1999/2000 . Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science 108/109 .122-14 4
MAMMALS OF THE GRAND CALUMET RIVER. REGION
John O. Whitaker, Jr. : Department of Life Sciences, Indiana State University . Terre Haute, Indiana 4780 9
ABS T RACT . At least 37 of the 57 species of mammals occurring in Indiana are found in the Calume t region. These include species as follows : the opossum, 3 shrews, I mole, 4 hats, I rabbit, 7 squirrels, th e heaver, 10 mice, 9 carnivores and the white-tailed deer. Keywords: Manunals, Indiana, Calumet, distributio n
The objectives of this paper are to describ e pation when humans populate the land be - the pre-settlement and present-day mamma l cause they are more feared (bear, wolf, moun- communities of the Grand Calumet River ba- tain lion) than smaller animals, or they ar e sin and to discuss how dredging operation s hunted and trapped (deer, elk, bison, hsher, may affect these communities . A further ob- heaver) more than smaller mammals . Also , jective is to present some restoration option s they usually need larger tracts of undisturbe d that might be implemented during the dredg- habitat . Smaller mammals live alongside hu- ing operations to enhance the mammal popu- mans more easily because they are not hunte d lations of the area . and they can use smaller patches of habitat . The extirpated species are discussed below . PRE-SETTLEMENT/EARLY SETTLEMENT MAMMAL COMMUNIT Y EXTIRPATED SPECIE S Pre-settlement records of mammals o f American porcupine (Erethizon dorsa- northwest Indiana airs scant and consist main- tam) . The American porcupine was clearl y ly of diary records .of explorers such as Mar- present in pre-settlement times ; skeletal re- quette and LaSalle, and of trading-post fur re - mains were found by Rand Rand (1951) . cords . Records from the I600s mentioned the The last known specimen was from 1918 . Virginia opossum (I)idelphis virginiana), the Gray wolf (Canis iupns) . ( here are sev - American beaver (Castor ca iadensis) and th e eral reports of timber wolves from Indiana , bison (Bust bison) . "Panther" (mountain lio n but there is some question as to whether they or possibly bobcats) were reported in the were wolves or coyotes . The last report of a 1830s . White-tailed deer were plentiful unti l timber wolf in the state was in 1908 (Mum - the 1870s, but they and beavers were extir- ford Whitaker 1982) . pated from the state by the turn of the centur y Black bear (Ltrsns americanas) . ---There (Mumford Whitaker 1982) . Deer reintro- are records of black hears in the area in th e ductions began in the 1930s . There were a n pre-settlement records, and Rand Ran d estimated 900 deer in Indiana by 1943, 500 0 (19.51) found skeletal remains of black bear . by 1951 ; and there were probably deer in ev- The last report of a bear living in Indiana was ery county by 1966 . Both deer and heave r in 1850. The last time a bear was seen in th e were still scarce in the 1960s but have becom e Calumet region was in 1871, but that individ- abundant in the last two decades in northwes t ual was apparently a stray driven south from Indiana and elsewhere . Wolves (possibly coy- Michigan by a great .fire (Brennan 1923) . otes) were reported as late as 1914 (Lyo n Fisher (Mantes pennanti) .----Rand Ran d 1923), and black bears (Ursus americana ) (1951) found fisher remains in the region, in- were present until about 1870 . dicating that they were clearly present . The A total of about 10 species of large mam- last report of a fisher in Indiana was in 185 9 mals that were here prior to European settle- (Mumford Whitaker 1982) . ment are no longer present (Table 1) . Larg e River otter (Lutra canadensis) . The las t mammals are generally most subject to extir - record of the river otter in northwest Indian a
122
WHITAKI?R MAMMALS` OF THI GRAND CALUMET 12 3
Table I . Mammals taken by Mieriwa et al . (1991) in traps in the Grand Calumet River Basin . Area I = Dupont ; 2 = Clark and Pine ; 3 = Ivanhoe ; 4 = Big Marsh/Indiana Ridge ; 5 = Burnham Prairie / Powderhorn Prairie, 6 = Eggers Woods . A trap-night is one trap set for one night .
