Tertiary+Consumers

WNC Tertiary Consumers:

Tertiary Consumers are organisms that eat secondary consumers. That means that the tertiary consumers eat carnivores who have eaten herbivores and producers. Tertiary consumers have less energy intake than producers because they have eaten the used energy from the producers and secondary consumers. -PM

Tertiary Consumers found in WNC: 1. **Red Wolf**: ENDANGERED. Found all throughout the Southeastern United States near the outskirts of wooded forests. Diet includes rodents, birds, and rabbits.-PM 2. **Cougar**: Found from Canada to Texas in the lowlands and mountainous deserts. Diet includes deer, beavers, rabbits, and mice.-PM Some fun facts about the cougars are that they are also called mountain lions or catamounts. They can adapt to most habitats and only humans prey upon the cougars. They are considered least concerned species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature meaning that the cougars are not threatened. They are not predicted to become endangered anytime soon. A Cougar’s average life span is between 8-13 years old and females live with their kittens while the males are bachelors for life. 3. **Black Rat Snake**: Found in the Eastern Central United States in heavily wooded areas because they like to climb trees. Diet includes rats, snakes, frogs, and chipmunks.-PM 4. **American Dog Tick:** Found in the eastern half of the United States, and are particularly prominent in North Carolina. They feed off of warm blooded animals such as dogs, foxes, livestock, etc. -JV 5. **Bald Eagle**: Found all over the United States as well as parts of Canada and Alaska. They eat reptiles, geese, fish, deer, rabbits, and ducks. -JV 6. **Copperhead**: Found in the United States, typically in forested areas, but is more tolerant of human development. They eat mice, birds, insects, and frogs. -JV 7. **Cats**: Found worldwide, they eat rabbits, spiders, fish, birds, small mammals, insects, and snakes. -JV 8. **Snapping Turtle:** Found in Southeastern United States. They eat fish, small mammals, and carrion as well as some plants. -MS 9. **Brown Recluse Spider:** Found all over the United States in warm, moist climates. Feed on insects, but have been known to kill birds and small mammals. -MS 10. **Red-Tailed Hawk:** Found in Eastern United States. **Protected:** Human destruction of habitat has led to the hawk being placed on a protected species watch list by the government. The Hawks eat other birds, small mammals, and the occasional toddler. -MS
 * 1) A.)The Red Wolf is considered endangered because with human population rising, land area for a habitat is getting smaller. The Red Wolves' habitats are shrinking, causing less food to survive.-PM

Paige, Jean, Michael