Subject: Shrew, jumping mouse, and other mammal maps
Date: Jun 21 21:48:22 2004
From: Kelly Cassidy - lostriver at completebbs.com


re: shrew questionThe link to the mammal maps (the Gap maps) on the Burke Museum web site is out of date. The maps are on the WDFW web site at:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/gap/mammals.htm

Unfortunately, the WDFW has listed the mammals in alphabetical order by common name.

Re: Shrews. Most shrew are difficult to distinguish. Some require a cleaned skull.

The montane shrew, Sorex monticolus, is also called the Dusky Shrew. Possible lowland shrews in Skagit County are:

Bendire's Shrew (S. bendirii)
Montane Shrew (S. monticolus)
Trowbridge's Shrew (S. trowbridgii)
Vagrant Shrew (S. vagrans; probably the most likely in a yard)

S. cinereus (the Masked Shrew) is more of montane species.

Re: Kangaroo Rats - Highly unlikely on the west side. At the time the Gap map was made, the only records were from sandy areas in Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla County. They are moving north and have since been found in sandy areas in Grant County, I think. I agree that your jumping rodent was likely a Pacific Jumping Mouse. (Zapus trinotatus)

Kelly Cassidy
Pullman

An on-line source of Washington mammal information is available through the Burke Museum:

http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/mammalogy/mamwash/mamwash.html

Kevin Li
Ballard, USA
kdli at msn.com
http://www.wa.gov/wdfw/wildwatch/martincam/index.html
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