The forest is home to many large solitary animals such as moose and bears. Bears hibernate in winter to escape the cold, although brown bears are easily woken. Elk and deer travel in herds to protect their young from predators. Red and gray wolves and coyotes are predators that live in packs and defend their territories. Cougars and bobcats are fierce cats that run swiftly through the forests to hunt their prey.
Forests have an abundance of small mammals such as squirrels; flying squirrels leap from tree to tree, spreading the thin flaps of skin between their legs like wings. Opossums are the only marsupial found in North America; they carry their young in a pouch like a kangaroo. Beavers build dams across rivers and streams, and raccoons use their sharp claws to climb trees. Porcupines have sharp quills to defend themselves from predators, and skunks squirt foul-smelling liquid from under their tails as their defense.
The forest is home to large birds of prey such as the bald eagle, which is the national symbol of the United States. Red-tailed hawks eat small rodents and insects. Great horned owls swoop through the forests at night hunting for prey. Northern cardinals and nightingales fill the forests with song; turkeys and quails forage on the forest floor.
Frogs, toads and brightly colored salamanders love the moist, dark environment of the forest floor. Northern copperhead snakes are camouflaged against the leafy forest foliage to protect themselves from predators. The black northern rat snake preys on rodents, rabbits and birds. Small mammals feast on the wide variety of beetles and insects, while luna moths make a tasty snack for bats.