Mammals and Amphibians of Southeast Alaska

204 Pages·2007·4.73 MB·English

8—

Mammals and Amphibians
of Southeast Alaska
by
S. O. MacDonald
and Joseph A. Cook
Special Publication Number 8
The Museum of Southwestern Biology
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
2007
Haines, Fort Seward, and the Chilkat River on the Looking up the Taku River into British Columbia, 1929
northern mainland of Southeast Alaska, 1929(courtesy (courtesy of the Alaska State Library, George A. Parks Collec-
of the Alaska State Library, George A. Parks Collection, U.S. tion, U.S. Navy Alaska Aerial Survey Expedition, P240-135).
Navy Alaska Aerial Survey Expedition, P240-107).
ii
Mammals and Amphibians of Southeast Alaska by S.O. MacDonald and Joseph A. Cook. © 2007 The
Museum of Southwestern Biology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Special Publication, Number 8
MAMMALS AND AMPHIBIANS OF SOUTHEAST ALASKA
By: S.O. MacDonald and Joseph A. Cook. (Special Publication No. 8, The Museum of Southwestern
Biology).
ISBN 978-0-9794517-2-0
Citation:
MacDonald, S.O. and J.A. Cook. 2007. Mammals and amphibians of Southeast
Alaska. The Museum of Southwestern Biology, Special Publication 8:1-191.
The Haida village at Old Kasaan, Prince of Wales Island Lituya Bay along the northern coast of Southeast Alaska
(undated photograph courtesy of the Alaska State Library in 1916 (courtesy of the Alaska State Library Place File
Place File Collection, Winter and Pond, Kasaan-04). Collection, T.M. Davis, LituyaBay-05).
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Dedicated to the Memory
of
Terry Wills
(1943-2000)
A life-long member of Southeast’s fauna
and a compassionate friend to all.
Terry at the mouth of the Chickamin River, mainland Southeast Alaska,
in 1973(photograph by S.O. MacDonald).
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Preface
Eleven years have elapsed since we islands, and appendices summarize island size,
published The Land Mammal Fauna of specimen archives, and our understanding of
Southeast Alaska(MacDonald and Cook, 1996). species distributions, introductions, and
We now update that original work and expand it conservation status. Accounts are included of
by adding marine mammals and amphibians, additional species that are no longer extant in the
reviewing the status of select species based on region, but that were documented either as
a series of field, lab and museum-based fossils or introduced exotics. We also reassess
investigations, and discussing the evolutionary research priorities for amphibians and mammals
and biogeographic significance of this coastal in the region. We encourage thoughtful
fauna. We follow the general outline of discussion of these priorities followed by action
MacDonald and Cook (1996), with several to promote the conservation of this outstanding
notable changes. In the individual species coastal fauna.
accounts, the Taxonomy section now includes We hope this reference work will stimulate
an overview of recently published further investigations aimed at filling in the
phylogeographic studies for a number of taxa. In numerous pieces of the fascinating
these accounts, the section on Distribution biogeographic and evolutionary puzzles
includes specific locality records and underlying the mammals and amphibians of the
distributional maps for all terrestrial species. North Pacific Coast of North America.
Tables now detail the occurrence of all species
documented with specimens for 111 individual Stephen MacDonald and Joseph Cook
The MacDonald boys beaver trapping, Stikine River,
Spring 1977.
Joe with skins of a Marten and Fisher
(the first documented record of Fisher
for Alaska) taken by a local trapper,
Taku River, 1994.
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Abstract
This report continues the process of docu- fill the gaps in our knowledge by building a rigor-
menting the 82 species of mammals and 8 am- ous, diverse, and well-distributed archive of
phibians known to occur, or have recently specimens for the flora and fauna of this coastal
occurred, in Southeast Alaska. Species accounts region.
are based on a review of the literature, examina- This preliminary inventory of the mammals
tion of specimens and associated field notes at and amphibians reveals serious conservation
natural history museums, and a series of expedi- concerns due to the heavy footprint of humans,
tions we conducted through 1999 through the particularly on islands with high potential for en-
University of Alaska Museum of the North. Our demism. In particular, forest fragmentation in the
primary conclusion from this survey is that infor- last 50 years has resulted in extensive tracts of
mation as basic as distribution and taxonomic closed-canopy forests; these second growth for-
status is unavailable for most species of mam- ests support a much less diverse vertebrate fau-
