Nocturnal Animals In South Carolina – 10 Species With Photos | Radar Bromo

Discover nan hidden world that comes live aft acheronian passim South Carolina. From mysterious owls to stealthy raccoons, this article will research fascinating nocturnal creatures that telephone nan Palmetto State home. 

Nocturnal Animals In South Carolina

1. Raccoon

• Scientific Name: Procyon lotor

Raccoons tin beryllium recovered passim nan United States and are coming successful each areas of South Carolina. Their populations are astir abundant on nan coastal regions and gradually alteration arsenic you move inland.

Known for their grayish-brown fur, black-ringed tails, and unique achromatic disguise astir their eyes, raccoons are often spotted successful municipality areas, rummaging done garbage cans astatine night. These charismatic mammals person a well-developed consciousness of touch they usage during feeding.

The astir prized raccoons are from nan Piedmont and Mountain regions, known for their darker and fuller pelts. In nan Coastal Plain, raccoon pelts thin to person a reddish aliases yellowish hue, which reduces their value.

2. Virginia Opossum

• Scientific Name: Didelphis virginiana

South Carolina’s nocturnal opossums are recovered passim nan state. These creatures measurement 4 to 7 pounds and are astir 6 to 8 inches gangly astatine nan shoulder, pinch females being smaller. Their unsocial fur, achromatic astatine nan guidelines and black-tipped, provides a grayish-white appearance, while their hairless tails are well-suited for grasping.

Opossums provender connected insects, fruits, crayfish, and more, making them highly adaptable to various habitats, from woodlands to residential areas. They are communal successful South Carolina, but their fur is not highly valued, and they are often caught incidentally while trapping for different animals.

3. Beaver

• Scientific Name: Castor canadensis

The beaver, North America’s largest rodent, has a unique characteristic for illustration a wide level tail utilized successful reservoir building and for producing siren warnings. They’re aquatic creatures pinch webbed feet that tin unrecorded up to 24 years!

Once astir extirpated from South Carolina, they were reintroduced successful nan Pee Dee region successful nan 1940s and are now expanding their range. Today, beavers are coming successful each 46 South Carolina counties.

Beavers dwell successful swamps, ponds, and streams, constructing dams and lodges. These herbivores provender connected trees, plants, and moreover crops. Breeding occurs chiefly successful January and February, pinch kits leaving nan lodge aft 2 weeks.

4. Coyote

• Scientific Name: Canis latrans

If you unrecorded successful South Carolina, you’ve either encountered a coyote aliases cognize personification who has, arsenic these nocturnal animals are beautiful communal successful nan state.

These slender, grayish-brown animals pinch an mean size of 30-45 pounds tin thrive successful various habitats, from mountains to suburban areas. South Carolina’s coyote organization primitively established itself successful Pickens and Oconee counties successful nan precocious 70’s.

Coyotes are opportunistic eaters, preying connected mini mammals, cervid fawns, and occasionally big deer. They whitethorn besides target home poultry and livestock. It’s important to statement that coyotes tin interbreed pinch home dogs, but nan endurance complaint of nan offspring is low.

5. Nine-banded Armadillo

• Scientific Name: Dasypus novemcinctus

Nine-banded armadillo tin now beryllium recovered successful each 46 counties of South Carolina. These nocturnal creatures, often called “Armored pigs,” person armor-like skin, deer-like ears, and a long, scaly tail. 

They forage by smell, grunting for illustration pigs, and usage their sticky lingua to seizure prey pinch peg-like teeth. During nan summer, armadillos are astir progressive from twilight until early morning, avoiding utmost temperatures.

They origin spot harm by digging for insects, grubs, and earthworms; to protect your property, see creating barriers astir gardens and flower beds.

6. White-tailed Deer

• Scientific Name: Odocoileus virginianus

In South Carolina, nan white-tailed cervid exhibits chopped characteristics pinch 2 seasonal coats. The spring/summer overgarment is short and reddish tan, while nan wintertime overgarment offers insulation pinch long, grayish hairs. Notably, achromatic patches are recovered connected various parts of their body, and their ample achromatic tail is simply a unique feature.

These nocturnal creatures alteration successful size, pinch big males averaging astir 175 pounds and females astir 120 pounds. White-tailed cervid tin beryllium recovered statewide successful SC.

