Mammals

Amikwag (Beavers) were the most important animal during the fur trade era.

USFWS Photo / Kirsten Brennan

The boreal forest is an ideal habitat for North America’s two largest rodents, amik (beaver) and gaag (porcupine). No mammal, other than humans, has had a greater impact on the economy and geography of North America than the beaver. Fueling a historically global trade with pelts and surviving to continue in its role as a keystone species, the beaver has many stories to tell. Only now are people starting to appreciate their contributions to wetlands and the aquifers they recharge. Beaver ponds not only have a net positive effect on aquifers, they also: create habitat for countless other species, increase conifer tree thermal cover of watersheds that slows runoff and snow melt, increase diversity and abundance of invertebrates that feed fish, increase fish habitat, and increase flow of cold ground water into streams that is vital to fish like coaster brook trout. Despite all these contributions to the boreal forest, beaver still have time enough to host the likes of voles, zhaangweshi (mink) and nigig (otters) in their lodges.

 

Anishinaabe & Scientific Names of Grand Portage Awesiinyag (Animals)

Anishinaabe & Scientific Names

Ojibwe Name	Common Name	Scientific Name

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Nigigwag (river otters)

USFWS Photo / Tom Koerner

Mammals are vertebrates whose bodies are covered by fur. All are live-born but development to maturity varies by species. To learn which species live in the forest around Grand Portage National Monument, see below:

 

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Species Attribute Definitions

Definitions

Occurrence

Occurrence values are defined below. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value.

Present: Species occurs in park; current, reliable evidence available.

Probably Present: High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed.

Unconfirmed: Species is attributed to park but evidence is weak or absent.

Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park.

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Occurrence Tags

Adjacent: Species is known to occur in areas near to or contiguous with park boundaries.

False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.

Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence.

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Abundance

Abundant:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, and counted in relatively large numbers.
• Plants: Large number of individuals; wide ecological amplitude or occurring in habitats covering a large portion of the park.

Common:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, but not in large numbers.
• Plants: Large numbers of individuals predictably occurring in commonly encountered habitats but not those covering a large portion of the park.

Uncommon:

• Animals: Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common.
• Plants: Few to moderate numbers of individuals; occurring either sporadically in commonly encountered habitats or in uncommon habitats.

Rare:

• Animals: Present, but usually seen only a few times each year.
• Plants: Few individuals, usually restricted to small areas of rare habitat.

Occasional:

• Animals: Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year.
• Plants: Abundance variable from year to year (e.g., desert plants).

Unknown: Abundance unknown

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Nativeness

Native: Species naturally occurs in park or region.

Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities.

Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous.

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List Differences

The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park.

The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park. The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list.

The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list.

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Grand Portage National Monument

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Species attribute definitions

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