Gray area Lake Calumet are a 2 3 4 5 6 Tota l Trap-nights 1388 1444 1426 1310 1352 1265 818 5 Virginia opossum 0 0 0 0 0 1 Masked shrew 0 0 0 20 II 35 Short-tailed shrew 4 1 0 0 4 0 9 Gray squirrel 7 0 2 0 2 12 23 Franklin s ground squirrel i 0 0 I 0 0 2 White-footed mouse 12 35 4 2 6 8 67 Prairie deermouse 6 0 23 0 0 30 Meadow vole I 3 0 8 13 0 25 House mouse 0 0 0 I 0 0 Norway rat 0 0 0 1 0 0 Totals 31 40 6 40 45 32
is from 1900 . Otte rs were reintroduced into species possibly present now that was absen t Indiana at several localities between 199 .5 an d in pre-settlement times is the western harves t 1999 ; they could be reintroduced or mak e mouse, Reithrodonlumvs mega/oils. It moved their own way into the Calumet region . across Illinois between 1953—1969 and into Mountain lion (Felix concolor) .—Panther s Newton County, Indiana around 1969, where were reported in the I660s, and the last moun- it was first found at Willow Slough Fish an d tain lion recorded Iron) Indiana was seen i n Wildlife Area (Whitaker Si Sly 1970) . B y 1830 . There is some question as to whether i t 1974 (Ford 1977), this species occurred in a t was identified correctly . least seven counties, but it had not crossed th e Canada lynx (Fells lynx) . The last Can - Kankakee River. If it is not already in the vi- ada lynx in the region was reportedly kille d cinity of the Grand Calumet River, the harves t by Hunter Green in 1873 at Tremont, althoug h mouse will likely make its way across th e the identification of this species in Indiana ha s Kankakee to the Grand Calumet area relative- been questioned . The last record in the stat e ly soon . is from 1880 . MAMMALS CURRENTLY PRESENT O R Bobcat (Fells ruins) . The bobcat is rare in Indiana, but there have been 42 confirme d LIKELY TO BE PRESEN T reports in the state since 1970 . it is possibl e Much information is available on mammal s that this species still occurs at the Indian a of Indiana (Mumford Whitaker 1982), Illi- Dunes National Lakeshore (INDU), but th e nois (Hoffineister 1989) and INDU (Whitake r last record there was in 1888 . et al. 1994) ; hut little is available specificall y Bison (Bison bison) . The bison was pre - on mammals of the Grand Calumet River ba- sent in northwest Indiana until well into th e sin . Three papers present data from areas ac- 19th century . The last record was in 1850 . tually within the Grand Calumet River basin : American elk (Cervus canadensis) .— Whitman et al . 1990), Mieriwa et al . (1991) , Rand Rand (1951) found skeletal materia l and Whitaker et al . (1994) . of elk at INDU . Whitman et al . (1990) found 16 species o f All but two of the species of mammals no w mammals at Miller Woods : opossum, short - present were probably present in pre-settle- tailed shrew, masked shrew, eastern mole, cot- ment times . The exceptions are the old worl d tontail, white-footed mouse, prairie dee r rats and mice : the housemouse, Mus muscu - mouse, meadow vole . muskrat, fox squirrel , /tts, and the Norway rat, Ratios nc~rvegicus. gray squirrel, thirteen-lined ground squirrel , They are exotics that arrived in North Amer- red squirrel, raccoon, long-tailed weasel an d ica on ships with the early settlers . Another white-tailed deer.
124 PROCEEDINGS OR TILE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENC E
Indiana Dune s Indiana Dune s National Lakeshore State Par k 0 Beverly Shores Central Beac h Chellberg Farm Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad 0 Clark arid Pine area 0 Cline Avenu e Cowles Bog 0 Dunes Acres DuPont area Furnessvill e ei Mt Baldy Grand Calumet Rive r e Ogden Dunes Heron Rookery Pinhook Bog Ivanhoe area Porter Beac h Kemil Beach Port of Indian a Kemil Road Roxanna Mars h Lake Calumet Salt Creek Little Calumet Rive r Town of Pine s Long Lake ®° Trail Creek Miller Statio n Tremont Miller Woods Waverly Road Mineral Springs Roa d West Beach
Figure I . —The Grand Calumet River area that parallels the shore oh (Lake Michigan . Sites mentioned in the text are indicated by the numhers .
