The USGS Brown Tree Snake Project on Guam has begun a project to evaluate small mammal trapping techniques for use in monitoring mammal densities on Guam and in the neighboring Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana.
Andrew Wiewel is leading the project that will test the effectiveness of three bait types (Coconut, peanut butter and oatmeal, and coconut and peanut butter) and two different trap types (Haguruma wire cage and Sherman box traps). In addition to measuring small mammal densities, Andrew will be obtaining species inventory data that will be useful to park's continuing management efforts. This research is being conducted on one of the same sites that the USGS conducted brown tree snake density studies in 2000-2001.
Currently the project has trapped three species of small mammals in the Asan Unit of the park. These include house mice (Mus musculus), the black or roof rats (Rattus rattus), and the Asian house shrew (Suncus murinus), with the mice being most common. Work is on going in the Agat Unit of the park, where scientists are finding the same species. Work in Agat is expected to finish in early August at which time the USGS will decide whether to include a long term small mammal monitoring site within the park.
