December #SuperSnap
The December #SuperSnap goes to this raccoon and her four kits captured in Jackson County! Four kits are an average litter size for raccoons, and they are typically born in April or May. Kits are born helpless with their eyes closed, and they only weigh a few ounces. By late summer, the raccoon young are much more independent, but they will stay close to their mother throughout their first winter. When a new litter is expected the following spring, the previous years kits are ready to move out on their own!
A huge thanks to Zooniverse participant @momsabina for this #SuperSnap nomination.
Continue classifying photos on Zooniverse and sharing your favorites with #SuperSnap – your submission might just be next month’s featured photo! Check out all the nominations by searching “#SuperSnap” on the Snapshot Wisconsin Talk boards.
Sources:
November #SuperSnap
The November #SuperSnap goes to the couple of otters captured by a Snapshot Wisconsin camera in Vilas County. Otters are semi-aquatic and have many features that make them excellent swimmers, such as their webbed feet, narrow body and strong tail that helps them propel through the water! They can stay underwater for up to 8 minutes and are able to do so by closing their nostrils to keep water out during these longer dives. They can detect prey in dark or cloudy water with their long whiskers, then use their clawed feet to latch on to their favorite food items, such as bass or sunfish!
A huge thanks to Zooniverse participant @bzeise for this #SuperSnap nomination.
Continue classifying photos on Zooniverse and sharing your favorites with #SuperSnap – your submission might just be next month’s featured photo! Check out all the nominations by searching “#SuperSnap” on the Snapshot Wisconsin Talk boards.
Sources:
https://www.eekwi.org/animals/mammals/river-otter
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/north-american-river-otter
October #SuperSnap
The October #SuperSnap goes to this porcupine that made a point to be captured by a Snapshot Wisconsin camera in Marinette County! Porcupines have as many as 30,000 quills on all parts of its body, except the stomach. Unlike the common misconception that porcupines can shoot the quills at predators, they swing their barbed-quill tails as defense which can cause their quills to become embedded in their predators. Porcupines are not an aggressive animal, but they will use this unique defense when threatened, especially from their main predator, the fisher!
A huge thanks to Zooniverse participant @AUK for this #SuperSnap nomination.
Continue classifying photos on Zooniverse and sharing your favorites with #SuperSnap – your submission might just be next month’s featured photo! Check out all the nominations by searching “#SuperSnap” on the Snapshot Wisconsin Talk boards.
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September #SuperSnap
The September #SuperSnap goes to this striped skunk and her kits spotted by a Snapshot Wisconsin camera in Oneida county! Kits are born in dens by May or June and will begin to wean from their mothers by six weeks. They will then start venturing out on forage expeditions by following single-file behind mom. Striped skunks are opportunistic omnivores and will consume anything from fruits and nuts to amphibians and reptiles, but their favorite food source is insects!
A huge thanks to Zooniverse participant @oregano for this #SuperSnap nomination.
Continue classifying photos on Zooniverse and sharing your favorites with #SuperSnap – your submission might just be next month’s featured photo! Check out all the nominations by searching “#SuperSnap” on the Snapshot Wisconsin Talk boards.
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August #SuperSnap
The August #SuperSnap goes to the Sandhill Cranes captured by a Snapshot Wisconsin trail camera located in Dodge County. Cranes have unique behavior displays that are often referred to as “dancing.” They can be seen dancing when they are seeking a mate, to strengthen the bond between lifelong mated pairs, or to express aggression or territoriality. During these displays, cranes will let out a series of distinctive calls that can be heard up to 2 miles away!
A huge thanks to Zooniverse participant @Swamp-eye for this #SuperSnap nomination.
Continue classifying photos on Zooniverse and sharing your favorites with #SuperSnap – your submission might just be next month’s featured photo! Check out all the nominations by searching “#SuperSnap” on the Snapshot Wisconsin Talk boards.
