Animals you may not know are found in Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia is home to a variety of critters -- from everyday cardinals in your backyard to rarely-seen black bears in the Blue Ridge mountains. But what about other animals you may not see every day? 8News compiled the list below of a few animals you may not know are found in Virginia. Long-tailed weasel (Photo: Jake Bonello/ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) Long-tailed weasels are active day and night and don't typically travel long distances, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR). They have mostly brown fur with a yellowish underside and keep this coat throughout the year. They may live up to three years in the wild. According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), they feed on mice and other small mammals. Long-tailed weasels live in dens made by other animals in a variety of habitats. They can swim and climb "quite effectively," according to Maryland DNR. Northern river otter (Photo: Jake Bonello/ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) Northern river otters are semi-aquatic or almost entirely aquatic and are found throughout Virginia, according to DWR. They have torpedo-shaped bodies, webbed feet, short legs and a "powerful" tail. The department said they are most abundant in coastal areas and the lower parts of streams and rivers. Northern river otters have a diet of frogs, crayfish, fish, turtles and snakes. They have been observed sliding or “tobogganing” down icy or muddy stream banks, according to the department. Muskrat (Photo: Jessica Bolster/ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) Muskrats can look like beavers, but they are much smaller and have a rat-like tail, according to DWR. The department said they generally live in wetlands with aquatic vegetation like swamps, marshes, lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams. They mostly eat aquatic plants, including cattails, water lilies and duckweeds, the department said. Occasionally, they will eat snails, mussels, frogs, crayfish, insects and slow-moving fish. Northern and southern flying squirrel Northern flying squirrels have been confirmed in Highland and Montgomery counties. They're typically found in conifer-hardwood areas between biological communities or areas with yellow birch, mature beech, hemlock, sugar maple, and black cherry trees. They often live near streams and rivers. According to data cited by the National Park Service, they mostly eat the mycorrhizae, or fungus roots, of truffles. Southern flying squirrels can be found throughout Virginia except in the westernmost tip. They prefer areas of heavy deciduous trees near water, particularly in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, according to the department. They eat nuts in the fall and water, but during other seasons, they eat fruit, flowers, berries, fungi, bird eggs, insects and lichens. They're one of the most carnivorous of all squirrel species. Northern flying squirrels are larger than southern flying squirrels, and northerns are a bit redder. Bobcat (Photo: Grayson Smith/ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) Bobcats are most active shortly after dusk and before dawn, according to the department. They are solitary and rarely observed, usually hunting and traveling in areas with thick vegetation. The department said bobcats prey on medium-sized animals like rabbits and hares. They rarely hunt deer, but when they do, evidence shows that it's usually when other foods become scarce.