Mierzwa et al . (1991) studied mammals a t vole, muskrat, Norway rat, house mouse,. red I5 sites in live different study areas in north - fox, raccoon, long-tailed weasel, mink and eastern Illinois and northwest Indiana as pos- striped skunk . He did not personally observ e sible sites at. which to establish an airport . specimens of eastern mole, muskrat, Norwa y Two of the areas were in the Grand Calumet rat, raccoon (a few were taken for fur eac h River area : one in Gary, the other near Lake year) or long-tailed weasel . He apparently fel t Calumet . However, they reported only 10 spe- these records were reliable . That he personall y cies of mammals in these two areas (Table I) : saw no raccoons would indicate that this spe- Virginia opossum, masked and short-taile d cies must have been uncommon at that time. shrews, gray and Franklin's ground squirrels , He reported that white-tailed deer, althoug h deer and white-footed mice, meadow vole , extirpated for many years, had been fairly nu- house mouse and Norway rat . merous around 1875 . Lyon reported that the Whitaker et al . (1994) included informatio n white-footed mouse was the most abundan t on Miller Woods, but otherwise they did no t mammal at INDU, and it was especially abun- study areas within the Grand Calumet Rive r dant in wooded dunes, swamps and marshes . basin; however, the habitats, and therefore th e From foredunes he reported prairie deer mice mammals, of the Grand Calumet River basi n and a few house mice . From interdunal mead- are similar to those of 1NDU . Therefore, in - ows, he reported white-footed mouse, prairie formation from that work and from other pa- deer mouse, prairie vole, pine vole and short- pers on the Indiana Dunes was used exten- tailed shrew. Lyon did not take the masked sively in this work . shrew, the meadow vole or the meadow jump- The first significant publication on th e ing mouse. In addition to the 22 species tha t mammals of the Indiana Dunes was by Lyo n he observed, Lyon (1923) listed nine specie s (1923) . Lyon reported 22 species: opossum , as "almost certain to be found" : little brow n short-tailed shrew, eastern mole, eastern red myotis, northern myotis (Keen's myotis unti l bat, eastern cottontail, eastern chipmunk , recently), big brown bat, silver-haired hat , woodchuck, thirteen-lined ground squirrel , hoary hat, meadow vole, meadow jumping fox squirrel, red squirrel, prairie deer mouse , mouse, southern flying squirrel and gra y white-footed mouse, prairie vole, woodland squirrel . He listed six species as probably oc-
WIIITAKER -MAMMALS OF THE GRAND CALUMET 125
Figure I . .Continued .
curling: star-nosed mole, least shrew, masked eastern mole (exceedingly common as indi- shrew, southern bog lemming, American bad- cated by burrows), woodchuck (thousand s ger and coyote . Lyon listed I 1 species as "no t present), red squirrel, gray squirrel, badger, now extant but whose remains may possibl y and fox squirrel . be round ." as "extinct," or as "probably ex- Lyon (1936) reported the least shrew, tinct," : timber wolf (Canis lupus), fisher masked shrew, silver-haired hat, Franklin s (Manes pennanti), black bear (Ursus anreri - ground squirrel, meadow vole, meadow jump- ( anus), river otter (Lutra canaden,sis), moun- ing mouse and badger from the Lakeshore . tain lion (Fells ronrolor), Canada lynx (Fe/is Rand Rand (1951) reported skeletal re- ls-rrx), bobcat (Fe/is rufus), porcupine (Ereth- mains of 32 species of mammals in blowout s inon dorsatum), snowshoe hare (Le pus arrre r- in Indiana Dunes State Park, including 26 spe- iccnrus), bison (Bison bison), and elk (Cert us cies still present : opossum, masked shrew , canaderrsi .