No apparent reason for the decline. A large member of the weasel family, it is the most important predator of the muskrat and is relatively common. The largest weasel of the area. These are prairie mammals that live on mice and ground squirrels, but are rare on the refuge. Common in the more brushy areas.
Skunks are slow and methodical and usually take much provocation before spraying.
Several reliable persons have reported sightings of this animal. These recent sightings indicate the mountain lion may be returning to Missouri. A wary cat infrequently seen. Tracks have been observed on the refuge boundary and there is one reported sighting. A straggler from the west.