The coniferous forest is located in Canada, Europe, Asia, and the United States. The temperature ranges from -40 Celsius to 20 Celsius. Average summer temperature is 10 Celsius. Yearly precipitation varies from 30 to 90 centimeters per year. Coniferous forest regions have cold, long, snowy winters, and warm, humid summers. They have well-defined seasons, and at least four to six frost-free months. There are two types of Coniferous forests:
1. Open, lichen woodland, which has trees, spaced far apart with lichen growing between them.
2. Closed forests, which have trees very close together and a shaded, moss-covered forest floor. The major aquatic zones of the coniferous forest are marine, freshwater, and brackish. The average salinity of marine is 3%, freshwater 1% or less, and brackish mixture of salt and fresh. Clear-cut logging is the biggest threat to the Coniferous forest. Replanting after logging leads to single-species conifer monocultures. Clear cutting accelerates soil erosion, degrades wildlife habitat and leads to the loss of biodiversity. The land is being cleared for ski slopes, landfills, housing, and new roads. In Canada, one acre of forest is cut every 12.9 seconds! Mining operations is another threat to the Coniferous forests because of the chemicals used in mining and the silt released by mining. Road construction destroys the forest and also acts as a barrier to wildlife. Roads isolate populations of species from feeding grounds, natural migration routes and limits breeding between larger groups.
Wolverine
The wolverine is a stocky and muscular animal. With short legs, broad and rounded head, and small eyes with short rounded ears. Its legs are short. The single species of wolverine is a heavily built animal, immensely strong for its size and capable of killing animals larger than itself. The adult wolverine is about the size of a medium dog, with a length usually ranging from 65–107 cm and weighs 9–25 kg, though exceptionally large males can weigh up to 32 kg. The males are as much as 30% larger than the females and can be twice the female's weight. Although largely carnivorous, wolverines also feed on berries. They are solitary animals, mainly ground dwelling. In addition to hunting, wolverines also scavenge the remains of animals killed by other predators such as wolves and bears. The wolverine is a powerful and versatile predator and scavenger. Prey mainly consists of small to large-sized mammals and the wolverine has been recorded killing prey such as adult deer that are many times larger than itself. Wolverines frequent remote boreal forests, taiga, and tundra in the northern latitudes of Europe, Asia, and North America. Their life span in the wild is 7-12 years. A wolverine adapts to its environment very quickly. The wolverine's long fur is brown and black with yellowish-white stripes along each side which helps to camouflage it in wilderness areas by making it blend in with the trees, bushes and the ground. Therefore, this allows the wolverine to hunt its prey with more ease. Also, Wolverines have the ability to outsmart other animals and the Inuit Indians believe the wolverine has special powers because almost all other animals fear it. The wolverine does not have many predators because most animals fear it. Bears and cougars may fight it but they do not hunt it. Wolverines are real.

Beaver The size of a beaver varies from to 39 inches. They can weigh up to 60 pounds. Beavers are second only to humans in their ability to manipulate and change their environment. Beavers are among the largest of rodents. Beavers turn their talents to reengineering the landscape as few other animals can. When sites are available beavers burrow in the banks of rivers and lakes. But they also transform less suitable habitats by building dams. Felling and gnawing trees with their strong teeth and powerful jaws, they create massive log, branch, and mud structures to block streams and turn fields and forests into the large ponds. They are herbivores and prefer to eat leaves, bark, twigs, roots, and aquatic plants. Beavers have many characteristics that help them adapt to life in water. The beaver's coat has two layers: an outer protective layer of coarse guard hairs and a dense under layer of fine hair that insulates them. Fur-lined lips close behind their front teeth (incisors) allowing them to clasp on tree branches and roots while under water. When they dive, their nose and ears have valves that close tightly to keep the water out. Besides their normal eyelids, beavers have an inner transparent eyelid that protects the eye when they go under water. They normally can stay under water for 3 to 4 minutes but if necessary, can extend that time to 15 minutes. They have webbed hind feet which enable them to swim up to 800 m under water without surfacing for air. Beavers fur is naturally oily and waterproof. They can live up to 24 years. Beavers live in ponds, lakes, rivers, and marshes. They can usually be found in the forests of North America, but can also be found in parts of Europe and Asia. Beavers are known for their ability to adapt to an environment and they are very elusive in the manner of getting away from their hunters. Beavers are real.
Bald Eagle

