ML080280502

Pennsylvania Game Commission State Wildlife Action Plan

ML080280502
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	01/23/2008
From:	State of PA, Game Commission
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
TAC MD3021, TAC MD3022
Download: ML080280502 (5)

Text

Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency: 10.4 WAP-Pri... Page 1 of 5 Pennsylvania's Wildlife Action Plan Search Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency It Advanced Search. Home Printable Version Wildlife Bird Wal

• Contact Us 10.4 WAP-Priority Mammals Endlangg

• Hunting Conserv

• Trapping & Furbearers Watchat Mammals make up the best-known group of species in  : Wildlife Falconry Pennsylvania. Some of our larger mammals have been studied 1 Mute sw

• Wildlife for more than 200 years. While much has ,been learned, much Waterfo,

• Education more remains to be understood. We do not know where many

• Licensing of our smaller mammal species occur or how their populations

• State Game Lands are faring in the face of habitat loss and ecosystem changes.

• Forms & Programs While some mammals are thriving, many are silently declining Home

• Laws & Regulations - and some species may have slipped away entirely. What Summai

• Reports/Minutes follows is a listing of mammals of greatest conservation Overviei

• About PGC concern in Pennsylvania. It includes the species' scientific Allocatic P-riority '.

name, status with the Pennsylvania Biological Survey, habitat .2001 Pri

• Employment preferences and reasons for concern. Entries are color-coded 2002 Pr

• News Releases based upon the Conservation Tier that they occupy. 2003 Pri Responsibility species are indicated with an 'R.'

• View as Text-Only

• Home IMMEDIATE CONCERN

iTable of Allegheny Woodrat - R Forward Neotoma magister Executiv Section Status/notes: PA Threatened Northeast Region priority Section species - warranting Federal prelisting consideration. Global Section rank G3G4. Section Section Habitat: Rocky outcrops and talus slopes Section Reason(s) for concern: Declining throughout its range; Section greater than five percent of world's breeding population is Section Section found in Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania has a uniquely, important I Section position in the biology of this species, holding both the Section diminishing northeastern range margin and a core of still Section Section healthy populations. Northeast Region Special Concern Section Species; habitat specialist. Section Game News Section Section Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel , Section Sciurus niger cinereus i Section Status/notes: PA Endangered; possibly extirpated from PA. Section Sub-species Global rank G3.

Section Habitat: Open, park-like woods in southeastern PA DdLj LIIIIIL, Reason(s) for concern: extremely limited distribution Eastern Small-footed Bat - R Myotis leibii Wat Status/notes: PA Threatened; habitat specialist. Northeast Region priority species - warranting Federal prelisting consideration. Global rank G3.

Habitat: Winter - caves and mines; Summer - forests, rock cliffs and talus http://www.pgc. state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=496&q= 164531 1/23/2008

Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency: 10.4 WAP-Pri... Page 2 of 5 Reason(s) for concern: unknown distribution and abundance. Pennsylvania has high responsibility, since the majority of occurrences and the largest populations-of this species arein Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, and West Virginia.

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Indiana Bat Myotis sodalis Status/notes: Federally Endangered; habitat specialist.

Global rank G2.

Habitat: Winter - cold caverns and mines; Summer - forests Reason(s) for concern: Species has experienced drastic declines nationwide due to loss and degradation of hibernation sites.

West Virginia Water Shrew (Southern Water Shrew)

Sorex palustrispunctulatus Status/notes: PA Threatened; habitat specialist. Sub-species Global rank G3. Northeast Region priority species - warranting Federal prelisting consideration Habitat: mixed decid/coniferous forested banks of cold, clear streams, springs, bogs Reason(s) for concern: Unknown distribution and abundance; rely on high-quality upland streams HIGH LEVEL CONCERN Appalachian Cottontail - R Sylvilagus obscurus Status/notes: At-risk; habitat specialist. Global rank G4.

Habitat: brushy forest clearings; tornado blow-downs; high elevation scrub/shrub woodlands Reason(s) for concern: Extremely limited distribution in PA; occupies temporary habitats; greater than five percent of world's breeding population is found in Pennsylvania; Regional Special Concern Species Eastern Spotted Skunk Spilogale putorius Status/notes: At-risk; may be extirpated from PA. Global rank G5.

Habitat: open, rocky woodlands in south-central PA Reason(s) for concern: Extremely limited (2-county) distribution in PA; species has not been recorded in PA since the 1960's and may no longer occur in the Commonwealth Least Shrew Cryptotis parva Status/notes: PA Endangered; habitat specialist. Northeast priority species. Global rank G5. State rank 51.

