Critters of the Tensas

Turtles, snakes, lizards, and alligators are all present in the Tensas and are members of the class of animals called reptiles. These animals are cold-blooded vertebrates and many can be traced back to the time when dinosaurs ruled the earth. All of North America's venomous snakes live in or around the Tensas as well as alligators, many turtle species, lizards, and tortoises.

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
(Crotalus adamanteus)

The largest North American rattlesnake, the Eastern Diamondback can grow to a length of 8 feet (2.4 m) and is commonly found in the hardwood and palmetto forests around the Tensas. This dangerous animal is a "pit viper," named because of a small heat sensing organ or "pit" located between the eye and nostril. This pit allows the snake to sense heat from warm blooded prey. The rattlesnake gets his name from the "rattle" which is formed on the animal's tail when the skin is shed. Each shedding contributes another segment to the rattle which allows the snake to create a loud buzzing sound when he shakes his tail. This tail shaking action is performed by many other types of snakes when they sense danger. The rattlesnake's venom is uncommon in that it attacks both the nervous systems and the blood system, making the Eastern Diamondback one of the most dangerous reptiles in North America. However, like most animals and all snakes, the rattlesnake has no interest in human contact. When approached by a human, the Eastern Diamonback will first attempt flight but when it believes it cannot escape, the snake will coil and shake its tail to face all comers. He will even coil and face an oncoming pickup truck if he believes escape is impossible.

The cottonmouth makes its home near marshy lowlands and is common in the Tensas area. The snake does not live in water but lives around water because that is where it finds it favorite foods; fish, turtles, frogs, and other aquatic animals as well as small mammals. Growing to a length of around 5 feet, the cottonmouth is the subject of much lore and many stories which tell of its aggresive behavior and attacks on humans. These stories are likely exagerations of the snake's tendancies when frightened. The moccasin, like other snakes will nearly always choose "flight over fight" when it comes to humans, but like the rattlesnake, when it is confronted with an enemy that it cannot escape, it will coil and face the danger. Unlike the rattlesnake, the cottonmouth will generally assume a defensive posture with its mouth wide open. The mouth is colored white and has a fluffy appearance, hence the name, cottonmouth. This dangerous animal is a "pit viper," named because of a small heat sensing organ or "pit" located between the eye and nostril. This pit allows the snake to sense heat from warm blooded prey. Baby mocassins are often confused with other water snakes and copperheads because of their coloration.

The copperhead is another "pit viper" and while its venom is relatively weak, it is no less dangerous due to its habits. Typically, copperheads have an hourglass pattern to their coloring which makes them easy to identify but a variety of other colorations have been documented from pink to red or tan. The snake normally measures less than three feet (1 meter) and inhabits a variety of locations in the eastern to central US including swamps, timber, and rocky areas. The copperhead is at home in old barns and out buildings where he serves as natural rodent control but it is his tolerance for various locations that makes his bite more frequent than his pit viper "cousins". The copperhead can be confused with a young cottonmouth because of similar markings and the classic triangular shaped head.

American Alligator (Alligator mississippienesis)

Found in the southeastern United States from Florida to the Carolinas and west to Texas, the American Alligator brings to mind the age of dinosaurs. This lizard shaped reptile reaches a length of 14 feet (3.5m) and a weight of 500 pounds (230 kg). Her diet consists of nearly anything she can catch but she shows very little interest in human prey. Once listed as "endangered," the American Alligator's status has been downgraded to "threatened" due to years of protection from hunting. The result is one of the great success stories of the conservation movement. Alligator populations have risen to such high levels that several states, including Louisiana, have allowed tightly controlled hunting of these animals for their durable hide and excellent meat. Very few records of alligator attacks on humans exist and most can be related to the animal acting in self defense or in protection of the nest and offspring. While most reptiles abandon their young or eggs immediately, the mother alligator will aggresively defend her offspring for up to two years after they hatch.

Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)

Dating back to the Miocene period, the snapping turtle is a true survivor of evolution. This turtle reaches a weight of around 35 pounds (16kg). Considered a delicacy by many, the snapping turtle eats a variety of aquatic animals and plants. The turtle has a large head with a very sharp, hooked jaw. He spends his time in shallow water, usually buried in the mud. Although not considered aggresive, when disturbed, the turtle is capable of a very quick strike and its powerful jaws can inflict a painful wound.

