Twice a day every trap was checked. Traps with closed doors were brought to a central location to be examined. If a shrew had visited the trap, it usually escaped through the shrew escape hole. Mice and voles were the capture targets. The traps would be disassembled in a large plastic bag, where the trap parts and bedding material were removed. The vole or mouse was then guided to a corner of the bag where it could be lifted out by the scruff of the neck. It was then examined and the gender, species and trap number were recorded. It was marked by cutting a tuft of hair from the side. This was used to identify re-captures. The final step was to weigh the capture. The mouse or vole was then returned to the exact location of the capture. This was done so that it would remain in it's own range, near food it may have stored.
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Friday, October 5, 2007
Lovable Lycos!
Tracks and Traces
The soft and often muddy soil provides an excellent opportunity to track mammals. Lycos, a shepherd/husky mix provided us with his ability to scent track. Sometimes he tracked and trapped US! This forest is home to many large mammals, including raccoons, porcupines, fishers, deer, bobcat and bear. The smaller mammals that share the forest are a variety of voles, mice and shrews. The shrews are so fragile that even safe trapping often causes them to perish. For that reason, our traps all have shrew escape holes.
The soft and often muddy soil provides an excellent opportunity to track mammals. Lycos, a shepherd/husky mix provided us with his ability to scent track. Sometimes he tracked and trapped US! This forest is home to many large mammals, including raccoons, porcupines, fishers, deer, bobcat and bear. The smaller mammals that share the forest are a variety of voles, mice and shrews. The shrews are so fragile that even safe trapping often causes them to perish. For that reason, our traps all have shrew escape holes.
Animals of the Forest
Animals of the Forest
One of our goals is to trap voles and record their numbers and gender. This data has been collected by the five research teams that preceded us and our data will be added to theirs. The time span for this year’s project is from early May to mid October. Vole numbers should correlate to both climate and food availability. Predation on voles is also considered.
One of our goals is to trap voles and record their numbers and gender. This data has been collected by the five research teams that preceded us and our data will be added to theirs. The time span for this year’s project is from early May to mid October. Vole numbers should correlate to both climate and food availability. Predation on voles is also considered.
Red Belly Snake
The Bog Forrest
Much of the surface of Nova Scotia has a layer of slate about one to five meters below the surface. This causes water to drain slowly. Over time, a layer of swampy peat accumulates. This is an ideal environment for many mosses, lichens, ferns and a wide variety of amphibians, reptiles and mammals.
EW3;001, 008, 009, 023, 035, 036, EW4:123, 151, 152, EW5:049, 050, 061
Much of the surface of Nova Scotia has a layer of slate about one to five meters below the surface. This causes water to drain slowly. Over time, a layer of swampy peat accumulates. This is an ideal environment for many mosses, lichens, ferns and a wide variety of amphibians, reptiles and mammals.
EW3;001, 008, 009, 023, 035, 036, EW4:123, 151, 152, EW5:049, 050, 061
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Checking the Traps
Each day we check the (100) traps in the morning and again in the afternoon. On average we are trapping about 15 voles in each session. We have also captured white footed mice and shrews. The traps have shrew escape holes, as they are so fragile, they usually perish just from the trauma of being captured.
Our other research is examining transects for scat. A transect is a random section of the forest floor. For this research, each transect is 10 meters by 10 meters.The entire team of 12 lines up on one side and searches the forest floor. We have found scat from porcupine, white tailed deer, snow shoe rabbits and beaver. Most of the forest floor is bog. Geologically, most of Nova Scotia has a layer of slate and shale about one meter below the surface. This prevents water from draining.
Our other research is examining transects for scat. A transect is a random section of the forest floor. For this research, each transect is 10 meters by 10 meters.The entire team of 12 lines up on one side and searches the forest floor. We have found scat from porcupine, white tailed deer, snow shoe rabbits and beaver. Most of the forest floor is bog. Geologically, most of Nova Scotia has a layer of slate and shale about one meter below the surface. This prevents water from draining.
Trapping and tracking
Sept. 31, 2007
Trapping on the grasslands
Our research team hiked into the woods to Cooks Lake. This pasture, field and woodland area will be the site of our trapping research. For the first time, we found bear tracks on the trail. We also found evidence of Fisher predation upon porcupines. We divided the 10 members of the research team into five groups. Each group assembled, baited and set 20 traps. We will check the one hundred traps tomorrow morning and again in the late after noon. The weather has been perfect every day. It has been 75-80 degrees by mid-day, and about 68 degrees in the evenings.
Trapping on the grasslands
Our research team hiked into the woods to Cooks Lake. This pasture, field and woodland area will be the site of our trapping research. For the first time, we found bear tracks on the trail. We also found evidence of Fisher predation upon porcupines. We divided the 10 members of the research team into five groups. Each group assembled, baited and set 20 traps. We will check the one hundred traps tomorrow morning and again in the late after noon. The weather has been perfect every day. It has been 75-80 degrees by mid-day, and about 68 degrees in the evenings.
Nova Scotia Coast
Sept. 30, 2007
Tracks, Traces and Sightings
Today the research team hiked for three hours along the coastline. We searched for evidence of mammal habitation. We found “scat” from a variety of animals; Snowshoe hares, raccoons, porcupines, and otters. Although there are bobcats and bear in the area, we have not yet seen evidence of them. I did catch a Red Belly racer snake, and that picture is below. We also observed several deer and harbor seals. There were many tracks, and evidence of predatory birds. Tomorrow we will set the vole traps. Pictures by Jennifer Griffith.
Tracks, Traces and Sightings
Today the research team hiked for three hours along the coastline. We searched for evidence of mammal habitation. We found “scat” from a variety of animals; Snowshoe hares, raccoons, porcupines, and otters. Although there are bobcats and bear in the area, we have not yet seen evidence of them. I did catch a Red Belly racer snake, and that picture is below. We also observed several deer and harbor seals. There were many tracks, and evidence of predatory birds. Tomorrow we will set the vole traps. Pictures by Jennifer Griffith.
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