Nocturnal Animals of New Hamphsire

Nocturnal animals are those that are awake and highly active at night. Animals that operate in the dark have excellent senses that help them locate food and avoid danger. New Hampshire is home to numerous types of nocturnal animals. Some of the most common in the state include the fisher, the raccoon, the bobcat and the red fox.

  1. Fishers

    • A fisher is a nocturnal animal that is closely related to weasels, minks and otters. In New Hampshire, they are known as fisher cats, though they bear no resemblance to cats nor have any sort of relationship with them. Fishers have long and slender bodies set on short, powerful legs. They feature coats in various shades of brown and some may have small white markings. The weight range for a fisher is 4 to 12 lbs., with males being roughly twice the size of females. They are mainly carnivorous, eating hares and other small mammals like mice and voles. The home range of a fisher is about 10 to 20 square miles. Though not particularly territorial, they live independently of one another and only live together briefly during the mating season.

    Raccoons

    • A raccoon is a small mammal that has very distinctive features. It is instantly recognizable due to the black mask marking over the face that is set off by the white hairs surrounding the mask. The rest of the body features brown to gray fur and a bushy tail with black rings. Raccoons prefer to live in wooded areas; their dexterous paws and flexible toes make them excellent climbers. They are also highly adaptable and can easily live in suburban settings, though human residents might consider a raccoon a pest. These animals are omnivorous and opportunistic eaters. They will consume fruits and nuts as quickly as frogs and small rodents. Raccoons that live around people will also forage through trash to find food.

    Bobcats

    • Bobcats are elusive animals and are rarely seen in the wild. They are medium-sized wildcats that feature a dense and muscular body. The coat is tawny with black spots and stripes and the tail is short or bobbed, a characteristic that gave this cat its name. Bobcats live in young forests with dense undergrowth, rocky ridges and low wetlands. These cats are unafraid of water and can swim. New Hampshire marks some of the northernmost range, because their small paws make it more difficult for them to hunt in the snow. Bobcats hunt rabbits, rodents and small mammals at night by stalking or ambushing their prey. Large ears and excellent vision at night, coupled with an explosive sprinting and jumping ability, make the bobcat a formidable hunter.

    Red Foxes

    • A member of the canine family, the red fox is aptly named. The coat is a bright red to orange color on the head, back and sides. The legs and the bushy tail are black and the chest and belly are white. The red fox lives in many habitats, from woodlands to prairies to even farmland. While they rarely dig their own dens, they will take shelter in abandoned dens of other animals. Like the raccoon, they are omnivorous and eat a wide range of available foods including small mammals, insects and fruits. Red foxes are extremely good hunters and stalk their prey like cats. They are unique among mammals because of their ability to hear very low frequency sounds. This allows them to locate small animals that may be moving underground or under snow.