Date post: | 08-Aug-2015 |
Category: |
Science |
Upload: | bhiconservancy |
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Why Did I Want to Research Small Mammals?
� Have past experience working with Eastern Gray Squirrels
� Interested in solutions besides culling to manage nuisance and invasive species
� Love research that involves getting in the field
Why is There a Need For Small Mammal Surveys?
� Rats started taking over homes on BHI in January of 2013
� Has caused over half the home owners on the island thousands of dollars in damage
� There has never been a comprehensive small mammal survey done on the island
What Small Mammals Are Present on BHI?
� Hispid Cotton Rat ¡ 8-10 inches long ¡ Most active at dawn and
dusk ¡ Lives in burrows in open
grasslands ¡ Eats grasses, seeds, and
legumes
� Roof Rat (INVASIVE) ¡ 10-15 inches long ¡ Nocturnal ¡ Lives in attics and tree
tops ¡ Eats anything
What Small Mammals Are Present on BHI ? (continued)
� White-Footed Mouse
� Deer Mouse
� Eastern Gray Squirrel
� Eastern Mole
Possible New Small Mammal Species
� Woodland Vole � Meadow Vole � Southeastern Shrew � Least Shrew � Golden Mouse � Marsh-rice Rat
Objectives � To get a better understanding of small
mammals on BHI and the habitats they live in
� To find new species of small mammals on BHI
� To obtain population estimates of the small mammals on BHI
Trapping Methods
� Measured square grids within a 0.5 acre plot with the traps spaces 11 m apart in a 5 x5 array
� Sherman Traps were put out 2 days ahead of trapping
� Trapped for three consecutive days � Sherman Traps were baited with
peanut butter and set right before sunset and checked right after sunrise
Where to Place Them How to Place Them
� Beside logs and rocks � Next to burrows � By dead trees � Next to bush clusters � Along rodent paths
� Level with the ground � On an even slope � Slightly covered with
leaves, sand, etc.
Placing Sherman Live Traps
Handling Methods
� Put on personal protection equipment (PPE) � Attached mesh laundry bag to the end of the
Sherman live trap � Opened trap door and turned the trap upside down � Identified species and determined sex
Precautions
� The hispid cotton rat, roof rat, and white-footed mouse are all carriers of the Hantavirus
� Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be worn at all times
� Equipment should always be washed after use
Problems Encountered
� Weather ¡ Rain reduces the chance of trapping an animal ¡ Animals tend to be less active during bad weather
� Limited equipment ¡ Roof rats are to big to fit in my 3”x 6 ½” traps
� Time constraints ¡ Didn’t get to trap in as many locations as I wanted ¡ Originally wanted to do population estimates
Next Steps
� Buy more traps and larger traps, so that a bigger variety of animals can be captured
� Try different types of bait to figure out what works best
� Add more trapping locations (salt marsh, marina, etc.)
� Find the best trapping technique and then do a population estimate
� Try trapping in the evening instead of just at night
Conclusions
� No new species were found, but that doesn’t mean they are not there
� The best habitat to find cotton rats is in the dunes ¡ put traps next to the cotton rat burrows
� Roof rats are too big for my traps � Camouflaging the traps has the best results � Peanut butter is messy