The bald eagle has a body length of 70–102 centimeters. Their wingspan is typically between 1.8 and 2.3 meters and mass is usually between 2.5 and 7 kilograms. Females are about 25 percent larger than males, averaging 5.8 kilograms and against the males' average weight of 4.1 kilograms. Its diet consists mainly of fish, but it is an opportunistic feeder. It hunts fish by swooping down and snatching the fish out of the water with its talons. The average lifespan of Bald Eagles in the wild is around 20 years, with the oldest living to be about 30. In captivity, they often live somewhat longer. In one instance, a captive individual in New York lived for nearly 50 years. As with size, the average lifespan of an eagle population appears to be influenced by its location. The Bald Eagle prefers habitats near seacoasts, rivers, large lakes, oceans, and other large bodies of open water with an abundance of fish. The beak is a adaptation for the bald eagle. The beak is strong and thick, and sharply pointed at the downward tip to rip into a fish or a frozen roadkill, but the mouth is wide enough at the gape to handle fairly big chunks. Although the beak is clearly designed for ripping apart meat, parent eagles can also use it to tenderly feed and groom their babies. The eagle's brain figures out where the fish is even though refraction of light at the water's surface makes the fish appear to be in a slightly different place. Nothing hunts bald eagles because its on top of the food chain. The bald eagle has several layers of feathers, each serving a different function. Under the outer layer of feathers is an inner layer of down or smaller feathers. The inter locking of feathers is an astonishing design of nature. The feathers enable eagles to live in extremely cold environments. Eagles do not have to migrate to warmer areas each year to fulfill temperature requirements. Bald Eagles are real.
Brown Bear

The average weight of an interior male grizzly is 550 pounds and 350 pounds for females. Brown bears of coastal Alaska and British Columbia may weigh over 1000 pounds. They typically stand 3 – 4 feet tall at the shoulder on all fours, and 6 – 7 feet tall when standing upright, but can also grow much larger with abundant food sources. The eating habits of the grizzly bear shows how advanced it is in terms of adaptation. It is an omnivore, meaning it will eat vegetation as well as meat. Sedges, roots, grass, berries, fruits, fish, carrion, and small mammals comprise the gourmet meal of an average bear. In some areas, the big brown bears have even specialized in eating big mammals like moose, elk and caribou. Areas that are near flowing and gushing water bodies have seen an increase in taste for fresh salmon and huge populations of bear congregate to eat this booty. The brown bear has adapted to its surroundings so well that it eats whatever is available in its area of residence. Large grizzly bears are usually loners and prefer their own company. They live in a community only during cub-rearing season, or when food is in abundant supply. Depending upon the location, grizzly bear go to sleep for about 5-8 months during which time they use up all their stored fat. It is quite natural that they wake up very hungry and very nasty. They gorge during the summer and the fall to build up sufficient fat reserves to see them through the denning period. This is especially true for the females who give birth to 1 pound cubs and then nurse them to 20 pound cubs – all the while eating nothing at all. Mothers are ferocious and very territorial when it comes to protecting their babies. Most grizzly bears live up to 25 year in the wild. Nothing eats brown bears because they are on top of the food chain. Brown bears are real.
Coyote

