Mississauga.ca - Residents

In Mississauga, there is a wide variety of wildlife that exist among us. Many of them have learned how to co-exist with our close presence. Many continue to exist without any interaction from us at all. This list has been created to illustrate some of the species of wildlife that are living in our community. Each has a brief description about the identification of the animal. For further information, please contact a Wildlife Representative at 905-896-5862.

MAMMALS

FOX (Vulpes vulpes) 20-30 inches in length. Usually reddish on back and face, white on underparts, bushy tail and white tipped.	MUSKRAT (Ondatra zibethicus) 9-15 inches in length. Reddish brown, light gray belly, black tail, scaly and vertically flattened.
COYOTE (Canis latrans) 32-40 inches in length. gray on back with red on flanks; tawny legs, feet and ears; tail held between legs when running.	WHITE-TAILED DEER (Odocoileus virginianus) 4-6 feet in length. tail white on underside, raised when alarmed; antlers on males.
STRIPED SKUNK (Mephitis mephitis) 15-19 inches in length. white facial stripe, neck patch and V on back; mottled bushy tail.	BEAVER (Castor canadensis) 27-38 inches in length. front teeth prominent, orange; tail large, paddlelike, scaly.
RACCOON (Procyon lotor) 16-26 inches in length. dark eye mask; bushy, ringed tail.	RED SQUIRREL (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) 7.5-8.5 inches in length. rusty above, whitish below; smaller than Gray Squirrel; tail less bushy.
GRAY SQUIRREL (Sciurus carolinensis)8-11 inches in length. usually gray on back and sides, whitish below (many northern ones are all black); large, bushy tail.	LITTLE BROWN BAT (Myotis lucifugus) 3-4.5 inches in length. low, zig-zagging flight; small size; dark shiny fur.
MEADOW VOLE or Field Mouse (Microtus pennsylvanicus) 3.5-5 inches in length. back and sides brown to dark brown; gray below.	OPOSSUM (Didelphis virginiana) 13.5-21 inches in length. nose long, pointed, pinkish; white face; large leaflike ears; tail long, rounded sparsely haired; pale gray in colour.
EASTERN CHIPMUNK (Tamias striatus) 5.5-6.5 inches in length. stripes on head, sides, and back; back stripes extend only to rump.	WOODCHUCK or Groundhog (Marmota monax) 14-20 inches in length. large head; chunky body; short legs; small bushy tail; no special markings.
SNOWSHOE HARE (Lepus americanus) 15-18.5 inches in length. large hind feet; dark brown colour.	EASTERN COTTONTAIL (Sylvilagus floridanus) 13.5-16 inches in length. short-eared, short-tailed rabbit; white tail conspicuous when running.