$). We have listed evidenced extir- northern short-tailed shrew, eastern mole, sil- pated species of the Grand Calumet basin ex- ver—haired bat, big brown bat, eastern red hat, cept Ior the snowshoe hare, for which pres- eastern cottontail rabbit, eastern chipmunk , ence we find no evidence . woodchuck, thirteen-lined ground squirrel , Brennan (192 .3) relates early reports of bi- Franklin s ground squirrel, fox squirrel, red son, black bean mountain lion, Canada lynx, squirrel, southern flying squirrel, white-footed bobcat, whits-tailed deer (the last one sho t and prairie deer mouse, meadow vole, musk - was in the early 1870s), elk, coyotes (Brennan rat, southern bog lemming, Norway rat, house cited many reports of timber wolves, and stat- mouse, raccoon, least weasel, long-tailed wea- ed that there were a few left between Dune s sel, mink and striped skunk . They also re - Park and Michigan City until 1919 . It is sus- ported six extirpated species : black hear, fish- pected by Whitaker et al . (1994) that all or er, beaver, porcupine, elk and white-tailed many of these were actually coyotes .), por- deer. New species recorded by Rand . Rand cupine, river otter, and heaver. Brennan re- were big brown bat, southern flying squirrel, ported several mammals as still present as of southern bog lemming and least weasel, so th e 1923: opossum, red fox (near the Furnessvill e new total species number from the area wa s Blowout), gray fox, raccoon, mink (in stream s 34. and marshes), eastern skunk, muskrat (thou - A Texas Instruments team studied th e sands in the marshes), cottontail (common), Cowles Bog area from 1975 to 1980, and they
126 PROCEEDINGS OE THE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENC E
collected or observed 25 species of mammals . DIDELPHIDA E Some of their more interesting records includ e (opossums ) the little brown bat, woodland vole, and least Virginia opossum, Uidelphis virginiana weasel . Surprisingly, they failed to captur e Kerr . The opossum is common in the Lake - any prai rie deer mice, meadow voles, or prai- shore area, and likewise it is surely commo n rie voles . Species reported for the first tim e throughout the Grand Calumet River region . from the area by Texas Instruments were th e It was found in 10 of the 24 habitats sample d little brown bat and the white-taiiled deer , at INDU, and 93 were recorded as roadkill s making a total of 36 species known from th e (Whitaker et al . 1994) . Texas Instruments, Inc . area. found this species in all six of the terrestria l Krekeler (1981) stated that the gray squirre l habitats they sampled, and Whitman et al . had been extirpated at one time but is no w (1990) commonly found it at Miller Woods. common in certain areas . He also indicated Mierzwa et . al . (1991) recorded one in Egger s that the beaver had been extirpated but rein- Woods near Wolf Lake . troduced, and it had caused high water prob- lems at Dune Acres . His was the first definite INSECTIVORA recent record of the beaver at the Lakeshore . (shrews and moles) Krekeler states that skunks forage on th e The Insectivore consists of the moles an d beach and that tracks of the white-tailed (lee r shrews, six species of which conceivabl y are now regularly seen at the Lakeshore . could occur in the Grand Calunnet River area : These additional species bring the total num- four species of shrews and two of moles . The ber of species recorded at the Lakeshore to 37 . presence of only three species of shrew s Whitaker et al . (1994) reported opossum , (masked, short-tailed and least) and one mol e two species of shrews (masked and northern (eastern) have been confirmed there . short-tailed), eastern mole, three bats (red, sil- Northern short-tailed shrew, Marina ver-haired and big brown), eastern cottontail , brevicauda. The short-tailed shrew is one o f seven squirrels (chipmunk, woodchuck, thir- the most common mammals in northwest In- teen-lined ground squirrel, and fox, gray, re d diana, and it is common in the Grand Calume t and southern flying squirrels), beaver, eigh t River basin (Mum)ford Whitaker 1982 ; mice and rats (white-footed mouse and prairi e Krekeler 1981 ; Texas Instruments 197580 ; deer mouse, Norway rat, house mouse, prairie , Whitman et al . 1990; Whitaker et al . 