Vermont Small Mammal Atlas Records

This project expands the knowledge of the distribution and habitat requirements of 23 species of small terrestrial mammals (i.e., weighing less than 500g) that are native to Vermont. This dataset contains the Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) and Southern Red-backed Vole (Myodes gapperi) records. Data were obtained from small mammal surveys conducted at 47 sites between 2008 and 2010, salvage and processing of mammals taken as non-target specimens in herp surveys conducted in 1998, examination and cataloguing of the mammals in the Zadock Thomson Natural History Collection at the University of Vermont, examination of the holdings of several other museums, and a review of the literature including both published papers and unpublished reports. The small mammal surveys resulted in the capture of 2,844 small mammals representing 20 different species and 459 additional specimens were salvaged from the 1998 herp survey non- target mortality material. Of these 3300 small mammals captured during the 17,166 trap nights of survey work and those salvaged from the 1998 herp surveys, only 25 were of rare species. However, the total of 27new specimens of these five rare species provided documentation of 19 unknown populations and the persistence of two previously identified populations. Targeted surveys of talus slopes were successful in detecting populations of two species of highest conservation concern whereas targeted surveys of cedar swamps were not productive in detecting rare species. Distribution maps based on historical and current records were constructed for all species of small terrestrial mammals native to Vermont, except for the two species of Peromyscus.