Inventory of Mammals (Excluding Bats) of Thomas Stone National Historic Site

Barry, Ronald; Dolbeare, Tressa

A survey of mammals (excluding bats) at Thomas Stone National Historic Site (THST) was conducted from 2002 to 2003 to document the presence of > 90% of the mammals in the park, describe species distributions, relative abundances, and habitat-specific richness, and provide recommendations for management and conservation. Surveys relied on live trapping with Sherman and Tomahawk traps for small to medium-size mammals, the use of pitfall traps to capture small shrews, direct observation of individuals and their sign (tracks, scats), and remote photography. We identified two principal habitats – grassland (fields) and deciduous forest – and less expansive tracts of mixed deciduous-coniferous forest, wind-disturbed deciduous forest, and additional targeted locations for sampling. Twelve species of mammals were either captured or observed within THST, all new records (species) for the park. Altogether, six orders and nine families of mammals are represented by these species. These species constitute 60% (12 of 20) of those predicted to occur in the park. New species we recorded include the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), northern short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda), southeastern shrew (Sorex longirostris), eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus), eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus), white-footed deermouse (Peromyscus leucopus), woodchuck (Marmota monax), eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), raccoon (Procyon lotor), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). THST supports low diversity and abundances of small mammals, in part due to the lack of diversity in habitat types. The white-footed deermouse is the most abundant and widespread species, accounting for 76% of all individuals captured by Sherman and pitfall traps. The generally common and widespread northern short-tailed shrew, a habitat generalist, was neither widespread nor abundant in the park. Grassland (managed fields) supported more species than other principal habitat types, although many of the grassland species occupy grassland-deciduous forest edge habitat. The eastern cottontail, eastern gray squirrel, woodchuck, and white-tailed deer are widely distributed within the park.

Inventory of Mammals (Excluding Bats) of Thomas Stone National Historic Site

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