Wildlife

Wildlife

Mandan Park has a large variety of wildlife. Unfortunately, lack of SAFE has made both birds and mammals vulnerable to poaching. Part of the impetus for starting Friends of Mandan Park was the killing of a young owl, which was subsequently put on the Mandan Park sign at the south side of the park. Another factor in starting the group was the widescale poaching of deer. When our cleanups began, there were deer parts all over the road, in the parking lots and at the teardrop area. Several years later, someone killed a coyote, cut off its tail and left it in the south parking lot near the Children's Playground. There has been a determined effort by certain neighbors of the park to not only abuse its resources for themselves, but to scare other people away.

Mandan Park is home to 5 species of woodpeckers, several species of owls, titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, goldfinches, Carolina wrens, bluejays, cardinals and several species of hawks, to name just a few. In the spring, large numbers of warblers take advantage of the park to rest before proceeding north.

The park is also home to bobcats, red fox, coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs, raccoons, opossums, numerous deer and other migrating wildlife.

SAFE benefits the wildlife of Mandan Park and hopes to preserve it, as well as allow access for those who wish to see it, with positive benefits for everyone.