Habitat: Grasslands, old fields, meadows, abandoned pasturelands Reason(s) for concern: Never common in PA; species now in decline throughout the northern periphery of its range due to loss and degradation of habitat; PA range now limited to one or two counties.

Northern Flying Squirrel http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=496&q= 164531 1/23/2008

Pennsylvania Game Commission -.State Wildlife Management Agency: 10.4 WAP-Pri... Page 3 of 5 Glaucomys sabrinus Status/notes: Proposed state endangered; habitat specialist.

Global rank G5.

Habitat: Large tracts of mature conifer forest.

Reason(s) for concern: Limited distribution; small population in apparent decline; possible competition with southern flying squirrel Silver-haired Bat Lasionycteris noctivagans Status/notes: Rare; habitat specialist. Northeast Region priority species. Global rank G5, SUB.

Habitat: Winter - migrates from PA; Summer - mature conifer/mixed forests Reason(s) for concern: vulnerable to habitat alteration Southeastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger vulpinus Status/notes: Global rank G5. State rank SU.

Habitat: open, park-like woods with sparse ground cover Reason(s) for concern: May be extirpated. Likely competition with S.n.rufiventer. Genetics unclear.

RESPONSIBILITY CONCERN Northern Long-eared Bat Myotis septentrionalis Status/notes: Habitat specialist. Global rank G4. State rank S3.

Habitat: Winter - caves and mines; Summer - mature deciduous forests Reason(s) for concern: vulnerable to habitat alteration; status unclear - not adequately surveyed PENNSYLVANIA VULNERABLE Rock Vole Microtus chrotorrhinus Status/notes: At-risk. Global rank G4.

Habitat: cool, damp rocky woodlands with lush forb cover; talus slopes along streams Reason(s) for concern: limited distribution in PA MAINTENANCE CONCERN Eastern Red Bat Lasiurus borealis Status/notes: Habitat specialist. Northeast Region priority species.

Habitat: Winter - migrates from PA; Summer -forests, forest edges Reason(s) for concern: Northeast Region priority species; PA common Fisher Martes pennanti Status/notes: Recently reintroduced (formerly extirpated from PA). Global rank G5.

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a:=496&q= 164531 1/23/2608

Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency: 10.4 WAP-Pri... Page 4 of 5 Habitat: Large tracts of mature forest Reason(s) for concern: Reintroduced population is still establishing itself in PA Hoary Bat Lasiurus cinereus Status/notes: Habitat specialist Habitat: Winter - migrates from PA; Summer -forests Reason(s) for concern: Northeast Region priority species; PA common Least Weasel Mustela nivalis Status/notes: Global rank G5. State rank S3.

Habitat: forests, mixed grasslands, fencerows, riparian areas.

Reason(s) for concern: Rare throughout it's range.

Northern Water Shrew Sorex palustris albibarbis Status/notes: Rare; habitat specialist. Global rank G5T5.

Habitat: springs, fast-moving streams with quiet pools in deciduous forest Reason(s) for concern: Limited distribution; rely on high-quality upland streams River Otter Lontra canadensis Status/notes: Recently reintroduced (formerly extirpated in PA). Global rank G5.

Habitat: high quality rivers and streams Reason(s) for concern: Population continuing to reestablish itself Rock Shrew Sorex dispar Status/notes: Global rank G4, State rank S3. PA lies in the core of the species' range.

Habitat: Mountainous, forested areas (deciduous or evergreen) with loose talus. Rocky damp areas with deep crevices covered by leaf mold and roots are preferred. May occur along small mountain streams.

Reason(s) for Concern: There is currently no information on population trends although it is suspected that this species is relatively stable Snowshoe Hare Lepus americanus Status/notes: At-risk; PA is near southern edge of range Habitat: brushy thickets of northern forests; upland swamps and bogs Reason(s) for concern: Requires thick brushy cover for habitat; vulnerable to habitat alteration and deer over-browsing of shrub layer. Pennsylvania populations may be important in maintaining north/south gene flow.

Southern Bog Lemming Synaptomys cooperi Status/notes: Occurs in scattered pockets across PA.

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view. asp?a=496&q= 164531 1/23/2008

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Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency: 10.4 WAP-Pri... Page 5 of 5 Habitat: Prefers boggy habitat but also common in marshes, wet meadows, and upland forests with thick humus layer (especially when conditions not hot and dry); areas with intermixture of herbaceous/shrubby vegetation.

Reason(s) for concern:

Table 10.1: Ranking Factors for WAP-Priority Mammals Content Last Modified on 3/29/2007 2:14:37 PM Search Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Manaqemenf Agency Home Printable Version Unsubscribe from eAlerts I Related Links I Privacy Statement I Contact Us I Pennsylvania State Website Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 'Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110-9797 http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=496&q= 164531 1/23/2008