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BIO 541Management Plan: Small Mammals

Don Brown Mandy Oberholzer Rob Herman. BIO 541Management Plan: Small Mammals. Overview. This management plan is designed for the Eastern gray squirrel, Eastern cottontail, and North American porcupine for the Neithercut Woodland. Utilizes habitat alterations.

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BIO 541Management Plan: Small Mammals

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  1. Don Brown Mandy Oberholzer Rob Herman BIO 541Management Plan:Small Mammals

  2. Overview • This management plan is designed for the Eastern gray squirrel, Eastern cottontail, and North American porcupine for the Neithercut Woodland. • Utilizes habitat alterations. • Will be profitable to CMU monetarily and educationally. Small Mammals

  3. North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) Small Mammals

  4. Life History • 2nd largest rodent in North America • Only species in its genus • Generally brown, yellow and white in quills • Compact, round bodies – excellent climbers • Barbed quills • Predators Small Mammals

  5. Reproduction • Sexually dimorphic • Mate in fall • One baby born in spring (200 days) • Weaned for 4 months • 25-30 months until sexual maturity Small Mammals

  6. Diet • Herbivorous • Spring – berries, nuts, buds, twigs • Winter – bark, cambium, needles • Consume 10% of body weight per day • Strong attraction to salt Small Mammals

  7. Habitat • Very adaptable to living conditions • Solitary – territorial • Dens • Active all year Small Mammals

  8. Range • Yukon territory down throughout Canada • Northern U.S. • West of Rockies down to Northern Mexico Small Mammals

  9. Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) Small Mammals

  10. Life History • Red/gray-brown in color • Large hind legs • Fluffy tail, hence term “cottontail” • Molt twice a year • Male – buck, Female - doe Small Mammals

  11. Reproduction • Breed from March-late summer(3-4/yr.) • 28 day gestation period • Litter size: 1-7 (usually 3-4) • Leave nest after 2 weeks Small Mammals

  12. Diet • Herbivorous • Herbaceous and woody plants depending on the season • Wide variety of food consumed Small Mammals

  13. Habitat • Predators • Diseases/Parasites • Transitional habitats preferred • Open grasslands Small Mammals

  14. Range • Home ranges • Occurs sympatrically • Prevalent in diverse habitats • Eastern North America down to Northern South America Small Mammals

  15. Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) Small Mammals

  16. Life History • Tree squirrel • Generally gray in color • Body size • Live in “drays” during summer, tree holes during winter • Don’t hibernate • Hours active during the day Small Mammals

  17. Reproduction • Mate twice per year • Males court for 5 days • 44 day gestation period • 2-4 young per breeding season Small Mammals

  18. Diet • Omnivorous • Tree seeds, fruits, flowers, etc. • Herbaceous plants • Fungi • Insects • Eggs, nestlings, frogs • Scatter hoarding Small Mammals

  19. Habitat • Predators • Continuous, mature hardwood forests • Mixed forests • Diverse vegetation in understory preferred • Very adaptable – fragmentation, urban areas Small Mammals

  20. Range • Central/eastern North America from southern Canada to Gulf of Mexico • Other areas introduced Small Mammals

  21. Management Goals/Objectives • Maintain stable populations of North American porcupines, Eastern gray squirrels, and Eastern cottontails through habitat improvements. Small Mammals

  22. Neithercut Description • Clare County, Michigan • 252 acres • Diverse habitats • Carved by glaciers • 4 trails, 2 creeks Small Mammals

  23. Management Recommendations • Stabilize populations via habitat improvements • Maintain corridors • Preserve snags, logs, downed trees • Conduct timber harvest • Construct brush piles • Mow/disk to stimulate new growth Small Mammals

  24. Preserve Snags/Downed trees Small Mammals

  25. Construct brush piles Small Mammals

  26. Mow/disk to stimulate new growth Small Mammals

  27. Maintain corridors Small Mammals

  28. Timber Harvest Small Mammals

  29. Evaluating/Monitoring • E. gray squirrel • Visual counts • Hair tube surveys • Drey counts • N.A. porcupine • Visual counts • Den counts • E. cottontail • Spotlight transects • Warren monitoring • Rabbits counts • Gibb/McLean scales Small Mammals

  30. Success Criteria • All three species determined to be living in Neithercut, then no further management steps necessary. Small Mammals

  31. Timeline • Year One: • Spring – 2010 • Meeting with foresters to survey the land for the timber harvest. • Summer -2010 • Open up bidding to local timber companies for the woodland. • Winter – 2010 • Initial population counts conducted of the species. Small Mammals

  32. Year Two: • Spring – 2011 • Initial mowing/disking of a strip of open grassland. • Summer – 2011 • Timber harvest conducted. • Fall – 2011 • Brush piles constructed from slash results of timber harvest. • Winter – 2011 • Second population counts conducted of the species. Small Mammals

  33. Year Three: • Spring – 2012 • First prescribed burn takes place in the upland grassland. • Second mowing/disking of a strip of open grassland. • Winter – 2012 • Third population counts conducted of the species. • Year Four-Six: • Continue steps previously taken throughout the first three years (except timber harvest). Small Mammals

  34. Budget Small Mammals

  35. QUESTIONS?? Small Mammals

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