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raccoon
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Most
mammals occurring in cypress swamps occupy ecotones. Mammals include white-tailed
deer (Odocoileus virginiana), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus),
fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), raccoon (Procyon lotor), and
Virginia opossum (Didelphis marsupialis). River otter (Lutra canadensis)
and bobcat (Lynx rufus) are common residents of large cypress domes.
There are many rodents and shrews including short-tailed shrew (Blarina
brevicauda), cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypirus) and hispid
cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus), which nests in trees to avoid floodwaters.
Away from the center of cypress domes one finds small mammals such as the
marsh rabbit (Silvilagus palustris) in addition to species mentioned
previously. Arboreal mammals include the eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus
carolinensis), and several species of bats. Rare and endangered species,
and species whose ranges formerly included cypress swamps, include mangrove
fox squirrel (Sciurus niger avicenna), black bear (Ursus americanus),
Florida panther (Felis concolor) and mink (Mustela vison). |