Coyotes typically grow to 30–34 inches in length, they weigh from 15–46 lb. Coyotes adjust their hunting style to what foods are available. When they hunt small prey alone, they usually stalk it and then pounce. If the prey is larger like a deer, they will often hunt in small packs and work together to kill the prey. Coyotes are known for how well they adapt to different habitats. They can even be found living in and around large cities. In the Sonoran Desert, coyotes can be found in all habitats from desert scrub, grasslands, foothills as well as in populated neighborhoods. Coyotes are often mistaken for small to medium sized domestic dogs. They have a long, bushy black-tipped tail, pointed ears and a narrow pointed face. Their fur varies in color, from light brown to grayish. The fur on their belly is usually white. Coyotes can be found throughout North America from eastern Alaska to New England and south into Mexico and Panama. Coyotes are omnivores, which means they will eat or try to eat just about anything. In the Sonoran Desert coyotes vary their diet with the seasons. Cactus fruit, mesquite beans, flowers, insects, rodents, lizards, rabbits, birds, and snakes make up some of their dietary choices. The most common enemy that coyotes face is disease. Bears, wolves and mountain lions will also prey upon coyotes. Humans pose problems for coyotes as they try to navigate across our busy roads. Many coyotes are struck and killed by cars every year. In the wild, coyotes live between 10-14 years. In captivity they are known to live much longer, as many as 20 years. Coyotes have a central den site which is used for rearing the pups and sleeping. They will scent mark the area around the den and defend it from other coyotes. The den can be a burrow dug into the ground, or under a rock outcropping, a tree or a bush. If the area gets disturbed the mother will often move the pups to a safer location. Coyotes are real.
Red-Tailed Hawk The red tailed hawk typically weighs from 1.5 to 3.5 pounds and measuring 45–65 centimeters in length, with a wingspan from 110 to 145 centimeters. Whatever animal is most abundant and most easily caught will become part of the red-tailed hawks diet. They hunt mice, rats, moles, rabbits, opossums and muskrats. They love ducks, pigeons, songbirds and quail, and they won't pass up a meal of snakes, lizards, frogs or insects. They may even steal prey from a smaller hawk and then catch and include the smaller hawk in the meal. By any name, they are keen-eyed and efficient hunters. Red-tails prefer open areas, such as fields or deserts, with high perching places nearby from which they can watch for prey. But these birds are adaptable and also dwell in mountains and tropical rain forests. Hawks have even embraced human habitats. They often perch on telephone poles and take advantage of the open spaces along the roadside to spot and seize mice, ground squirrels, rabbits, reptiles, or other prey. These beautiful birds are North America's most common hawks. They are found all over the continent, in Central America, and in the West Indies. Red tailed hawks have no natural predators. These hawks have dark brown backs with light-colored bellies streaked with brown. Their tails are a rusty reddish brown color. Their tails turn red when they are 2 years old. Red-tailed hawks do not usually live deep in the woods. They like to live along the edge of a forest because it is easier to catch mice in an open area. Red-tailed hawks and great horned owls both live on the forest edge, but they don’t have to compete for food. Since the hawk hunts during day, and the owl hunts at night, they never see each other! Red-tailed hawks will eat any animal that is raccoon-sized or smaller, even pets. 85% of their diet is made up of mammals, like mice, squirrels, and rabbits. Red tailed hawks are real.
Snow Leopards Snow leopards are smaller than the other big cats but, like them, exhibit a range of sizes, generally weighing between 27 and 55 kilograms, with an occasional large male reaching 75 kilograms and small female of less than 25 kilograms. Body length ranges from 75 to 130 centimeters. Snow leopards have white, yellowish, or smoky-gray fur patterned with dark-gray to black spots and rosettes. These markings camouflage them against the rocky slopes, helping them sneak up on prey. The snow leopard's short forelimbs and long hind limbs give the cat agility in its steep and rugged environment. The mountain sheep and goats that are the cat's primary prey are extremely agile and the snowleopard must match them in order to survive. Jumping confidently onto narrow ledges and barrelingdown steep slopes is all in a day's hunt for snow leopards. The cats' long, powerful hind limbs help the snow leopard leap up to 30 feet--6 times its body length! Their well-developed chest muscles help it climb steep slopes. The snow leopard's diet varies across its range, but the cat most commonly hunts wild sheep and goats. The snow leopard is an endangered animal. Snow leopards are nocturnal mammals. Snow leopards can be found on mountains of central Asia. The Snow Leopards lifespan is 15 years. Snow leopards will leave trails of markings to identify their territory and to keep in contact with other familiar leopards. Unlike other large species of cats, the snow leopard generally keeps its distance from humans and often does not attack humans unless provoked. They are rare and endangered and live in some of the most extreme high altitude and cold climate on earth. Researchers and conservationists estimate there are only between 3000 to 6000 snow leopards still surviving. Snow leopards are real.