1994) . woodland and meadow voles and meado w Whitaker et al . (1994) took short-tailed shrew s jumping mouse), ten species of carnivore s in 17 of the 24 habitats studied . They were (coyote, red and gray foxes, raccoon, long - most abundant in upland terrestrial shrubland , tailed and least weasels, mink, American bad- wet prairie, old field, ephemeral lowland for- ger. striped skunk and feral cat) and white- est and mixed deciduous savanna . Mierzwa et tailed deer . Gray fox brought to 38 the numbe r al. (1991) trapped nine short-tailed shrews : of species known to the Lakeshore . four at the DuPont area, four at the Burnha m The diverse habitats of the Lakeshore thu s Prairie/Powderhorn Prairie area, and one a t create a home for approximately 38 of the 5 7 the Clark and Pine area . species of mammals presently known to occu r Least shrew, Cryptotis parva (Say) . Th e in Indiana . Franklin s ground squirrel wa s least shrew is a small, brownish short-taile d probably present at the Lakeshore through th e shrew, much smaller than Marina. Its tota l 1940s, but then it apparently disappeared . length is only about 63—88 mm ; its tail is onl y However, it was recorded in the Grand Calu- 11—20 mm . It usually is found in fairly dr y met River basin by Nllierzwa et al . (1991) . Fe- open fields . It occurs throughout Indiana, but ral dogs and cats are present, and they ma y it is not taken often . There are few records i n partially fill the predator niche . Signs of bob - the northern part of the state . Lyon trapped a cat (state endangered) have been reported i n least shrew in "subdunal woods" on 31 Oc- the Heron Rookery area of the Lakeshore, bu t tober 1924 . It was apparently from "Tremont, their presence has not been verified . as Sanborn (1925) reported drat Lyon too k Species of mammals suspected to currentl y one there in the fall of 1924 . The specimen reside in the Grand Calumet River basin are was deposited in the U .S. National Museu m discussed below and are indicated in Table 2 . (#240630) . Whitaker et al . (1994) did not take
WtitIAKFR MAMMAI .S OF '1'HF: GRAND CAI t VFI 127
it at INDU, but it most likely lives sparingl y tremely reduced, thus only three unicuspid s in dry fields in the Calumet River area. are readily visible from the side) . Masked shrew, Sorex cinereus Kerr . The masked shrew is common in several hab- TALPIDA E itats at INDU and in the Grand Calumet River (moles ) area, especially in vet areas . Mierzwa et al . Eastern mole, Scalopaus aquaticus (Lin - (1991) captured 35 individuals in their Lak e naeus) . The eastern mole is common at Calumet study area : lour in the Big Marsh/ INDU (Krekeler 1981 ; Whitman et al . 1990: Indiana Ridge area, 20 in the Burnham Prai- Whitaker et al . 1994) and in the Grand Cal- rie/Powdcrhorn Prairie area, and I I at Egger s umet River region . Whitaker et al . (1994 ) Woods . Mumford Whitaker (1982) found found burrows of the eastern mole in 10 of. 24 masked shrews in several habitats east of th e habitats examined at INDU . This species wa s Bailey Generating Station, and 124 of 17 8 most abundant in pine plantations, oak savan- mammals (69 .7%) taken at Cowles and Pin - na, excavated sand, and mixed deciduous for- hook Bogs and at Trail Creek Fen were est . The author saw a number of its burrow s masked shrews . Whitman et at . (1990) rc in the sand on 20 July 1996 at the DuPont an d ported masked shrew s from Miller Woods . Clark and Pine areas in the Grand Calume t Whitaker et ad . (1994) took only 35 durin g River basin . The eastern mole is common i n their study of mammals at INDU . This in- many of the drier habitats at the Lakeshore . cluded individuals from eight habitats, al - Star-nosed mole, Condylura cristata (Lin- though they were most abundant in wet prairi e naeus) . The star-nosed mole lives in muck - (1 .83 per 100 trap-nights) and marsh (I .17 per land habitats . This habitat makes its burrow s 100 trap-nights) . Shrew populations were ap- quite evident ; burrows of eastern moles ar e parently low at the time of this study . Th e usually in drier areas . The star-nosed mole has masked shrew liver, in areas where the soi l been documented only in the northeast portio n retains moisture sufficient to maintain burrow s of the state, and its range has apparently con- 100% saturated . Because of this moisture re- tracted in the 20" century . This species ha s quirement, the species often lives in dense never been taken at INDU . However, on 2 8 vegetation or in mossy areas . October 1982, Whitaker trapped one at Trai l Pygmy shrew, Sorex (Microsorex) hoy i Creek Fen, a site east of INDU . This recor d Baird . The pygmy shrew has long been pre- suggests