Reports and Studies 2014 Review: 1975 Environment of Kiawah Report

Summary & Analysis of the 1975 Kiawah Environmental Report Page 14 List of Mammals Sorted by Abundance (1975)* Mammal Mammal Gray squirrel Very abundant Mexican freetail bat Common Cotton mouse Very abundant Eastern cottontail Common Hispid cotton rat Very abundant Marsh rabbit Common Eastern mole Abundant Eastern woodrat Common Raccoon Abundant Southern flying squirrel Probably common Feral hog* Abundant Bobcat Fairly common White-tailed deer Abundant Fox squirrel Uncommon Virginia opossum Very common Gray fox Uncommon Least shrew Very common Mink Uncommon House mouse Very common River otter Uncommon Shorttailed shrew Common Rice rat n/a Red bat Abundance Abundance Common * Two mammals (longtailed weasel and pine vol) were likely on Kiawah but there were no confirmed sightings. Other mammals that were possible: Long-nosed shrew, star-nosed mole, Norway rat, Eastern harvest mouse, golden mouse, and black rat. There no feral hogs presently on the island. Information on Kiawah Mammals from Other Sources An excellent source of information on mammals on Kiawah Island is on the Town website: www.wildlifeatkiawah.com/mammals.html. There you will find information on Bobcat White-tailed deer Gray & red fox Dolphins Opossum Raccoon River otter Mink Coyote Gray squirrel Eastern cottontail rabbit Southern flying squirrel Bobcats In August 2008, the Town of Kiawah Island issued a document on Bobcat Conservation on Kiawah Island. The following is the introduction to that document: "Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are the top mammalian predator on Kiawah Island and are primarily responsible for the population regulation of many species on Kiawah, including white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Based on scent station surveys initiated in 1997, the bobcat population on Kiawah Island has remained stable over the last 11 years with population estimates ranging from 26-35 animals. This population likely consists of 8-10 adult females, 4-5 adult males, with the remainder being juveniles of both sexes. Bobcats serve as an ideal “umbrella species” for Kiawah Island. An umbrella species is a species that typically requires large amounts of habitat and the conservation of this species in turn benefits other species that utilize the same habitat areas. So, if bobcats have enough habitat and resources to survive on Kiawah, then most other island wildlife species will have the necessary space and resources as well. Over the past decade, 3 separate multi-year studies have focused on gaining a better understanding of bobcats and their habitat, as well as their resource requirements on Kiawah Island. Research is ongoing, and we continue Revised: May 2014_REV 8 • Mammals on Kiawah www.wildlifeatkiawah.com/ mammals.html

Reports and Studies 2014 Review: 1975 Environment of Kiawah Report | Page 14