Hi Kids,
This week we are repeating the mark and recapture studies
for small mammals in another part of the forest to confirm the low numbers we
have been seeing. We are laying the traps down in an area where traditionally
the scientists have found woodland jumping mice. These are strange little mice
with a long tails that have a brush at the end. They mark their territory by
spreading urine around using their tails. Some of the scientists have had
unfortunate accidents with these rodents and have been sprayed by urine when
handling them. I trust this will not happen to me.
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| Woodland Jumping Mouse (From wikimedia.org) |
We have also been monitoring the large mammals with
camera traps and looking for field signs on transects. A transects is a path along
which one counts and records signs of animals. Scientists can estimate the
number of living things in an area based on the data from the transects, but I
believe we are only looking for evidence for the presence of different animals.
I'm eager to see what the camera traps take pictures off. I hope that we placed
them in places where animals are likely to wander in front of them.
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| Snowshoe hare footprints |
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| Probably bobcat scat |
We have seen plenty of evidence of animals, but just
haven't seen the real thing yet. Yesterday, we went on a long walk looking for
porcupines in the Kejimkujik National Park. We saw the poop, but no porcupines
yet again. Alas! The scientists are actually really worried that the porcupine
population numbers are dropping very quickly and people are not going to react until it is too late.
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| Porcupine, where are you hiding? (from museum.gov.ns.ca) |
Regards,
Mrs. Reginald
Extra credit question:
Both camera traps (that just take pictures of the animals) and the
little metal traps each have their own benefits. Can you think of why, in some
situations, camera traps would be better (for example which kinds of animals
are they more suited for)? Can you think of why sometimes the metal traps (that
actually catch the animals) are sometimes better?
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