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gathered will be presented in the Wildlife Baseline Report. Information for small game harvests
from the WGFD Small and Upland Game Annual Harvest Reports will also be presented.
Bats. Several bat species are known to occur in the Black Hills of Wyoming and South Dakota.
Many of these species use snags, live pines, and old mine adits, or natural caves/crevices for
day roosts or maternity and winter hibernacula sites. Important bat habitat has been identified
within the survey area and mitigation measures (e.g., installation of bat gates) have been
implemented by the Forest Service.
In addition, searches for existing mine adits and natural caves that could potentially host
wintering or breeding bat species were conducted in conjunction with all other ground surveys
while traveling throughout the survey area during the baseline period. Habitats (e.g., creeks,
ponds, and fields and corridors adjacent to wooded edges) and structures (e.g., old mine adits
and pine snags) with potential for bat use were surveyed, using automated bat signal
identification devices on two consecutive nights in August 2012 by authorized personnel
permitted with the Forest Service. All Forest Service policies related to bat conservation and
protection along with standard precautions to prevent undue disturbance to hibernating or
breeding/nursing bats were and will be followed during the entire baseline period. Surveys will
determine whether bat species are present/absent and their relative abundance, but will not
further determine the extent of use by direct observation (e.g., entering caves or adits or mist
netting). Some of the species detected to date include the big brown bat (
Eptesicus fuscus
),
little brown bat (
Myotis lucifugus
), eastern red bat (
Lasiurus borealis
), hoary bat (
Lasiurus
cinereus
), western small-footed myotis (
Myotis ciliolabrum
), fringed myotis (
Myotis thysanodes
),
long-eared myotis (
Myotis evotis
), silver-haired bat (
Lasionycteris noctivagans
), northern long-
eared myotis (
Myotis septentrionalis
), and long-legged myotis (
Myotis volans
). The Townsend’s
big-eared bat (
Corynorhinus townsendii
) has also been documented in the general region during
other studies. The Wildlife Baseline Report will include a discussion of bat use in the area,
including a topographic map depicting all potential bat sites.
Small Mammals. Small mammal species that have been historically documented within the
wildlife survey area include the water shrew (
Sorex alaskanus
), least chipmunk (
Tamias
minimus
), and red squirrel (
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
). The red squirrel is also a small game
species.
Small mammal presence/absence surveys were conducted within all major wildlife habitats
mapped in the survey area using a combination of live, snap, and pitfall traps (2-gallon open
buckets buried even to ground level) during summer 2012. In addition, three sampling plots
established in pine habitat consisting of live traps placed on trees approximately 50 meters
apart were included to specifically target northern flying squirrels (
Glaucomys sabrinus
).
Northern flying squirrels are managed as small game and are classified as a priority species by
the WGFD. All small mammals captured were identified to species, habitat type, age, condition,
and sex. All incidental sightings of small mammals were and will continue to be recorded and
presented in the Wildlife Baseline Report. Some of the species detected to date include the
least chipmunk, thirteen-lined ground squirrel (
Ictidomys tridecemlineatus
), red squirrel, deer
mouse (
Peromyscus maniculatus
), southern red-backed vole (
Clethrionomys gapperi
), meadow
vole (
Microtus pennsylvanicus
), meadow jumping mouse (
Zapus hudsonius
), and unknown
shrew species (yet to be determined with lab analysis). No northern flying squirrels have been
captured or detected within the survey area to date. The species list and descriptions provided
in the Wildlife Baseline Report will include notations for species of concern observed within the
survey area.
