Ohio has hundreds of native species of animals – from birds to fish to mammals – and they range from adorable to terrifying.
Class Discussion Questions:
1) What factors do you think led to the removal of buffalo, cougars, and bears from Ohio?
2) Why is Ohio University's mascot the Bobcat? What other Ohio universities have mascots that reflect Ohio native plants or animals?
Read the Script:
Imagine, if you can, what Ohio might've looked like right before the first white settlers arrived. Back then, there were no roads or cities, and Ohio was covered in native trees and plants, and although there were groups of Native people, Ohio was largely ruled by animals.
Some of these animals, like mountain lions, buffalo, wolves, and black bears have since been killed off or driven out of Ohio, but many remain. In fact, Ohio has hundreds of native species of animals, from birds to fish to mammals, and they range from adorable to terrifying, like these guys. Yes, Ohio hosts 13 species of bats. Most bats like to live in dark places, like caves, and are nocturnal, meaning they only come out at night. So, you likely haven't been lucky or unlucky enough to meet one. Although they aren't exactly cute and cuddly, bats generally do not harm people and are happy to feast only on insects.
But probably the most visible of Ohio's wildlife is this guy. No matter what part of Ohio you call home, you probably see a lot of this species, the fox squirrel, but this type of squirrel is actually not the most common squirrel species in our state. Believe it or not, Ohio's most common squirrel is one you've probably never seen, the flying squirrel, but like the bats, the flying squirrel is nocturnal, and lives mostly in Ohio forests.
And then there's Ohio's own wildcat — no, not News Cat. Even with her lion mane, she's not quite as fierce as Ohio's native bobcat, but domestic cats like News Cat and the Bobcat belong to the same family, so they have similarities. By 1850 though, the bobcat population in Ohio was wiped out, and only recently has it begun to make a comeback, with hundreds of sightings over the past 40 years.
Of course, at Ohio university in Athens, there are a ton of Bobcats. That's because the Bobcat is the official mascot of the school, and students, faculty, and alumni, like me, call themselves Bobcats, honoring the fierce wildcat that once ruled the Buckeye State.
Instructional Links
Website Articles: Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Species Guide Index
http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index
Website Articles: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ohio Federally-Listed Threatened, Endangered Species