Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore - Mammals

Habitat for the federally listed endangered gray wolf ( Canis lupus ) is found within the park. Wolf sign and sightings in and around the lakeshore are not uncommon; no established packs are known to occupy the park area, but it is clear that transient animals frequent the area at least during snow-free seasons.

State-listed mammalian present include pine marten ( Martes americana ), and least shrew ( Cryptotis parva ). The mountain lion ( Felis concolor ) is believed to have been extirpated in Michigan by the turn of the 20th century, but occasional, unconfirmed sightings near the lakeshore and around the eastern Upper Peninsula persist.

Other mammals of interest include moose ( Alces alces ), lynx ( Lynx canadensis ), gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus ), river otter ( Lutra canadensis ), fisher ( Martes pennanti ), badger ( Taxidea taxus ), and beaver ( Castor canadensis ). Moose are uncommon in the Upper Peninsula due to the meningial worm transmitted from deer, and are rarely seen in the lakeshore. Lynx and gray fox are uncommon.

Otter, marten, and fisher were virtually extirpated in the area but have made a comeback. Badger expanded their range from the western prairies as settlement cleared forests; records in the Upper Peninsula are rare, but they could occupy old farmfields within the park. Beaver are common and are important for the major changes their activities bring about to the forest ecosystem.

Other common mammals include black bear ( Ursus americanus ), coyote ( Canis latrans ), red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ), bobcat ( Lynx rufus ), white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), mink ( Mustela vison ), muskrat ( Ondatra zibethicus ), skunk ( Mephitis mephitis ), raccoon ( Procyon lotor ), snowshoe hare ( Lepus americanus ), porcupine ( Erethizon dorsatum ), and eastern chipmunk ( Tamias striatus ). Bear and deer are the primary prey species for Upper Peninsula hunters. Porcupine frequently attack park structures -- seeking minerals from plywood and salt-impregnated wood.

Extirpated mammalian species include caribou ( Rangifer tarandus ) and wolverine ( Gulo gulo ). Caribou historically ranged throughout the Upper Peninsula, but were rare by 1850 and last seen around 1910 -- probably disappearing due to habitat changes brought about by human activity.