A Survey of the Mammals at Russell Cave National Monument

Grow, A.; Wolcott, Daniel; Jennings, Jason; Kennedy, Michael

A survey of the mammals at Russell Cave National Monument (RCNM) in Jackson County, Alabama, was conducted during the fall and winter of 2006, winter 2008, and summer and fall of 2009. Sampling procedures included live trapping, bait/camera stations, scent stations, mist netting, spotlight surveys, and general observations. Twenty-nine species, representing 8 orders and 14 families, were verified to occur on the site. Results reflected the presence of 1 species of opossum (Virginia Opossum, Didelphis virginiana), 1 species of shrew (Northern Short-tailed Shrew, Blarina brevicauda), 1 species of mole (Eastern Mole, Scalopus aquaticus), and 6 species of bats (Gray Myotis, Myotis grisescens; Northern Myotis, Myotis septentrionalis; Tri-colored Bat, Perimyotis subflavus; Big Brown Bat, Eptesicus fuscus; Eastern Red Bat, Lasiurus borealis; and Evening Bat, Nycticeius humeralis). Other species documented included: Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), 10 species of rodents (Eastern Chipmunk, Tamias striatus; Woodchuck, Marmota monax; Eastern Gray Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis; Southern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys volans; American Beaver, Castor canadensis; White-footed Deermouse, Peromyscus leucopus; Cotton Deermouse, Peromyscus gossypinus; Hispid Cotton Rat, Sigmodon hispidus; Allegheny Woodrat, Neotoma magister; Woodland Vole, Microtus pinetorum), Domestic Dog (Canis familiaris), Coyote (Canis latrans), Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), Raccoon (Procyon lotor), Eastern Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis), Bobcat (Felis rufus), Feral Cat (Felis catus), and White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus). One endangered species (Gray Myotis) was recorded during the survey. Considerations for conservation and management of biodiversity are provided.

A Survey of the Mammals at Russell Cave National Monument

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