A close "cousin" to this turtle is the Alligator Snapping turtle which is the largest freshwater turtle in the United States.

Because the otter wears one of the most valuable coats known in the animal world, she can be a rare sight in North America. The Tensas swamp is one area where the playful otter has found refuge. Her webbed feet allow her to swim nearly 1/4 mile (.4 km) without surfacing for air and though water travel is always her first choice, the otter can outrun a human on land. Otters eat fish and other aquatic animals with occasional small mammals rounding out the diet. They have been known to hunt in teams to feed their litters of 1 to 5 "pups". The intelligent and friendly otter is often seen playing on mud slides, repeatedly running back to the top for another ride. Even as adults, they never seem to lose their love of play time, unlike most other mammals.

White-tailed Deer or Virginia Deer
(Odocoileus virginianus)

One of Tensas's most graceful residents, the white-tailed deer is another environmental success story. Unrestrained hunting in the early twentieth century nearly drove this valuable game animal to extinction. With the strict regulation of hunting and a well organized restocking program, the white-tailed deer population has returned to great numbers all across the United States. Deer are now a common sight around the Tensas. They are frequently seen grazing on the side of the road or running and bounding gracefully across new cut fields of the agricultural units. The area of the Tensas is becoming well known for the size of the deer harvested during each hunting season. World record class deer can be seen each hunting season.

One of Tensas's more curious residents, the raccoon is known for being an opportunist when it comes to food. Racoons eat a variety of fish, frogs, and berries but are not above sneaking into campsites and grabbing any food left available. The raccoon is a very intelligent and curious animal, earning his way into much folklore dating back to times of North American Indian tribes. Rarely seen during the day, the raccoon tends to spend daylight hours sleeping in a hollow tree, venturing out at night to search for an easy meal.

Tufted ears and a short, stubby tail distinguish the bobcat from other members of the cat family. Reaching weights of over 30 pounds (15 kg), the bobcat feeds on small rodents, rabbits, squirrels, and birds. Generally, the bobcat is a shy and nocturnal animal. For this reason, sightings are not common in the Tensas area and most sightings are but a fleeting glimpse.

Very few places on earth will one find the variety of birds that can be found in the Tensas. Home for everything from the stately Great Blue Heron to Kingfishers, Ospreys and Swallow-tailed Kites, the Tensas is a bird watchers paradise. The area in and around the Tensas has one of the largest populations of the Barred Owl in the United States.

Wild (Common) Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

The common turkey is another great conservation story. Hunted to near extinction, the American wild turkey has been protected and stocked in its native habitat until it thrives today in the woods and river swamps of the south.

The Great Blue Heron is an unforgettable sight, standing up to 50 inches (130 cm) high and deadly still in the shallow waters of the open praries. An occasional slow step belies his lightening speed when he attacks his typical prey of fish, frogs, lizards, or crayfish. The Great Blue exhibits a wingspan of up to 6 feet (1.8 m) when flying lazily across the bonnet lilies and golden club, dragging his spindly legs behind him into the sunset.

Of all the hawks in North America, the Red-tailed hawk is the most common and is a constant resident of the Tensas. Feeding on rodents, rabbits, squirrels, some birds, and even an occasional insect, the Red-tailed hawk presents a magnificent sight as she rakes along behind her fleeing prey, waiting for a moment of indecision. When that moment comes, she seizes the animal in her powerful talons and crashes to the ground with it. The sharp beak easily tears the prey into a meal ... and the precise laws of nature unfold.

Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryl alycon)

Chattering away and constantly diving into the water for another minnow, the belted kingfisher is most at home in the watery wilderness of the Tensas. This bird is similar in appearance to a blue jay but is a larger bird with an entirely different lifestyle. Most kingfishers make their nests by burrowing into a sandy bank. This acrobatic showman is a common sight when venturing into the Tensas.

Great White Egret (Egretta alba)

The white egret is a smaller cousin of the great blue heron, reaching a height of around 35 in (90 cm) but is no less a fisherman or no less beautiful. Egrets were nearly eliminated from the planet in the early nineteenth century to obtain their exquisite breeding plumage for the ladies formal hat industry. Due to protection by the federal government and education of hat buyers, the egret has made a strong comeback and now uses that ornamental plumage for its intended purpose ... making more egrets.