its presence at INDU . Muckland hab- sumed rare, but pitfall trapping has show n itats suitable for star-nose moles are abundan t otherwise . The pygmy shrew could inhabit th e in the Grand Calumet River basin, and it ma y Calumet River basin. but it has not been foun d occur there. at INDU or elsewhere in northern Indiana . I t does not occur in the southern portion of th e CHIROPTER A lower peninsula of Michigan either (Bake r (hats ) 1983) . There are records from Wisconsin, in- Twelve species of hats are found (or wer e cluding_ one at the extreme southeast corner, f(und--two are probably extirpated) in Indi- or less than 80 miles (128 km) from the Gran d ana, all in the family Vespertilionidae . All are Calumet River area. Also, one was taken i n nocturnal and have well-developed echoloca- mid-winter in a garage 50 miles (80 kin) fro m tion abilities, and all feed almost exclusivel y the Grand Calumet . No pygmy shrews wer e on flying insects . Little information is avail - taken in extensive trapping at Badly, Cowles , able on bats of INDU or northwest Indiana . or Pinhook Bogs (Mumford Whitake r There are records at INDU for only three spe- 1982) : and none ware taken in other areas a t cies : big brown bat, red hat and silver-haire d INDU (Whitaker et al . 1994) . Thus, thi s hat . There is an early record of the evenin g shrew s occurrence in the Grand Calumet Riv- hat, but no recent records . There is an unver- er area is unlikely . However, the unicuspi d ified record of the little brown myotis, but thi s teeth of all long-tailed shrews (Sores) fro m species surely exists there . The northern my- that area should be carefully examined . (Sorex otis and hoary hat are undoubtedly present , cinereus has four "large" unicuspids and on e and it is likely that the Indiana myotis is als o small unicuspid, all easily visible from th e there . Rand Rand (1951) reported silver- side . Sorer hoyi has the third and fifth ex - haired, red and big brown bats . Information
128 PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENC E
on bats of northwest Indiana is provided be- about over openings in Indiana Dunes Stat e low . Most of these species should occur in th e Park and vicinity which could be this specie s area of the Grand Calumet River, at leas t or the northern myotis, Myotis ,septentriona/is . where there is adequate woodland . The little brown myotis migrates to the kars t Big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus (Reau- regions of southern Indiana where it hiber- vois) . Whitaker et al . (1994) found one bi g nates in caves . brown bat in a large building north of Rout e Silver-haired bat, Lasionyr teris nocliva- 12 and west of Mineral Springs Road, and a gans (LeConte) . Hahn (1909) reported thi s post-lactation colony is located behind th e species from Michigan City . LaPorte County. barn doors at Chellberg Farm . A total of 11 3 Mumford Whitaker (1982) reported thre e hats emerged from behind this door on 27 Au - individuals taken at the Indiana Dunes State gust 1988 . Several maternity colonies were Park : a female on 24 September 1928 by W.A . found by Whitaker et al . (1994) : 1) about 10 0 Weber, and two individuals on .3 May 1936 b y individuals in a brick house 0.2 miles east of J . Schmidt. Whitaker et al. (1994) netted on e 33E on U S . Route 20 ; 2) about 20 individual s individual on 9 September 1988, about on e at the Lutheran Church at the south end of mile northeast of the visitor center at INDU . Mineral Springs Road (just north of 1-94) ; 3 ) The silver-haired hat is a migratory solitar y about 80 individuals on 9 September 1988 at bat . It spends the summer and has its young the Portage Park barn, southwest of 1-94 an d north of Indiana and then migrates south . A State Road 249 ; 4) 43 individuals in the soffi t few individuals hibernate in caves or mines i n of an old but well-preserved brick house nea r southern Indiana, but most winter in souther n U .S. Route 49 north of Route 6 . There are states . This species is fairly common in Indi- undoubtedly many maternity colonies of bi g ana during migration from about 18 April t o brown bats in buildings in the Grand Calume t 28 May and from about 29 August to 6 No- basin . This is the only species likely to winte r vember, when it should be relatively commo n (hibernate) at INDU, since it is the only spe- at the Lakeshore (Mumford Whitake r cies in Indiana that hibernates in buildings . 