Great Plains Natural Science Society
Date of this Version
6-2005
Document Type
Article
Citation
THE PRAIRIE NATURALIST, Volume 37, No. 2, June 2005, pp. 101-116
Abstract
More than 60 years have elapsed since Brumwell's (1951) comprehensive assessment during 193911940 of resident terrestrial vertebrates from Fort Leavenworth Military Rooervation in northeastern Kansas. Subsequent studies have been accomplished for the amphibians, reptiles, and birds. Our study is the first to assess intervening changes in the mammalian composition of this diverse local fauna. Notable observations include: the decline or extirpation of the black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), Franklin's ground squirrel (Spermophilus franklinii), muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata) and eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius); the return or recovery of locally extirpated gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), puma (Puma concolor), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), the increases of the once uncommon eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) and striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), the invasion and establishment of the hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus), and the displacement of the eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) by the eastern gray squirrel (S. carolinensis) as the most common squirrel. Documented species either not mentioned by Brumwell (1951) or listed by him as hypothetically occurring on the post, included northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis), eastern pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus), evening bat (Nycticeius humeralis), southern bog lemming (Synaptomys cooperi), and meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius).
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Comments
Published by the Great Plains Natural Science Society. Used by permission.