Vermont's different ecosystems are home to a variety of
wildlife.The forests, swamps,
fields, rivers, and lakes of the state provide habitats for such animals as the
woodchuck,
bear,
beaver,
otter, and many different
birds.Each of these animal species has a certain way in which it fits into the environment.Each one has its own niche.The
woodchuck prefers the edge of fields and lawns where it can feed on plants and
retreat to its burrow if it is threatened by predators.The beaver prefers streams and ponds that are close to a food
supply of birch and aspen trees.The
plants and animals living in our state share the environment with us. We
must always be careful to protect animal habitats or we may lose some of these
species--they will become extinct.

Check
out these crazy laws that deal with animals in Vermont

- You will be arrested if you paint your horse in
Vermont

- In
Vermont, you can be fined if your pig runs in a public park without the
permission.

- In
Vermont's Lake Champlain, it is illegal to shoot pickerel or northern
pike with a gun.

The wild turkey is one animal that has regained a place in the
Vermont environment.As more and
more forest land was cleared in the 1800's, the turkey population declined.By 1842, the turkey was extinct in the state.In 1969, thirty-one live turkeys were brought from southwestern New York
and released in western Vermont.About
17 birds were released in Pawlet that year.Another 14 were released in Hubbardton near Castleton in 1970.Some birds were later selected and transplanted to the eastern
part of the state and the upper Champlain Valley in the Vermont Lowlands.

Today the turkey population has increased and spread across the state.It is limited to these areas by the high elevations of the Green
Mountains and the deeper winter snowfall.The
turkey survives on the nuts of oak, chestnut, beech, and hickory trees.The wild turkey is now better able to survive because the
forest cover in Vermont has increased from between 20% to 30% in 1850 to about
80% today.

The White-tailed Deer

The story of the wild turkey shows that when humans disturb these
different animal habitats, their survival may be put in jeopardy.We have also learned some valuable lessons from the story of the
white-tailed deer in Vermont.Before the settlers came to this region, there were plenty of
deer that provided food and clothing for the native American Indians.With the arrival of the settlers the deer were hunted year round in large
numbers.By the late 1800's much of
the land had been cleared for lumber or for farmland.At this time, there were no laws to protect the deer.The deer population dropped considerably.

Vermonters soon realized that something had to be done to reverse this
situation.Laws were passed to
restrict hunting.Predators of the
deer such as wolves and catamounts were eliminated by bounty systems.Bounties were rewards given to people for hunting certain
animals that the government wanted to control or eliminate.At the same time, many hill farms in Vermont were being
abandoned.This meant that cleared
land was returning to brush and young forest growth, the ideal habitat for deer.

By the 1930's the white-tailed deer population was once again well
established in Vermont.Today the
deer is a valuable and popular game animal.There are an estimated 160,000 deer in Vermont.We have learned a great deal over the last 100 years about helping the
deer herd in Vermont to stay healthy.The
proper forest habitat must be maintained.The
state government must also continue to control the hunting season through laws.

Humans can have a devastating effect upon the population of a wild
animal.We sometimes have the
ability to correct our mistakes and bring animal populations back.

Facts About the White-tailed Deer

A full-grown deer is about three feet tall at the shoulder.A buck weighs up to 300 pounds and a doe weighs about 140 pounds.Their coats are reddish-brown in the summer and grayish in the winter.Their coats also grow thicker in the winter.They raise their white tail as a warning of danger when they turn and run
away.

A doe usually gives birth to one or two fawns in the spring.A fawn is spotted so it blends with the surrounding vegetation, and it
has little scent.This way the fawn is protected from predators.

White-tailed deer browse on twigs, buds, acorns, grass, and wild apples.Their preferred habitat is the forest, swamps, and open brush areas.They also move to find protected areas during bad weather.

A white-tailed deer depends on its senses of smell, sight, and hearing to
be warned of danger.If it is
frightened, it can run up to 35 miles per hour.