1982 ) Red bat, Lasiurus borealis (Muller). Evening bat, Nycticeius kar meralis (Raf- Lyon (1923) observed a female red bat roost- inesque) . Russell E . Mumford shot an even - ing in blackberry hushes in the Lakeshore re- ing bat two miles (3 km) northwest of Porte r gion . Whitaker (Mumford Whitaker 1982 ) (Porter County) on 5 August 1958 . Popula- shot a female red bat at daybreak on 26 Au - tions of this species have decreased greatly i n gust 1963 as it was flying over the beach i n Indiana in recent years, and we doubt that i t what is now the Lakeshore . Whitaker et al. is currency present in northwest Indiana . Th e (1994) recorded several red bats : 1) a youn g single record could have been a stray . female collected in July of 1987 at the West Beach bathhouse ; 2) an individual observed BAT SPECIES PROBABLY PRESEN T flying at Indiana Dunes State Park on 27 Au - Northern myotis, Myotis septentrionalis gust 1988: and 3) two individuals netted (le , (Merriam), This species has often been re - 1?) over Dunes Creek, Indiana Dunes Stat e ferred to is Keen s hat, Myotis keeriii sewn- Park, on 23 September 1988 . The red bat i s trionalis . However, populations in eastern re- solitary and hangs in trees during the daytime . gions of the United States are currentl y It is one of the most common bats in wooded recognized as a separate species from popu- areas of northwest Indiana, and it should in - lations in the western U .S. (Van Zyll de Jon g habit areas of the Grand Calumet River basi n 1979) . The eastern species is known as th e where enough trees are present . northern myotis, Myotis septerurionalis . Ther e Little brown myotis, Myotis lucifugus are no records of this species for any of th e (Leconte) . Neither Lyon (1936) nor Mum - Lakeshore countries (Mumford Whitaker ford Whitaker (1982) recorded the littl e 1982) . Because wooded habitat is abundan t brown myotis in Lake, Porter or LaPort e and it is a northern species, the author sus- Counties . The only specific record of this spe- pects its presence. It forms small summer col- cies at INDU is that of Texas Instrument s onies under the bark of trees or in buildings , (1975-80), but this record needs verification . and it then migrates to caves and mines where The author has often seen small bats flying it hibernates individually rather than in
WHI tAKLR--MAMMALS OF THL GRAND CALUMLT 129
groups . Kuria (1982) found it was relativel y ver; two sigmodontine rodents (= old ( rice- uncommon in southern Michigan, and Lon g tinae), both of which are in the genus Peco- (1974) reported it as less common than th e mi]scuv ; four or five species of arvicolin e little brown myotis in the Lake Michigan rodents (= old Microtinae muskrat, thre e drainage . voles and probably the hog lemming) ; two Hoary hat, Lasiurus cinerens (Palisot d e Old World rodents (Murinac) ., the Norway ra t Beauvois) . Like the red and silver-haire d and the house mouse ; and the meadow jump- bats, this is a solitary, migratory species tha t ing mouse (Zapodinae . Dipodidae) . roosts in trees . it is the largest and one of the most colorful bats of Indiana . It occur s SCIURIDAF, throughout the state, but it is not commo n (squirrels ) anywhere . It probably lives in the Grand Cal- There are seven species of squirrels i n umet River basin in areas with adequate trees . northwest Indiana, including the state-endan- Indiana myotis, Myotis soda/is (Miller gered Franklin s ground squirrel . Squirrels are Allen). —The Indiana myotis is listed as en- some of the most conspicuous mammals, part- dangered . There are no records for the north - ly because most are diurnal. The largest mem- western 15 or so counties of the state (Mum - ber of the squirrel family is the woodchuck . fiord Whitaker 1982) ; however, Kuri a Also, the re are many fox and red squirrels at (1982) recorded this species, and Kuria et al . INDU . Besides being diurnal, these two ar e (1993) later recorded a mate rnity colony o f common and quite noisy . The gray squirrel this species from southern Michigan . The In- and chipmunk . are obvious where. common . diana myotis is probably present in northwest The flying squirrel may often he common, bu t Indiana in areas forested with large trees,in- it is seldom observed because it is nocturnal . cluding the Grand Calumet River area . I t The thirteen-lined ground squirrel has a spott y forms small summer colonies under the har k distribution, but it is found at several IND U of dead trees, often along watercourses . It hi- localities (Whitaker et al . 