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Fauna of Oregon

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The fauna of the state of Oregon includes a wide array of species.

A medium-sized bird with mottled brown and yellow plumage blends with its surroundings, which consist of soil and vegetation similarly mottled
The common nighthawk is one of more than 50 species of birds seen in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
The western meadowlark is Oregon's state bird.
The North American beaver is Oregon's state mammal.

One way of presenting the fauna of Oregon is classification by lifezone. Oregon is a vastly diverse state in terms of topography and climate. Five of the seven recognized lifezones are identified in Oregon.[1]

Mammals

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Further information: List of mammals of Oregon

Although there are variable reports, some sources report that there are four species of mammals found exclusively in Oregon: the Baird's shrew, the Pacific shrew, the camas pocket gopher, and the red tree vole (North Oregon Coast "distinct population segment").[2][3] However, other sources list the red tree vole as present in northern California. According to the Oregon State University libraries Oregon Wildlife Explorer website, one hundred thirty-six mammals have been described, exclusive of marine mammals. Most of these are smaller creatures weighing under one kilogram, active primarily at night, with a tendency towards more inconspicuous ways of life. Some of the larger, more iconic, carnivorous species have been driven from the region. Others are present, but in lesser numbers.[2]

The American Society of Mammalogists provides a more exhaustive listing of species. Grizzly bears are no longer listed. In 2011, it reported that 12 Canada lynx remain.[4]

Elk

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Elk were heavily hunted in Oregon in the 1800s leading to their extirpation from all but the most inaccessible parts of the Blue Mountains. Legal hunting officially ended in 1909. In 1912 fifteen elk were imported from Wyoming to re-establish huntable herds. The first elk hunting season post re-establishment was in 1933.[5]

Gray wolf

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The gray wolf was extirpated from Oregon in 1947 and returned in 1999 when wolves from Idaho began to move into the state.[5] The gray wolf populations has been increasing in recent years and is monitored by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.[6] The first confirmed wolf sighting in western Oregon since 1947, known as Journey or OR-7, was born in April, 2009 and OR-7 became the first wolf in modern times to move to California.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bailey, Vernon (29 August 1936). "The Mammals and Life Zones of Oregon" (PDF). North American Fauna. 55: 1–348. doi:10.3996/nafa.55.0001. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Oregon Mammals". Oregon Wildlife Explorer. Oregon State University. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  3. ^ "Species Fact Sheet Red tree vole Arborimus longicaudu". Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Mammals of Oregon". www.mammalsociety.org. American Society of Mammalogists. Archived from the original on 16 October 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  5. ^ a b Nash, James. "Trail Cam Captures a Collared Wolf Killing a Collared Elk in Eastern Oregon". outdoorlife.com. Outdoor Life. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Oregon Wolves". ODFW Gray Wolves. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  7. ^ Freeman, Mark (February 23, 2012). "Wandering Wolf OR-7 Moves Within 10 Miles of Oregon". Mail Tribune. Medford, Oregon: Dow Jones Local Media Group. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
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