Bald  Head  Island  Small  Mammal  Survey    

Bri3any  Sumner  Wildlife  Intern  

Senior  at  Clemson  University    

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

Study Sites

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

Trapping Data Species Found

�  Two female hispid cotton rats

Results

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

Special Thanks

Questions?

Q U E S T I O N S