subject: Smoky Mountain Wildlife: Cute or Killers? by:Bob Foster [print this page] Don't let veritable outdoor menagerie of the Smoky Mountains deter you from enjoying the wonder and beauty of the park. Since many animals call the Appalachians home, prepare yourself; you never know when you'll meet one of these cute, yet potentially dangerous residents. To give you a head start, keep an eye out for these ten wild animals, each with distinct characteristics, but one habitat.
1. Bobcats
- Nocturnal
- Carnivores
- Up to three feet long, 20 pounds
2. Eastern Cougars
- Native to the Smoky Mountains
- Brown or gray fur
- Up to seven feet long, 140 pounds
- Killed 21 people in the past 118 years
3. Red Foxes
- Same size as a domestic dog, 24 pounds
- Rusty color
- Fluffy tails
- Solitary hunter
- Will eat your food!
4. Coyotes
- Look like medium-sized Collies
- Round and bushy tail
- Thick dark fur with a white belly
- Howl at night
- Up to 60 inches long, 45 pounds
- Run at high speeds and jump up to eight feet high
- Hunt in packs
5. Red Wolves
- Nocturnal howlers
- Weigh between 45 and 80 pounds
- Red, grey, yellow, or black fur
- Roam in couples or families
6. Skunks
- Extremely unpleasant spray that can travel up to ten feet
- Stripe, spotted, or swirled fur in black and white
- About the size of a small house cat
7. European Wild Boars
- Hairy pigs with huge heads and short legs
- Dark grey, black, or brown hair
- Weigh between 110 and 200 pounds
- Both males and females have tusks
- Males and females will charge, females bite
8. Black Bears
- Weigh up to 300 pounds
- Hibernate during the winter, look for food in the other seasons
- Will eat human food, which shortens their life span and removes their fear of people
- Feeding bears within the park is illegal
9. Northern Copperhead Snakes
- Poisonous, but not lethal
- Up to 3 feet long
- Copper, orange, or pink scales with chestnut colored bands
- Will strike if threatened
- Found most commonly below 3,000 feet altitude
10. Timber Rattler
- Venomous, but not lethal
- Found mostly above 3,000 feet altitude
- Up to 4 feet long
- Yellow, brown, or gray scales with black or brown cross bands
- Triangular head with small scales
Don't fear these animals. They don't want to hurt you, but they can get nasty if provoked. Just take care to recognize their characteristics and tread lightlyyou're a guest in their home, after all!
Learn more about the great Smoky Mountains outdoors at our Gatlinburg Cabins website, just follow the link to the blog and enjoy.
About the author
Bob Foster became an expert on this part of the country as a child. Bob turned that childhood expertise into a profession managing a business that specializes in rentals of Gatlinburg cabins and Pigeon Forge cabins
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