CONSERVATION BIOLOGY OF MAMMALS

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CONSERVATION BIOLOGY OF MAMMALS
I. What is the Problem II. What is Being
Done III. What Needs to be Done IV. Characterist
ics of Rare Taxa
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Currently In Midst of Largest Extinction Since K
Species You Know That Are In Trouble Locally
Evening Bats, Alleghany Wood Rat, Southeastern
Myotis, Rafinesques Big- Eared
Bat Nationally Bison, Prairie Dogs,
Black-footed Ferrets, Indiana Bats, Townsends
Big-Eared Bats Internationally Wild Horses,
Tigers, Golden Lion Tamarind, Bats in General
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MAJOR PROBLEMS
1. Habitat Modification/Destruction a. Roadkill
s b. Urbanization/Crystallization of
Landscape c. Exotic Species Introductions e. D
estruction of Habitat f. Fragmentation of
Habitat
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Data collected at the Indianapolis Airport
Suggests Bats are being eliminated from habitats
because of A shortage of foraging habitat.
Examples Nycticeius humeralis, Myotis sodalis
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MAJOR PROBLEMS
2. Commercial Trade/Persecution Skins
Leopard Skins from 1930s Bison
1865-1875 Beaver 1800-1850 Meat Pangolins
in Africa ( Other Bush Meat) Deer in
Indiana (1800) Ivory Elephants Walrus Whalin
g Meat Blubber Oil (Spermaceti) Persecut
ion Predator Removal Campaigns Other
Scientific Research and Pallid Bats (Kansas
1960s), Chinese Traditional Medicine
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MAJOR PROBLEMS
3. Mammals as the Problem a. Exotic Species
Hall of Shame House Mouse Norway Rat House
Cat Feral Goat Feral Horse/Donkey Feral
Dog b. Live Stock Competition with Native
Ungulates c. Overgrazing/Overbrowsing
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MAJOR PROBLEMS
4. Most Are Multiple Factors Example Myotis
sodalis a. Deforestation b.
Commercialization of Caves c. Generalized
Persecution of Bats d. Development in
Indianapolis e. Competition with Other
Bats f. Easy to Catch for Early Experiments
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WHAT IS BEING DONE
1. Reintroductions 2. Captive Breeding of
Marketable or Rare Populations 3. Listing of
Taxa 4. Monitoring of Rare Taxa 5. Public
Education 6. Reduce Exotic Impacts a. Direct
Persecution b. Cat-on-a-Leash 7. Some Habitat
Conservation
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WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING?
1. Habtitat Conservation 2. Softening
Development 3. Basic Research a. Natural
History b. What Works c. What is the
Problem? 4. Public Education Efforts 5. Reduce
Persecution 6. Mutispecies Approaches 7. THINK
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A SPECIES THAT LOST
Large, High Commercial Value, Slow
Reproduction, High Juvenile Mortality, Hated by
People, Specializes on Rare Habitat. (Stellers
Sea Cow)
A SPECIES THAT SURVIVES
Small, Weedy Species Moderately Valuable High
Reproductive Potential High Survivorship
Habitat Generalist Common on Hallmark Figurines
(Eastern Cottontail)