Inventory of Mammals at Walnut Canyon, Wupatki, and Sunset Crater National Monuments
Drost C. 2009. Inventory of Mammals at Walnut Canyon, Wupatki, and Sunset Crater National Monuments. Natural Resource Technical Report. NPS/SCPN/NRTR—2009/278. National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center. Fort Collins, Colorado
This report documents the results of a mammal inventory study of Walnut Canyon National Monument (WACA) and Wupatki National Monument (WUPA) in north-central Arizona near the city of Flagstaff. We also include results of bat surveys and reviews of literature and museum specimen data for Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, also in the Flagstaff area. Fieldwork for the inventory focused on small mammals, primarily bats and rodents. Methods used in field surveys for bats included acoustic surveys using Anabat, along with mist-netting at stock tanks and other water bodies. Most of the bat survey work was conducted in 2000, with additional fieldwork in 2002 and 2003. Fieldwork for terrestrial small mammals used trapping with Sherman and Tomahawk small- and medium-sized mammal traps, along with visual surveys for diurnal species. The majority of field sampling for terrestrial small mammals was carried out from 2002 through 2004. In addition to field sampling, we reviewed, evaluated, and summarized museum and literature records of mammal species for the three monuments. A total of 48 native mammal species are currently known to occur at WACA. Two additional species (bighorn sheep and coati) were present historically but no longer occur in the area, and at least one non-native species (domestic cattle) occurs as occasional trespass animals. At WUPA, there are also 48 documented native mammal species, and three additional non-native species. Of these totals, 16 species are new for WACA (positively documented for the first time), and seven are new for WUPA. Noteworthy additions at WACA include Allen’s big-eared bat, big free-tailed bat, and white-backed hog-nosed skunk. Significant new species at WUPA include spotted bat, big free-tailed bat, and kit fox.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Drost, Charles
- Date of Issue
- 2009-12
- Publisher
- National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center
- Units
- NRSS , SCPN , SUCR , WACA , WUPA
- Keywords
- Abundance (Biodiversity), acoustic surveys, Inventory, Mammal, mist-netting, Observations, Presence (Biodiversity), Taxa Links To Datasets, trappings, visual surveys
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Mammals