Small and Medium-Sized Mammal Inventory at Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve in 2007-2009 - Data Package

Everglades National Park (EVER), established in 1947, and Big Cypress National Preserve (BICY), established in 1974, are two large conservation areas managed by the National Park Service (NPS) in South Florida. Information on small and medium-sized mammals on these lands is essential for effective protection and management of these species, but prior to 2007, these lands had not been inventoried since the 1950s and little information was available about the mammal species that occurred there. Many factors, both natural and anthropogenic, threaten mammal species in EVER and BICY. Changes in hydrology and habitat as well as threats such as direct competition with and predation by invasive species (i.e., Burmese pythons, Python molurus bivittatus) may affect populations. To address this knowledge gap, an inventory of small and medium-sized mammals was conducted in Everglades National Park (EVER) and Big Cypress National Preserve (BICY) from 2007-2009.