Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) 
Other names: English: timber wolf, tundra wolf, plains wolf; Mexican wolf; arctic wolf; Albanian: ujku; Croatian: vuk; Czech: vlk; Danish & Norwegian: ulv; Dutch: wolf; Estonian: hunt, susi; Faeroese: ulvur, fjallaúvur; Finnish: susi; French: loup; German: wolf; Hungarian: farkas; Icelandic: úlfur; Italian: lupo; Latvian: vilks; Lithuanian: vilkas; Maltese: lupu; Polish: wilk; Portuguese: lobo; Rumanian: lup; Russian: wilk; Slovakian: vlk dravý; Slovenian: volk; Spanish: lobo; Swedish: varg; Turkish: kurt; Indigenous names: Arapaho: haquihana; Caddo: tasha; Navaho: maicoh; Nunamiut: amaguk (USA).
Current canine taxonomy indicates that there are three species of wolves in existence today, all members of the genus Canis. The gray wolf (Canis lupes); (tundra wolf, timberwolf, arctic wolf, buffalo wolf, lobo wolf, …) is the largest species with representatives found in North America, Europe, Scandinavia, Middle East, India and Asia. The second species, Canis rufus, (red wolf) is a taxa under challenge as to wether it is truly a species of wolf or simply a hybrid offspring of gray wolves mating with coyotes. The third species of wolf is the Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) which lives in Africa and Ethiopia which has previously been classified as a jackal until DNA research proved it to be a true wolf. Neither the maned wolf (Chrysocoyn brachyurus), nor the Falkland Island wolf (Dusicyon australis) are true wolves and the names are misnomers.
The gray wolf, commonly referred to as tundra wolf or timber wolf, is the largest of all wild canids, although its size varies noticeably throughout its large range including Minnesota, Michigan and Montana in the United States and many remote areas of Canada, Alaska and Europe. The largest wolves occurring in the farthest northern reaches of its distribution, with males measuring over 30 inches at the shoulders and weighing up to 175 pounds. Coloration is quite variable but tending to mimic the background color of the habitat, ranging from a creamy white through sandy-reddish to shades of gray and black, with color often changing with age. Completely melanic examples are common, particularly in the populations from northwestern North America. Gray wolves often live 8 to 16 years in the wild, depending on the availability of food, but have been documented to live in excess of 20 years in captivity. The wolf is a territorial animal with boundaries patrolled and defended by all adult members of the pack. Territories vary greatly in size, from 10 to 20 square miles up to more than 5,000 square miles, depending on the abundance and availability of prey. The gray wolf has the greatest natural range of any living terrestrial mammal other than Homo sapiens.
Highly social animals, the gray wolves form packs of from 2 to 12 individuals, influenced by the abundance of prey. The social structure within the pack is a strict hierarchy based ultimately on submission to the strongest male. Younger individuals constantly seek to improve their status within the hierarchy and are ready to assert themselves as soon as an older wolf shows any signs of weakness. Within the pack structure, only the dominate male and female wolves, designated as "alpha" individuals, are likely to breed. Their aggressive behavior deters other members of the pack from mating, ensuring the best chance of survival for the leader's pups.
Source: Global Crossing
BLACK BEAR (Ursus americanus)
The North American black bear is the best known and most widespread of the North American bears. It is of medium size among bears, averaging 135 to 350 pounds, although individuals over 600 pounds have been found. Adult black bears, standing slightly over three feet at the shoulders, have a predominately black coat which is smooth and short haired, compared to the brown bears. There are, however, also a number of well defined color variants: chocolate-brown, cinnemon and a silver grey tending to off-white. Smaller than their cousins, the black bear is an agile climber, even in adulthood. Black bears are alert creatures, with a sense of smell more highly developed than other large animals, with exceptional hearing but apparently only average eyesight.