These adaptable animals person a divers diet, including chaotic herbs, fruits, and crops. They tin moreover past connected woody character and shrub leaves erstwhile different nutrient is scarce, pinch acorns becoming a staple during nan autumn and winter.

7. Eastern Screech-Owl 

• Scientific Name: Megascops asio

Eastern screech owls are mini and stocky owls pinch large heads, ample yellowish eyes, mini receptor tufts, and horn-colored beaks. Out of each North American owls, they are nan astir strictly nocturnal.

Eastern screech-owls are imperishable residents of SC typically recovered successful woodlands, particularly adjacent h2o and astatine little elevations.

They are astir vocal adjacent to sunset and go quieter arsenic nan nighttime progresses. Their calls are much predominant astir afloat moons and earlier storms. Key calls to perceive for see nan characteristic “whinny” and trilling tremolo calls.

Other nocturnal owls recovered successful NC see nan awesome horned owl, barn owl, barred owl, bluish saw-whet owl, and short-eared owl. Read astir other nocturnal birds recovered successful South Carolina here.

8. American Black Bear

• Scientific Name: Ursus americanus

Black bears, South Carolina’s largest onshore mammals, boast a assortment of fur colors, pinch achromatic aliases acheronian brownish being nan astir common. They person fantabulous eyesight and a singular consciousness of smell, while their bully climbing and swimming skills alteration them to thrive successful divers habitats.

Males typically outweigh females, pinch big males ranging from 150 to 350 pounds and sometimes exceeding 500 pounds successful abundant nutrient conditions. Black bears thrive successful extended forested areas rich | successful mast-producing hardwoods and shrubs, alongside wetlands for illustration swamps and bays.

In South Carolina, location are 2 resident achromatic carnivore populations, 1 successful nan mountains and precocious Piedmont, and different successful nan coastal plain.

These opportunistic eaters chiefly devour berries, nuts, and works matter but whitethorn move to human-related nutrient sources, becoming nuisance bears. During nan breeding play successful June and July, males are territorial and mate pinch aggregate females.

9. Red Fox

• Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes

Introduced to nan authorities successful nan 16th period from New England and Europe, reddish foxes are coming passim South Carolina, pinch nan highest populations concentrated successful cultivation regions.

They are 1 of 2 fox type recovered successful nan authorities (the different being nan grey fox) and measurement likewise to a mini dog. If you spot them successful nan wild, you will announcement unique reddish aliases orangish coloration and a long, bushy tail pinch a achromatic tip. 

They hunt for mice, meadow voles, and rabbits, but besides devour insects, birds, eggs, fruits, and berries, successful summation to scavenging carrion and garbage erstwhile available. These animals are chiefly progressive astatine nighttime and tin beryllium occasionally recovered successful residential neighborhoods, taking advantage of disposable nutrient and shelter options.

10. Bobcat

• Scientific Name: Lynx rufus

The bobcat is different nocturnal animal recovered successful South Carolina. They alteration successful colour from grayish brownish to reddish brownish and person unique achromatic spots connected their legs and little sides.

Bobcats typically measurement 16-22 inches astatine nan enarthrosis and measurement betwixt 12 to 25 lbs. They for illustration heavy forested areas, pinch nan highest populations successful nan bottomland forests of nan little Coastal Plain. The Piedmont habitats pinch a operation of wood and clearcut areas besides support unchangeable bobcat populations.

Bobcats provender connected fabric rats, mice, cottontail rabbits, and squirrels. They occasionally see white-tailed cervid successful their fare during hunting play aliases nan fawning season.

While commercialized harvesting of bobcats is allowed successful South Carolina, hunting pinch hounds has go uncommon. Bobcats are sometimes wrongly blamed for livestock loss, often owed to predation by feral aliases free-ranging dogs.

Summary

South Carolina is location to a singular array of nocturnal creatures. This article highlighted 10 animals that inhabit nan authorities astatine night, delving into nan lives of American achromatic bears, bobcats, beavers, coyotes, nine-banded armadillos, raccoons, and others.

If you enjoyed this article, consciousness free to publication our guide connected North Carolina’s nocturnal animals