Animal Habitats

Bays Mountain features a wonderful collection of animals that are native to the area.

Wolves

Wolves are predators which hunt and eat other wild animals. Members of the dog family, they are related to dogs, foxes, and coyotes. Gray Wolves were once more numerous in North America, than any other mammal. Starting in the mid 1800’s widespread killing of wolves took place across the United States and the last wolves to inhabit East Tennessee were killed in the 1920s.

Wolves live in family groups called packs which contain 2 to 30 members, with 8 being an average number. Wolves communicate by scent marking, howling, and using their body to send signals to each other. Howls may be used to call the pack together, may precede a hunt, and are used to announce territory to other wolf packs. Howls can be heard for miles. Wolf packs are complex social organizations and pack leaders are called alphas. The alpha male and alpha female ascend to this position by winning fights and wrestling matches with other wolves. Mating season extends from February to March, and pups are born in late April or May. The alpha pair is the only members of the pack which mate.

Bays Mountain’s wolves have been captive born and socialized to people, which means that they are used to having people around but are not tame. Our wolves eat a variety of meats which are supplemented with occasional treats such as fish, eggs, apples, and pumpkins.

Bobcats

Bobcats are recognized by tufts of black hair on the ear tips and a very short tail, which is 4 inches long. Larger than typical housecats, bobcats weight 25 -35 lbs. These cats lead a solitary life, coming together only to mate. Kittens are born in early spring and are fully mature in two years. During darkness bobcats stalk their prey, which includes rabbits, birds, and rodents. They compete with coyotes for food. Bobcats are good climbers and may spend many hours in trees, finding refuge there when threatened. Bobcats make a variety of sounds such as purring, growling, hissing, and screaming.

Our cats feed upon various meats and treats of bones, mice, squirrels, and rabbits. Put on your “wildlife eyes” and look hard to find these shy, secretive, and well camouflaged creatures.

Red Fox

Red foxes normally have a rusty-red coat over most of the body, with black paws and ears and white on the chin and tip of the tail. This species has the widest range of any Canid ( member of the dog family). They are found over almost the entire northern hemisphere of the earth. The fox’s favorite habitat is a mixture of forest and open areas, and they are often found in urban areas.

Red foxes are predators of small mammals, such as mice, voles and rabbits. They also are known to prey on birds, insects and reptiles. As omnivores, red foxes also eat a variety of plants, especially fruits like pawpaws, blackberries, blueberries, persimmons, cherries and grapes.

Foxes can run at speeds of 30 miles per hour, and can jump over obstacles 6 ft. high.

Raptor Center

What do hawks, owls, and falcons have in common? They are all raptors, or birds of prey. Visit some of these magnificent birds at the Bays Mountain Park Raptor Center. Our center was designed and built by volunteer staff who also maintain the facility and train the birds for raptor programs. The center now houses seven birds in two unique habitat structures and includes an office/food preparation building. Funding for the center and its continued growth relies on support from the community.

Herpetarium

Did you know that rattlesnakes can find their prey by using heat sensors and salamanders can breathe through their skin? Learn more about the fascinating world of reptiles and amphibians by visiting our Herpetarium. The focal point of this facility is the “snake wall,” featuring eight species of native snakes in natural habitats.

In addition to reptiles and amphibians, our Herpetarium features America’s only marsupial; Opossums. Peek through some of the openings in this exhibit to catch a glimpse of our opossums. Volunteers often take one of our opussums around the Nature Center and animal habitats so that visitors can get an upclose look at these unique animals.

The Herpetarium has a spacious classroom as well as a facility for food preparation for the various animal habitats in the park. Be sure to visit the Herpetarium section of our website for more information about this visitor area.

River Otters

*Please note our river otter exhibit is currently uninhabited.

Otters spend most of their lives in the water. Active at night, their sleek bodies are perfect for diving, swimming, and catching aquatic prey. Propelled by their webbed feet, otters use their long round tail to steer left and right. When otters dive, they close their ears and noses; their heart rate slows down and so does their respiration. These adaptations allow the otter to stay submerged for up to five minutes. Otters have two layers of fur; the outer fur gets wet, but the inner fur stays dry when swimming. This arrangement allows otters to stay warm while swimming in cold water.

Our otter pool is used to rehabilitate otters that occasionally get hurt by people. The ones that stay are deemed unreleaseable and are kept here for their safety. Otters may also be seen in Bays Mountain Lake, TVA lakes and the Holston River. Otters weigh about 25 lbs. Our otters eat fish, crayfish, meat and eggs.

Turtles

Turtle Cove is adjacent to the Herpetarium and provides habitat for various species of turtles. The turtle’s shell is formed of bony plates that give the shell its shape. Ribs and vertebrae (backbones) are part of the shell too. Box turtles have a hinge on the lower shell which allows them to go inside their shells and close up. Aquatic turtles, like Red-Eared Sliders, have large protective shells, but no hinges.

Turtles feed upon a diet containing vegetables and meats. Cold weather brings on hibernation which lasts until spring. If you are visiting during the winter months and Turtle Cove appears to be empty, the turtles are still there but have burrowed into the ground for hibernation.

Watershed Room

A watershed is an area of land (big or small) in which all the rainwater drains off and travels to the same place. In the United States there are 2,110 watersheds. All living things in these areas are linked together by their common water source. Visit the exhibit depicting the Bays Mountain Watershed; follow a rain drop as it falls from the sky, trickles through the forest, travels through a beaver pond and the lake, then ends up in the Holston River. Aquariums showcase native fish and invertebrates from stream, lake and pond ecosystems.

Our Watershed exhibit is located in the lower level of the Nature Center building.