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Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
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Species of Montana

Amphibians are ectothermic vertebrate animals that live on both land and in water, lack scales, and produce external gelatinous eggs requiring moist conditions. Montana is home to breeding populations of almost 15 amphibian species.

Birds are endothermic vertebrate animals that possess feathers and produce external eggs. Montana is home to breeding populations of over 250 bird species. In addition, over 170 bird species visit our state during their spring and fall migration journeys.

Fish are aquatic, ectothermic animals with backbones and have fins and gills throughout life. Montana is home to breeding populations of over 85 fish species.

Invertebrates are animal species without backbones. Montana is home to breeding populations of almost 150 invertebrates, including over 120 mollusk species and over 20 crustaceans.

Mammals are endothermic vertebrate animals that possess hair and mammary glands for the production of milk for feeding offspring. Montana is home to breeding populations of over 110 mammal species.

Reptiles are ectothermic vertebrate animals that possess scales and produce external amniotic eggs with membrane and yolk sac. 17 native reptile species have been confirmed as being present in Montana.

Wild Things feature header. Photo of White-tailed Deer © 2005 Craig Hergert

Highlighted Species - Trout-perch

Percopsis omiscomaycus

Trout-Perch Color Plate

Trout-Perch Color Plate - Trout-Perch Color Plate

Trout-perches have characteristics of both the trout and perch families. They have an adipose fin like the trouts and yet have spines in some fins and superficially resemble members of the perch family. Trout-perch are native to our northern drainages in Montana and, because of their limited distribution, have been designated a Montana Fish of Special Concern. The trout-perch is a spring broadcast spawner that usually spawns on the shores of lakes. Trout-perch are largely nocturnal, feeding on insects and crustaceans. It is an important forage fish in some North American lakes but of minor consequence in Montana. The largest specimens are about 6 inches.

Visit the Montana Animal Field Guide for more information on the Trout-perch

Conserving Westslopes on the East Slope

The bright morning sun filtering through ponderosa pines sparkles off the riffles of Muskrat Creek as the stream twists down from the Elkhorn Mountains. Two Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks fisheries biologists, Lee Nelson and Dave Moser, watch a survey crew work a creek segment with an electric probe, nets, and bucket. Each burst of electricity from the probe temporarily stuns trout, causing them to float to the surface. [Full Story]

That Critter’s Got To Go

Montanans love wildlife. But it’s one thing to marvel at a mountain goat in Glacier National Park or watch a mule deer trotting across the prairie. It’s another to have a striped skunk camping in your kitchen or a big brown bat fluttering across the bedroom. [Full Story]

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