Even when Lewis and Clark first encountered grizzlies in 1805, it was after they had already passed through Iowa. Grizzly bears have most likely never been native to Iowa. Iowa does not have a current breeding population of black bears, and those appearing in eastern counties in recent years are usually visitors from surrounding states.īlack bears are omnivores, eating everything from plants and fruit to young deer to carrion - dead animals. Regulation of harvest of bears in the 20th century helped create viable populations in states around Iowa, such as Minnesota, Wisconsin and Missouri. However, as deer populations continue to increase, it seems young males have been wandering more into Iowa from South Dakota and Nebraska.īlack bears are native to Iowa, but the last historical documentation of a pre-1900 black bear being shot was near Spirit Lake in 1876. Mountain lions are native to Iowa, and some have been spotted in recent years, but the chance of them reestablishing a breeding population is slim due to a lack of suitable habitat. (Five differences between coyotes and wolves) Gray wolves have been spotted in Iowa, but they most likely have wandered south from their established breeding populations in northern Minnesota and eastern Wisconsin. Because of its widespread distribution and large population, the red fox is one of the most important furbearing animals harvested for the fur. They actually have back molars with large chewing surfaces that allow them to eat a varied diet.Ĭoyotes are sometimes nicknamed “prairie wolves” or “brush wolves,” but they are quite different than the wolves that we typically think of. Although the red fox tends to kill smaller predators, including other fox species, it is vulnerable to attack from larger predators, such as wolves, coyotes, jackals and medium- and large-sized felines. They commonly hunt rabbits, mice and other small mammals, but they will eat anything from fruit, grass and insects to deer, trash and pet food. The coyote is the most common large predator in Iowa, but they aren’t specifically carnivores. They are most common in southern Iowa, but even they, they tend to stay to themselves and can travel up to 10 miles in week.īobcats eat mostly rabbits, mice, voles and squirrels. There are actually three wildcats native to Iowa - the bobcat, lynx and mountain lion - but the bobcat is the only one with an established population currently.
Gray foxes are the only member of the Canidae family that can climb trees to evade predators.īobcats were on the verge of extirpation - extinction in a certain place - in Iowa in the 20th century, but they have come back just like other predators in the state. Food may include small game, eggs, fish, frogs, insects, vegetables, grass, berries, fruit, worms and even garbage or pet food in more urban areas.īecause foxes are not large animals, they too must worry about larger predators. Red foxes are usually larger than other foxes unfortunately, they make an excellent meal for leopards.
They are also omnivorous, meaning they will eat both animal and plant material, and will eat whatever they can find. Fox Predators: Leopards When it becomes too complex for leopards to catch other prey, they turn to foxes for a quick kill. They are efficient hunters, killing their prey with one bite that separates the vertebrate - spine - like a cat. Iowa is home to two species of foxes, gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus) and red fox ( Vulpes vulpes).
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