# Small animals native to the Pacific Northwest **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 4, 2016, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665 "2016-10-04T22:24:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/1 "2016-10-04T22:24:10Z")
I notice various small animals as I cycle the backroads around here (western Oregon). Squirrels, mostly, but also skunk, raccoon, possum, and even the occasional rabbit. Squirrels are native, the brown ones anyway, I’m not sure the grey ones are, but how many of the others? Are there any other small animals native to this area? Mammals large than rats, that is. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/2 "2016-10-04T22:31:53Z")
Beaver … duh … [giggle] Bobcat, coyote, fox, [del]fisher[/del], mink, badger, otter, bat … I don’t think grey whales count as “small” … ETA: I’ve never seen a fisher, but supposedly they live here. ETA.2: Nutria is not native, but plenty of them around. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/3 "2016-10-04T22:32:48Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > I notice various small animals as I cycle the backroads around here (western Oregon). Squirrels, mostly, but also skunk, raccoon, possum, and even the occasional rabbit. Squirrels are native, the brown ones anyway, I’m not sure the grey ones are, but how many of the others? > > Are there any other small animals native to this area? Mammals large than rats, that is. Sure - [most of them](http://www.dfw.state.or.us/species/mammals/). You have some introduced critters like the ubiquitous East Grey and Fox Squirrels. But most small mammals you see in non-urban areas will be native. It’s not like the PN is a particularly difficult habitat :). ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/4 "2016-10-04T22:39:55Z")
OK, I should have remembered beaver. Never see any while cycling, though. According to that page, possum is not native, ditto for nutria. The PN is an easy habitat, but that makes it real easy to introduce foreign animals. I was mostly wondering which had been introduced. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/5 "2016-10-04T22:45:15Z")
Northern flying squirrels are found in Oregon. So are mink and muskrat. Mountain lions may not be very small but you have those too. Baby Sasquatch are only 13 - 20 lbs and they sometimes migrate with their parents from Washington state to Oregon. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/6 "2016-10-04T22:50:00Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > . Mountain lions may not be very small but you have those too. I’m interested in smaller animals than cougar. I’m also aware of wolves, deer, elk, mountain goats, and moose, but those aren’t small. > [@](#): > > Baby Sasquatch are only 13 - 20 lbs and they sometimes migrate with their parents from Washington state to Oregon. I think all the sasquatch migrated to Hollywood years ago. They mostly inhabit the F/X departments. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/7 "2016-10-04T22:55:20Z")
My favorite is the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus: > **[Save The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus](https://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/)** > > Information about the endangered Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus and what you can do to save it. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/8 "2016-10-04T23:02:09Z")
> [@gkster](#): > > My favorite is the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus: > [Save The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus](http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/) Those were introduced to Oregon back in the 1950’s. They didn’t last long … ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/9 "2016-10-04T23:08:19Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > OK, I should have remembered beaver. Never see any while cycling, though. > > According to that page, possum is not native, ditto for nutria. The PN is an easy habitat, but that makes it real easy to introduce foreign animals. I was mostly wondering which had been introduced. I’ve only seen a couple of beavers, at least what I can confirm as beaver. Nutria have pretty much overrun the habitat but the tails are distinct. The Pacific Northwest can get cold in winter, mammals unsuited for extended freezing weather won’t survive. But otherwise yes, I like to characterize plant growth here as violent west of the Cascades. Either you sweep your roofs or you mow your roofs, can’t have Douglas Firs growing up there … ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/10 "2016-10-05T00:23:15Z")
My favorite is the [Mountain Beaver](http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/mtn_beavers.html), which is not actually a beaver but the most primitive living rodent. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/11 "2016-10-05T00:58:37Z")
I cannot believe I have never heard of mountain beavers. I’ve lived in the PNW for over 20 years. I thought it was a joke until I checked the link. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/12 "2016-10-05T01:12:25Z")
> [@steatopygia](#): > > I cannot believe I have never heard of mountain beavers. I’ve lived in the PNW for over 20 years. I thought it was a joke until I checked the link. From the link. > [@](#): > > Most people don’t know mountain beavers exist and some still continue to question that fact even after they’ve heard about the animals. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/13 "2016-10-05T01:17:20Z")
From that article, I’m sure if I have seen one I would have dismissed it as a [del]newt[/del] nutria. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/14 "2016-10-05T01:25:53Z")
The [Yellow-bellied marmot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-bellied_marmot) can be found in most of Oregon. The [Olympic marmot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_marmot) inhabits the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/15 "2016-10-05T01:26:13Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > From that article, I’m sure if I have seen one I would have dismissed it as a [del]newt[/del] nutria. They’re a lot smaller than a nutria, and are essentially tailless. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/16 "2016-10-05T01:45:30Z")
Are there any others besides nutria and possum that are not native? I’ve long wondered about raccoons. They always seemed to be an eastern critter that perhaps was introduced by early settlers bringing in pets. That may be a mistaken impression on my part, though. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/17 "2016-10-05T02:28:48Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Are there any others besides nutria and possum that are not native? I’ve long wondered about raccoons. Raccoons are native to the area. But in addition to the two squirrel species I listed above and excluding larger animals like feral pigs, there is the Holy Rodent Trio ( Norway Rat, Black Rat, House Mouse ) and the Eastern Cottontail. Also the Red Fox - in western Oregon it appears to have been a natural expansion of native stock westwards from the Rockies, in western Washington apparently it was more deliberate and included European imports. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/18 "2016-10-05T02:31:30Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Are there any others besides nutria and possum that are not native? I’ve long wondered about raccoons. They always seemed to be an eastern critter that perhaps was introduced by early settlers bringing in pets. That may be a mistaken impression on my part, though. ODFW lists feral pigs as an invasive species. Here, “invasive” means damaging, so the nutria and opossum aren’t listed. ETA: Humans? Serious, there’s signs on the Idaho border about how illegal it is to import damaging invasive species, I always want to stop and kick everyone out of my rig. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/19 "2016-10-05T02:46:09Z")
How about an [American Marten](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_marten#Home_range)? I saw one years ago when I was hiking near Mount St. Helens. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665/20 "2016-10-05T06:09:32Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > ODFW lists feral pigs as an invasive species. Here, “invasive” means damaging, so the nutria and opossum aren’t listed. The ODFW page cited above says nutria and possums are invasive. And I thought nutria _were_ damaging. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-animals-native-to-the-pacific-northwest/767665.md?page=2)