Although less common to occur, some species such as the big brown bat and little brown bat can use man-made structures as a hibernation site. The species that hibernate in West Virginia typically will spend their winters dormant in a cave, rock cliff, or mine, living off stored fat until spring when their insect prey become available again. All species of bats in WV either hibernate or migrate during the winter when their insect prey is not available. One species, the Virginia big-eared bat, is the only bat to use caves year-round, for both winter hibernation and as a summer roost where it raises its young. All species of bats in the state feed exclusively on insects during nighttime hours in the summer, with most of them spending the day resting and raising their young within rock crevices, under loose bark trees, or occasionally within man-made structures. West Virginia has 14 species of bats, three of which are currently listed as endangered: Virginia big-eared bat, Indiana bat and gray bat), and one listed as threatened (northern long-eared bat). The next most diverse group in the state is the bats. West Virginia also has two species of skunk, the eastern spotted skunk and the striped skunk. The weasel group includes three species of weasel (long-tailed, short-tailed, least), mink, fisher, and river otter. This group contains seventeen species including weasels, skunks, black bear and raccoon. The second most diverse group of mammals in the state is the carnivores. Most of the predatory animals such as birds (warm-blooded vertebrates) and snakes (reptiles) in the state are directly dependent on our rodents as a large portion of their diet. These rodents are an important part of the landscape in West Virginia, not only as a dispersal method for seeds of plants and trees, but also being a food source for other predatory species. Squirrels, beaver, jumping mice, mice, voles, wood rats, muskrat and rats are all examples of types of rodents found in the state. The most species diverse group of mammals in the state is the rodents, with 26 species contained within 5 different families. Today a population of wild boar exists in Boone, Logan, Raleigh and Wyoming counties. Wild boars were introduced into the state in 1971. ![]() Reintroduction of elk into southwestern West Virginia was initiated in 2016. Elk were eradicated from the state by 1890 with reports of animals near the headwaters of the Tygart and Greenbrier rivers as late as 1875. The beaver, fisher and river otter were also eradicated in the past, but were reintroduced in the 1930’s, and 1985, respectively. Recently, due to the lack of physical evidence of occurrence, the US Fish and Wildlife Service now considers the mountain lion extinct in West Virginia. ![]() ![]() Bounties were paid on wolves in West Virginia through the late 1800’s with the last recorded wolf killed in 1900. The last recorded bison in West Virginia was killed near Valley Head in Randolph County back in 1825. Currently, three formerly occurring species of mammal no longer exist in West Virginia: the bison, mountain lion, and gray wolf. Of the 74 species in West Virginia, 67 are native and seven are non-native.
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