An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
The mammal species found in Kentucky have changed since settlement. Roughly 80 species of mammals are associated with Kentucky, depending on whether historical records are considered. For instance, species such as the gray wolf, red wolf, fisher, mountain lion, and American bison no longer occur in Kentucky, but recent years have seen the arrival of new species such as the nine-banded armadillo. A few other species, like the common porcupine and American badger, occasionally are documented. In addition to these natural additions, our state has also seen three introduced species: the nutria, feral pig, and fallow deer.
There are mammal species like white-tailed deer, raccoon, opossum, and striped skunk that are doing quite well in Kentucky. However, many mammal populations are in decline. Thirty-one mammal species are identified as species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) in Kentucky’s Wildlife Action Plan. These include the federally endangered Indiana bat, gray bat, northern long-eared bat, and Virginia big-eared bat, and the little brown bat and tricolor bat, which will likely be listed as federally endangered soon. Several other mammal species are designated as “data deficient” SGCN, because we lack recent distributional data and basic life history information to make an informed assessment of their conservation status.
The variability in habitat types throughout Kentucky reflects our interesting diversity of mammals. The state’s numerous topographies, soils, and water sources stretch from the rugged mountains of southeastern Kentucky to the floodplains of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers in western Kentucky. Some mammals found in Kentucky are not common throughout the state but rather occur in specific habitats just at the edge of their range. For instance, Rafinesque’s big-eared bat, cotton mouse, and swamp rabbit reach their northern limits in or just north of Kentucky, while others are typical of western states (e.g., prairie vole and coyote). Some species are far more common in the northern states (e.g., meadow jumping mouse and cinereus shrew) or even the Appalachian Mountain range (e.g., Appalachian cottontail and rock shrew).
Like most animal groups, mammal populations face threats that limit species distribution and abundance. The greatest threats to mammal species include habitat-altering activities such as logging and even recreational activities (i.e., cave entry/vandalism at priority hibernacula and maternity sites for bats). Disease is also a recent issue of concern, primarily with White Nose Syndrome in bats and the potential for Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease). Habitat protection and management are essential to abate some of these threats. For most bat species, protection and proper management of critical hibernacula and maternity sites is crucial for species conservation and ongoing research/monitoring efforts. For many small mammal species, protection and management of rare habitat types (i.e., wetlands, talus slopes, and high-quality mesic forests) will be required for management in the future.
With Kentucky’s abundance of karst and cave habitats and diverse bat fauna, most of the mammal research and monitoring is bat-focused. KDFWR has conducted surveys for cave-dwelling bats since the 1980’s. These surveys occur on a biannual basis for Kentucky’s most important hibernacula, which contains large numbers of rare bat species. Other caves with smaller numbers of hibernating bats are typically surveyed less frequently. Standardized surveys allow for the comparison of bat populations over several years. Similarly, rare bat species that utilize caves and rock shelters for maternity sites are also surveyed (typically via emergence count) annually or biannually.
A statewide small mammal survey was conducted in the 1980s and ’90s, which informed much of what is known about small mammal ranges and distribution in Kentucky. A repeat survey with a focus on collecting data for presumably rare species and/or habitats is needed. Focused studies to determine trends in small mammal populations and gaps in life history information will be critical to expanding our knowledge of DD SGCN.
Spotted Skunk as seen on a Marsh in McCreary County. Photo Credit: James Kiser
Trail cameras and roadkill reports are two passive techniques that can potentially provide information on Kentucky’s mammals. With cameras readily available, sightings of species easily detected by trail cameras, like the Eastern spotted skunk, Allegheny woodrat, and American badger, can be obtained. Efforts are underway to establish and maintain a trail camera repository where citizen scientists, KDFWR staff, and partners can upload photos and metadata (site location, data, bait type, camera type, etc.) for images captured.
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