Sources:
https://www.eekwi.org/animals/birds/sandhill-crane
https://madisonaudubon.org/crane-dancing
https://savingcranes.org/learn/frequently-asked-questions-about-cranes/
July #SuperSnap
The July #SuperSnap goes to this fantastic trail camera image of a fisher from Dunn County! This type of fisher doesn’t require a pole and net to catch their food. Fishers instead use their retractable claws, sharp teeth, and agile body when on the hunt for a meal. They also rarely eat fish as their name might imply. They most commonly prey on other terrestrial mammals, including snowshoe hares, squirrels, and even porcupines. This species is omnivorous, so they will also consume nuts, fruits, and mushrooms when available.
A huge thanks to Zooniverse participant @smeurett for this #SuperSnap nomination.
Continue classifying photos on Zooniverse and sharing your favorites with #SuperSnap – your submission might just be next month’s featured photo! Check out all of the nominations by searching “#SuperSnap” on the Snapshot Wisconsin Talk boards.
Sources:
http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/fisher_k6.html
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/furbearers.html
https://www.massaudubon.org/learn/nature-wildlife/mammals/fishers/about
June #SuperSnap
Oh baby! The June #SuperSnap goes to this red fox and their kit captured on a Snapshot trail camera in Price County. Foxes usually breed in mid-January and will have their litter of 5 to 6 pups by mid-March. Staying within their typical hunting range of about 150-400 acres, kits will begin hunting with their parents at 3 months old. By the time they are 7-8 months old, they are ready to hunt on their own! The young will begin to disperse by late fall to search for their own home-range and will usually breed during their first winter.
A huge thanks to Zooniverse participant @MiddleChild for this #SuperSnap nomination.
Continue classifying photos on Zooniverse and sharing your favorites with #SuperSnap – your submission might just be next month’s featured photo! Check out all of the nominations by searching “#SuperSnap” on the Snapshot Wisconsin Talk boards.
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May #SuperSnap
The May #SuperSnap goes to this action shot of a gray squirrel from Dane County! Squirrels make up 9% of the animal photos captured by Snapshot Wisconsin trail cameras, putting them just behind deer as the second largest collection of animal photos in our database. These squirrel detections can be viewed in combination with our chipmunk observations on the Snapshot Wisconsin Data Dashboard. This online tool visualizes the trail camera data collected by Snapshot volunteers found all around the state.
A huge thanks to Zooniverse participant @charleysangel for this #SuperSnap nomination
Continue classifying photos on Zooniverse and sharing your favorites with #SuperSnap – your submission might just be next month’s featured photo! Check out all of the nominations by searching “#SuperSnap” on the Snapshot Wisconsin Talk boards.
April #SuperSnap
The April #SuperSnap goes to this great blue heron captured on a Snapshot trail camera in Door County. Standing at four feet tall, blue herons use shallow areas like the one pictured as their main hunting grounds. They typically remain stationary while scanning the water below for fish, frogs, or snakes to catch with their long beaks. Great blue herons will also prey on species found in nearby fields or marshes, like rodents, insects, and even other birds.
A huge thanks to Zooniverse participant @AUK for this #SuperSnap nomination.
Continue classifying photos on Zooniverse and sharing your favorites with #SuperSnap – your submission might just be next month’s featured photo! Check out all of the nominations by searching “#SuperSnap” on the Snapshot Wisconsin Talk boards.
Sources:
https://www.eekwi.org/animals/birds/great-blue-heron
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/great-blue-heron
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/lifehistory
March #SuperSnap
Wood-n’t you know it, our March #Supersnap goes to this nighttime shot of a beaver in Vernon County! These ecosystem engineers play a large role in shaping the waterways and wetlands throughout Wisconsin. The dams that beavers build can reach up to six and a half feet tall and stretch fifteen feet wide. A single beaver alone cuts down around 200 trees each year to use in dam construction. The bark, twigs, and leaves from each tree also serve as their main food source.
A huge thanks to Zooniverse participant @bobk47 for this #SuperSnap nomination.
Continue classifying photos on Zooniverse and sharing your favorites with #SuperSnap – your submission might just be next month’s featured photo! Check out all of the nominations by searching “#SuperSnap” on the Snapshot Wisconsin Talk boards.
Sources:
Snapshot Wisconsin 