The grasshopper mouse, for instance, is a carnivore. Some of the less common species have unique characteristics. The most common is the deer mouse, which can live anywhere from the mountains to the plains. Mice and RatsĬolorado is home to numerous species of mice and rats, and many are native to our state. Influential naturalist Arthur Carhart also conducted a significant beaver study in Colorado in the 1940s his reports can also be viewed at our library. This is a ‘keystone species’ in riparian communities without them the ecosystem would change dramatically.” Beavers have been studied in Colorado for many years A Contribution Toward a Bibliography of the Beaver (1955) and The Beaver in Colorado: Its Biology, Ecology, Management and Economics (1964) are two of the earlier studies that are available in our library collection.

“No mammal other than humans has as great an influence on its surroundings. Colorado Parks and Wildlife notes that “it takes a beaver approximately 30 minutes to fell a 5-inch diameter tree.” Beaver dams have helped create the mountain ponds, streams, and meadows we see today. Beavers are North America’s largest native rodents. Hunted nearly to extinction in the early-1800s fur trade, this industrious rodent has managed a great comeback. Colorado has a wide variety of rodents, both native and non-native, that can be found in every part of the state. Many rodents, such as guinea pigs and hamsters, are common pets but wildlife species such as beavers, mice, and squirrels are also rodents. Rodents vary widely in size, coloring, diet, habits, and habitat yet one thing they all have in common is a single pair of continuously-growing incisors. Rodents are the largest group of mammals in the world in fact, nearly 40% of all mammals fall under the order Rodentia.

Here’s part 1 of a look at some of the different varieties of small mammals that can be found in Colorado, and resources from our library and the State of Colorado that you can use to learn more. Some species are quite common others are threatened or endangered. Even more species of small mammals can be found in mountainous areas, on the grasslands, or near rivers and streams. If you live in urban areas, small mammals are some of the most common wildlife you will encounter. Colorado has an amazing array of wildlife – birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians, and mammals large and small.

Are mice nocturnal rodents