The black bear was originally distrubuted throughout the wooded areas of North America, estimated at about two million in the 1500's, but has been eliminated fron vast regions of the eastern, southeastern and central United States, and now less than 200,000 are estimated to exist. Much of the range of the black bears is shared with the grizzly in parts of the northern Rockies, western Canada and Alaska. Although somewhat similar in coloration, in much of its habitat, the black bear does not have the noticeable front shoulder hump of the grizzly. The black bear has not been eliminated to the extent of the grizzly bear and is still found in a majority of the states, as well as all of the Canadian provinces and territories. It is a typical woodland animal and prefers forests with abundant undergrowth.
Source: Global Crossing
Odocoileus hemionus
Mule Deer
Family: Cervidae (Deer and Relatives)
DescriptionThe mule deer is a dark gray-brown in color. It has a white tail with a black tip that it carries in the drooped position. It locates water with its keen sense of smell and uses its large feet to claw water out of the ground from as much as two feet deep. Instead of running, the mule deer jumps stiff-legged with all four feet hitting the ground at once. It can leap distances up to eight yards and reach speeds up to forty-five miles per hour. This style of leaping is called stotting. The mule deer's large ears are able to move constantly and independently from each other. The antlers, which begin growth in spring and are shed in December, branch to form two equal forks.
Source: San Diego Natural History Museum
Procyon lotor
Raccoon
Family: Procyonidae
Procyon comes from the Greek words pro meaning 'before,' and kyon meaning 'dog.' The term refers to the close relationship of raccoons to the primitive carnivore stock that evolved into dogs and bears. Lotor is Latin for 'washer,' and refers to the raccoon's habit of appearing to "wash" food before eating it.
Description
The raccoon is a short, stout animal, with a pointed muzzle and small erect ears. Its legs are short and the feet are small. The forepaws in particular are long and slender. The raccoon's fur is thick and coarse, generally gray to black with brownish overtones above and light gray below. Its most easily recognized features are the black mask across its eyes, and the alternating black and gray strips that completely encircle its tail.
Source: San Diego Natural History Museum
Cougar
Felis Concolor 
HABITS AND HABITATS
Cougars are secretive, solitary hunters that feed primarily on white-tailed deer but will also eat smaller game such as opossums, rabbits, mice, and even insects if food supplies are limited. Cougars are skilled night hunters with excellent eyesight and superb hearing. They run swiftly, are agile climbers, and can even swim. Rather than simply chasing after their food, cougars prefer stalking their prey at close range, utilizing the element of surprise. At the last moment, a cougar may leap as far as 20 feet or more onto the animal's back. Strong jaws and long canine teeth then make it possible for cougars to kill their prey with one bite to the nape of the neck. After an initial feeding, a cougar may cover the carcass with leaves or other debris to be saved for a later meal. Cougars begin breeding at about 3 years of age and may mate during any season. Typical litters of 1 to 6 kittens are born after a gestation period of 82 to 98 days. Their eyes open in 8 or 9 days and the young are weaned in 2 to 3 months, though the kittens may remain with the mother into their second year. Cougars can occupy a variety of habitats from coastal swamps to mountain slopes. These large predators require extensive, undisturbed forested areas that also support adequate white-tailed deer populations.
HISTORY
Cougars were eliminated from most of eastern North America by the turn of the century due to habitat destruction, the decline of their main food supply – the white-tailed deer, and uncontrolled hunting and trapping. Cougars are still fairly abundant in some of the sparsely populated western states. Today the only known cougar species still found in eastern North America is the Florida Panther. They survive as a small remnant population in the remote, thickly wooded swamps of south Florida. It is thought that the Eastern Cougar, the species native to the southern Appalachian region, is now extinct in the wild. Although the last known cougars disappeared from our area during the 1800's, occasional, unconfirmed sightings are reported. Most of these sightings turn out to be other animals but some may be valid. It is possible, however, that these may be Western Cougars which have escaped or been released from captivity. Investigations are currently underway to determine the true status of this animal in our area. The cougar is officially listed as an endangered species in North Carolina. Since white-tailed deer, a primary food source for the cougar, have made a dramatic comeback, perhaps the cougar will soon follow.
Source: WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA NATURE CENTER