Distributional Expansion of the Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus) into Dawson County, Nebraska

Authors

Jennifer D. Frisch, University of Nebraska at KearneyFollow
Keith Geluso, University of Nebraska at KearneyFollow
Joseph T. Springer, University of Nebraska at KearneyFollow

Date of this Version

5-8-2015

Citation

Frisch JD, Geluso K, and Springer JT. (2015) Distributional expansion of the Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus) into Dawson County, Nebraska. Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences. Volume 35, 12–14.

Comments

Copyright (c) 2015 Jennifer D. Frisch, Keith Geluso, and Joseph T. Springer

Abstract

In the last century, the Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus) has moved northward in central parts of the United States, reaching Nebraska in the late 1950s. Recent surveys demonstrate Hispid Cotton Rats inhabit counties across southern parts of Nebraska south of the Platte River. Herein, we report on captures of S. hispidus from a new county (Dawson County), its seasonal occurrence at our study site, and the first known record of the Hispid Cotton Rat north of channels of the Platte River. Our captures represent one of the northern-most records in Nebraska.