Timber Wolf Timber wolves range from 26-33 inches in height. They can weigh up to 175 pounds. Timber wolves are most active at night but may be seen during the day. They hunt in packs small animals and birds. When in packs they will hunt sheep and other large animals. Timber wolves are widely distributed. They are found in various parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. In the United States, they range from the Rocky Mountain ranges to areas in the Great Lakes states. Timbers can be found of prairies and forests, but usually not in high mountain ranges because of the lack of food. Their color ranges from nearly white to nearly black, but are usually grayish. The gray wolf is an excellent runner and its body and limbs are well adapted for this purpose. Wolves are digitigrades, so when they walk only their toes touch the ground. The front foot has 5 toes; the first toe is rudimentary and does not touch the ground, while the hind foot has 4 toes. Their canine teeth are also perfect for puncturing and slashing flesh, picking meat off of bones, and their premolars and rear molars are capable of crushing bones. The wolf's large, simple stomach is also better adapted to storing food than quick digestion. It allows wolves to eat up to 20 pounds in one feeding period to take advantage of unpredictable prey availability. The food is digested mainly in the small intestine (aided by their large liver that secretes bile to help break down fats), and digests all except hair and bones of prey. Wolves can also fast for up to two weeks while looking for prey. The polar bear and the grizzly bear hunt timber wolves. The timber wolf lives for 10 years in the wild but can live up to 20 years in captivity. Timber wolves are real.

Porcupine Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Most porcupines are about 25–36 inches long, with an 8–10 inch long tail. Weighing between 12–35 pounds, they are rounded, large and slow. Porcupines come in various shades of brown, grey, and the unusual white. Porcupines have many adaptations to their way of life. They have strong, curved claws for climbing the trees they feed on and sometimes sleep in. They also have rough, pebbly soles on their feet to grip tree trunks and branches. The muscular tail is used for balancing in trees. Like all rodents, a porcupine's incisor teeth continuously grow and are kept sharp by continuous wear against each other. A porcupine's eyesight is poor but it has a keen sense of smell and hearing. Porcupines are nocturnal herbivores, which means that they eat plants during the night. Their diet varies with location and the season of the year. In the spring and summer porcupines eat buds, flowers, leaves and small twigs. Porcupines do not hibernate in the winter. In winter the inner bark, or cambium, of trees forms the main part of their diet. They chew through the outer bark of trees to get to the edible cambium. Lions and fishers eat porcupines. Porcupines are real.

Bobcat Bobcats can be 17-23 inches tall, and can weigh 16-28 pounds. Their lifespan is approximately 13 years. Bobcats mainly hunt rabbits and hares. Bobcats are also known to eat rodents, birds, bats and even adult deer, which they usually consume during the winter months, as well as lambs, poultry and young pigs when a ranch is near. Bobcats were once found throughout most of North America from northern Mexico to southern Canada. Two adaptations of the bobcat are sharp claws and teeth. Both of these help it hunt. Its fur changes color with the seasons, and helps it blend in with the colors of the season. The bobcat is common in North America, but it is rarely seen due to its camouflage. The bobcat's ears help it hear the quietest sound of its prey by swiveling front to back. Bobcats have little tufts of fur on top of their ears and this may improve their hearing the same way cupping our hand to our ear catches more sound. The bobcat is a carnivore. It eats mice, squirrels, rabbits, and game birds that live on the ground, like grouse. The scissor like teeth help it rip up the meat and eat it. The bobcat sneaks up on its prey, close enough to catch it in one pounce. Jack rabbits are too quick to be caught, so the bobcat eats mostly snowshoe rabbits and hares. A bobcat is mostly a predator, rarely a prey. It keeps the population of mice, squirrels, rabbits, and game birds down. The bobcat feeds on animals most people think of as vermin. Bobcats have a soft, spotted fur. Physical attributes of Bobcats vary in accordance with their geographical distribution. The cats in the colder, forested northern territories are generally bigger with a darker, denser fur whereas the ones in south are often relatively small and pale in coloration. Humans, owls, eagles, hawks, wolves, coyotes, domestic dogs, lynxes, and mountain lions will prey on bobcats. Bobcats are real.