By: Amelia Basile, NJSOC Education Intern
Have you wondered what types of animals you might see at the NJSOC? In northern New Jersey, there are so many unique, beautiful, and important species. Here we will highlight a few that have been seen roaming the campus!
Starting with easiest to miss animals, you may find a spotted salamander. These large salamanders are a dark grey color with yellow or orange spots unevenly spread throughout their entire body. The amount of spots varies per individual, and it is very rare to find zero-spotted, spotted salamanders. The spotted salamander is a rare find at the New Jersey School of Conservation. This is because they rarely come above ground as they like to stay protected and moist! You may see one during breeding season as they make their way to vernal pools. These natural temporary bodies of water are found in forests during the spring time and are formed due to rain settling in depressed areas. Since these salamanders prefer cool, moist environments, they travel to vernal pools during rainy spring nights.
Wood frogs, another species commonly found in the area, also mate in vernal pools. This amphibian is about 2.5 inches long and has dark marking across its eyes and head that looks like it is wearing a mask. During the winter, they go through brumation where their body stops moving and eating until it is warm again. During spring they become active again and make their way to vernal pools along with salamanders to mate and lay eggs. Wood frogs have a distinctive “quack” sound which occurs during the spring as a mating call.
Near other bodies of water, like Lake Wapalanne, you may spot an eastern painted turtle or a snapping turtle. We have an ambassador eastern painted turtle here at the NJSOC and you can learn all about them in our previous blog post. Along with these turtles, common snapping turtles are commonly spotted popping their heads out of the water. They are most active from April to November because it is their breeding season. They are the largest freshwater turtle in NJ and can be identified by their rough shell, large head, and long tail. Older common snapping turtles will have a smoother shell due to wear over time. They tend to be non-aggressive in the water but will bite and snap if threatened on land.
As for larger terrestrial animals, you may get a glimpse of a porcupine waddling near and around NJSOC. North American porcupines are known for their quilled coats. They are about 20 pounds and measure approximately 2-3 feet in length. Porcupines are most commonly found in forests and can be found eating all types of plant matter and berries. They are most active during their breeding season which is fall and early winter. Their babies are born in the spring and summer and are called Porcupettes! While it is true that porcupine quills are detached easily, it is a myth that their quills shoot at predators. This makes them pretty harmless to humans as they will either flee or puff up in defense.
Living in the forests too are white tailed deer! These are a common sight here in New Jersey and can even be found roaming neighborhoods or crossing large roads. They are identified by their white markings around their eyes, throat, nose, stomach and their tail’s underside. The remainder of their fur is brown and short. In the winter their fur tends to be more dense and grey. Males are distinguished by females by their antlers and weight. Females weigh up to 200 pounds while males can reach 300 pounds! These mammals are herbivores so they are often seen munching on shrubs, berries, and plant matter. Baby deer are called fawns and have distinct white dots on their back which looks like sunlight on the forest floor. This helps them blend in when their mother hides them while she forages. Fawns may be killed by coyotes, bobcats, or dogs while adults are prey to coyotes. However, their most dangerous predator is humans due to motor vehicle accidents and hunting.
Black bears are an exciting sight here at the NJSOC! Their population is not in any threat and is actually increasing and expanding. These large mammals spend their time in forests with an omnivore diet. However, they mostly eat plant matter throughout the year. They have an increased consumption rate during summer and fall to get ready for winter brumation. They need to consume around 20,000 calories a day during this time so they are commonly seen digging through human garbage scraps. This is why all outdoor garbage cans at the NJSOC have a lid to prevent that! Black bears can be identified by their very dark cinnamon brown fur. They may even have a white chest blaze (patch of white fur)! According to NJ Fish and Wildlife, a white chest blaze is seen in 15% of NJ black bears. They are great at climbing trees and swimming to escape predators and find food. The black bear’s predators are large mammals like bobcats, coyotes, and even other bears. Humans are also a threat to black bears due to hunting and habitat destruction. While they may look cute and docile, black bears are not safe to approach in the wild. If spotted close, you should always make yourself bigger (arms in the air) and make as much noise as possible to deter it.
Since the NJSOC is located within Stokes State Forest, you will hear a wide variety of birds during the warm months. The red winged black bird and the yellow bellied sap sucker are just a few you might spot. The male red winged black bird has a black body and a distinct patch of red and yellow at the top of their wings. However, the females are smaller and have brown and tan colorings lacking the bright colors. They are most likely to be seen near still bodies of water like marshes and ponds. They also tend to hang out on telephone wires or cattails. To spot one of these, listen for the male’s distinctive “conk-la-lee” call or watch for black and red feathers. These birds eat a variety of seeds and insects and are most active during migration. There are many subspecies for red wing black birds and some even lack their yellow stripe! A study was conducted to see how the species changes and eggs were moved to a different population and raised by fosters. These chicks grew to resemble the new population instead of where their genetic makeup was from!
The yellow bellied sap sucker also has bright red and yellow colorings. The red is on the top of their head and neck while the yellow is on the side of the chest. The rest of their body is speckled with white and black. They can be found by listening for tapping sounds because they are woodpeckers. They spend their days hitting trees with their beak to eat the sap and insects within. Their tongues are specially built to wrap around their brain to protect it from any damage. Sometimes their tapping is also used to mark their territory.
We hope that you pay attention to the wildlife around you next time you visit the New Jersey School of Conservation! You might even see a native animal! If you can, snap a photo and add it to our “NJSOC/Stokes State Forest Biodiversity Project” on the iNaturalist app. You can also tag us on instagram @nj_soc.
Resources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-winged_Blackbird/overview
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-bellied_Sapsucker/overview
https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/bears/black-bear-biology-and-behavior/
https://www.flatrockbrook.org/common-snapping-turtle
https://nj.gov/dep/fgw/ensp/pdf/salmandr.pdf
https://nhpbs.org/natureworks/whitetaileddeer.htm
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Amphibians/Wood-Frog
https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/north-american-porcupine