. The manager cannot control these factors.

34. Surface water is available in rivers, streams, creeks, ponds, and lakes. When these supplies are low or lacking, a manager can provide water to animals. Photos by Gary Kramer courtesy of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

35. One way to provide water is constructing ponds. These are usually watershed impoundments at the low end of sloped land. Ponds should have high clay content to hold water and provide a stable embankment. Photo by Keith Zamzow.

36. Two types of ponds can be constructed, the pit-type and the earthen dam. A pit-type pond is usually built on flat ground. It is supplied by rainfall or a pump.

37. Earthen dams are part of the watershed pond. Seasonal structures can create shallow ponds for waterfowl.

38. Water can occur in springs, perennial streams, and potholes as natural water supplies. Besides water, there is only one requirement for good wildlife habitat. Water must accompany good food and cover. Water alone in not enough to improve wildlife populations.

39. A person must understand and know the water needs for many species in order to manage it correctly. Photo by Andrew Hacking courtesy of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

40. White-tailed deer will consume one-half to one gallon of water daily. The need for water increases during hot weather. Water should be from one to three miles from the next available source. Photo by Keith Zamzow.

41. For mule deer, water should not be more than three miles apart. Poorly spaced water can concentrate deer herds. This can cause an overuse of forage species. Photo courtesy of Texas Bighorn Society webcam.

42. Pronghorn antelope are able to conserve water for long periods. Close water supplies are helpful, but not needed. Pronghorn often drink from livestock water troughs. Photo by Jim Peaco courtesy of Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service, DOI.

43. Javelinas are less dependent on free water because they get water from the succulents they eat. When succulents are lacking, javelina will seek streams, ponds, or water troughs. Usually, the absence of succulents will cause javelina to leave the area.

44. Squirrel habitat should have available water. They get water from succulent plants. Water collected in tree hollows provides water, along with ponds and creeks. If water is not available for long periods of time, squirrels will leave the area.

45. Quail water requirements are generally met from food, dew, or surface water. Photo by M. Jasek.

46. Water is not a critical element for pheasant. Irrigated cropland and insects seem to meet their water needs.

47. Turkeys need water daily. They get water from food or free water and will nest close to water. Nesting hens should be within 400 feet of water.

48. Mourning doves have a high need for water and it is important during nesting season. The ability to fly makes water less of an issue. Meeting water needs of other species will meet the needs of doves.

49. Cover Cover provides animals with protection from predators or shelter for nesting or natal activities. Habitat alone does not make it cover. Rocks, plants, crevices, and ravines are habitat, but provide no cover.

50. Cover requirements include several species of vegetation types. Factors that influence food, also influence cover. Plant growth is influenced by soil conditions, weather changes, and artificial conditions (i.e. cropland).