WIU Graduate Theses Collection

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Browsing WIU Graduate Theses Collection by Author "Calhoun, Stephen Ray"

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    The Wild Mammals of Kendall County, Illinois
    (Western Illinois University, 1971-05) Calhoun, Stephen Ray
    The wild mammals of Kendall County were studied during the period June 10, 1968 through December 31, 1969. The highly agricultural area is largely a portion of the prairie biome and is located in the northeastern one-quarter of Illinois. The wild mammals were differentiated into trappable and nontrappable species, based on whether or not adults of a species regularly could be taken with Museum Special Traps. Besides the use of Museum Special Traps, sightings, signs, questionnaires, interviews and shooting were procedures used to obtain information. Information was obtained for about 1,900 individual wild mammals of Kendall County, Illinois. Of this number, 800 individuals were obtained in 5,555 trapnights. The remaining specimens were obtained by other means. A total of 30 species of mammals were recorded as definite residents, eight were considered as probable county residents, and five were considered as possible residents. The eight species considered as probable county residents were Myotis lucifugus, Myotis keenii, Lasionycteris noctivagans, Taxidea taxus, Canis latrans, Glaucomys volans, Syagtomys cooperi, and Microtus pinetorum and the five species considered as possible residents were Cryptotis parva, Pipistrellus subflavus, Nycticeius humeral is, 'Lynx rufus, and Reithrodontomys megalotis. Significant results include the recording of four uncommon species and the successful re-establishment of two species into their ancestral range. The four uncommon species were Sorex cinereus, Nycteris cinereus, Mustela nivalis, and Zapus hudsonius. The two species which had successfully re-established their ancestral range were Castor canadensis and Dama virginiana.