1994) . Gray an d bernates in large numbers in a very few caves , Franklin s ground squirrels have been docu- some of which are found in southern Indiana . mented within the Grand Calumet River basi n (Mierr.wa et al . 1991) . The various squirrel s I .AGOMORPI-I A are discussed below . (rabbits and hares ) Eastern chipmunk, "L anzias striatus (Lin- Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridann s naeus) . The chipmunk is common in man y (Allen) . The eastern cottontail is the onl y of the wooded habitats of northwest Indiana , lagomorph in northwest Indiana . Lyon (1923) , although it is sporadic in occurrence . Lyo n Krekeler (1981), Texas Instruments, and Whi- (1923) stated that "chipmunks do not appea r taker et al . (1994) all listed it as common iii to be very common in the dunes ." Krekele r the area of INDU . It was observed occasion - (1981) listed it as abundant in open woods , ally in Miller Woods by Whitman et al . thickets and suburbs . Texas Instrument s (1990) . Fecal pellets and tracks are commonl y (1975—80) recorded numerous captures o f seen throughout INDU, and 65 cottontail s chipmunks in several habitats . Whitman et . al . were recorded as roadkills (Whitaker et al . (1990) did not mention then in their Mille r 1994) . This species was often seen by Mier - Woods report . Whitaker et . al . (1994) capture d /ma et al . (1991) at Clark and Pine, Lakeshor e 24 chipmunks in nine habitats at INDU, an d Railroad Prairie, and DuPont and Burnha m sign or sight observations were made in I I Prairie . Cottontails are fairly common in th e plots in seven habitats . Seventeen roadkill s Grand Calumet River basin . were seen, and numerous individuals wer e seen elsewhere at INDU . The chipmun k RODFNTI A should be fairly common in the Grand Calu- (rodents) met River basin, but Micr/wa et al . (1991) did Rodents constitute the largest group o f not report it . mammals in northwest Indiana (and in th e Woodchuck, Marnzota rnonax (Linnae- world) in number of species and individuals . us) .—Lyon (1923) Whitaker et al . (1994) The total number of rodent species include s commonly found woodchuck, in several hab- seven species in the squirrel family ; the hea - itats at INDU. Whitman et al . (1990) does not
130 PROCEEDINGS OF THE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENC E
mention them from Miller Woods, but Mier- monly found it at Powderhorn Lake, and i t zwa noted them from DuPont and Burnham was present at Burnham Prairie and near Lake Prairie. Calumet . These records are exceedingly inter- Thirteen-lined ground squirrel, Spermo- esting since this species is listed as endan- p/u/us tridecenzlineatus (Mitchell) . Lyon gered in Indiana. Most of the currently know n (1923) found this species "not uncommon populations are along railroads, although a along the Chicago, Lake Shore and South few are along roadsides . Bend Railway just south of the dunes," an d Gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensi s reported one "just north of Oak Hill Statio n (Gnlelin). Lyon (1923) did not report thi s and a few feet above the subdunal swamp ." species from the Lakeshore area; however, Krekeler (1981) listed it as "common" a t Krekeler (1981) recorded it as common i n INDU and indicated its habitat as "pastures , woods and suburbs, and Texas Instrument s road borders, dunes, weedly or cultivate d (1975–80) reported 23 from three habitats a t fields ." Texas Instruments (1975–80) reported the Lakeshore . Whitaker et al . (1994) recorde d three individuals : two from Cowles Bog and it in upland oak forest and in oak savanna and one from the transmission corridor. Whitman also several roadl