AN INVENTORY OF TERRESTRIAL MAMMALS
AT NATIONAL PARKS IN
THE NORTHEAST TEMPERATE NETWORK
AND
SAGAMORE HILL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

Scientific Investigations Report 2007–5245
U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with
The National Park Service

Andrew T. Gilbert, Allan F. O'Connell, Jr., Elizabeth M. Annand, Neil W. Talancy, John R. Sauer, and James D. Nichols

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Abstract

An inventory of mammals was conducted during 2004 at nine national park sites in the Northeast Temperate Network : Acadia National Park , Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park , Minute Man NHP, Morristown National Historical Park, Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Site , Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site, Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, Saratoga National Historical Park, and Weir Farm National Historic Site. Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, part of the Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, was also surveyed. Each park except Acadia NP was sampled twice, once in the winter/spring and again in the summer/fall. During the winter/spring visit, indirect measure (IM) sampling arrays were employed at 2 to 16 stations and included sampling by remote cameras, cubby boxes (covered trackplates), and hair traps. IM stations were established and re-used during the summer/fall sampling period. Trapping was conducted at 2 to 12 stations at all parks except Acadia NP during the summer/fall period and consisted of arrays of small-mammal traps, squirrel-sized live traps, and some fox-sized live traps. We used estimation-based procedures and probabilistic sampling techniques to design this inventory. A total of 38 species was detected by IM sampling, trapping, and field observations. Species diversity (number of species) varied among parks, ranging from 8 to 24, with Minute Man NHP having the most species detected. Raccoon (Procyon lotor), Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana), Fisher (Martes pennanti), and Domestic Cat (Felis silvestris) were the most common medium-sized mammals detected in this study and White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus), Northern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda), Deer Mouse (P. maniculatus), and Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) the most common small mammals detected. All species detected are considered fairly common throughout their range including the Fisher, which has been reintroduced in several New England states. We did not detect any state or federal endangered or threatened species.

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