mals and amphibians. Most species are poorly na. Other human activities may also impact this
documented with 53% of mammals represented fauna.
by fewer than 10 specimens for the entire region. Molecular genetic studies of selected spe-
Cetacean material is especially lacking. Minimal cies suggest common biogeographic histories for
documentation also characterizes amphibians. particular elements of the fauna. High levels of
Beyond simply documenting the distribution of genetic differentiation characterize some species
species, serious investigations of these organ- and reflect the influence of a long history of
isms have been hampered by lack of specimens regional fragmentation due to glaciation. In sev-
and associated materials. Many investigations eral cases, multiple cryptic species have been
aimed at assessing changes in populations over identified (e.g., two species of marten) and con-
space and time cannot be completed for the tact or hybrid zones have been documented. At
majority of species in this region, effectively obvi- the population level, low levels of variation for
ating attempts to monitor health of these wildlife some island populations is attributable to isola-
populations or their response to environmental tion and these populations may be especially
perturbation. vulnerable to disturbance. These metrics indicate
If we examine particular islands for individu- the influence of both historical and contemporary
al species, a parallel situation arises. Across the processes on structuring biotic diversity. Such
archipelago, 111 islands have at least one spec- complexity also points to the necessity of priori-
imen that documents the occurrence of any spe- tizing conservation of endemic forms by building
cies. Of those “species present” islands, a new “island-centered” framework for managing
however, 41% are represented by <10 speci- wildlife on the Tongass National Forest and sur-
mens of any species. This weak foundation will rounding lands of Southeast Alaska. Such a
serve as the basis for future management ac- management paradigm for this complex archipel-
tions, including those aimed at monitoring declin- ago should recognize the unique evolutionary
ing native populations or mitigating the impact of and ecological attributes of this isolated region of
exotics, unless a concerted effort to inventory North America.
this biotic diversity is initiated. Now is the time to
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Acknowledgments
This monograph is the result of efforts by ural Heritage Program — E. West; Institute of
many people. In particular, we acknowledge the Biological Problems of the North(Magadan, Rus-
following individuals: Private — T. Bethel, R. sia) — N. Dokuchaev and A. Tsvetkova; Cura-
Bishop, K. Bovee, S. Brewington, L. and J. Car- tors of Museums — M. Carleton, S. George, K.
son, R. Carstensen, B. Delehanty, S. Fiscus, J. Klitz, D. Nagorsen, J. Patton, R. Timm, C. G. van
Florie, C. Garst, S. Geraghty, D. Harbor, B. J. Zyll de Jong, and T. Yates; UA Museum of the
Hayward, R. Himschoot, R. Hunter, P. Isleib, R. North/Institute of Arctic Biology — K. Bagne, M.
Jahnke, C. Jardine, L. Johnson, M. Kirkeminde, Ben-David, D. Bender, J. Bender, H. Chen, C.
, M. MacDonald, O. MacDonald, D. Nagorsen, R. Conroy, J. Demboski, S. Gray, B. Jacobsen, G.
Nelson, B. Norman, J. Owens, J. Pringle, D. Jarrell, J. Levino-Chythlook, S. Lewis, D. McDon-
Rice, M. Sallee, L. Robertson, N. Smith, G. St- ald, L. Olson, C. T. Seaton, K. Stone, S. Talbot,
reveler, T. and K. Wills; Alaska Department of and M. Wike; and Museum of Southwestern
Fish and Game — N. Barten, E. Crain, T. Davis, Biology/UNM — L. Couch, N. Dawson, W. Gan-
R. Flynn, J. Gustafson, M. Kirchoff, C. Land, D. non, J. Malaney, and D. Northup. Direct funding,
Larsen, R. Lowell, D. Parker McNeill, D. Person, logistical support, and specimens were provided
B. Porter, M. Robus, M. Sigman, T. Thorton, K. by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA For-
Titus, and J. Whitman; U.S.D.A. Forest Service est Service (Tongass Region and Pacific North-
— J. Baichtal, S. Blatt, M. Brown, E. Campbell, J. west Laboratory), Alaska Department of Fish and
Canterbury, D. Chester, R. Claire, J. Cristner, C. Game, and National Science Foundation
Crocker-Bedford, G. DeGayner, T. DeMeo, M. (0415668). We thank M. Bogan, S. Brunner, N.
Dillman, J. Falk, C. Ford, R. Guhl, T. Hanley, C. Dawson, R. Dickerman, C. Jones, A. Koehler,
Iverson, S. Jacobson, D. Johnson, D. Kuntzch, L. and an anonymous reviewer for critical reviews
Kvaalen, M. Laker, E. Lance, W. Martin, K. Post, of the manuscript. All errors are solely the re-
P. Robertson, A. Russell, K. Rutledge, T. sponsibility of the authors.
Schenck, T. Shaw, W. Smith, T. Suminski, D.
Illustration Credits. Most of the animal illustra-
Walter, and S. Wise-Eagle; National Park Ser-
tions used to enhance our distribution maps were
vice — B. Anderson, J. Taggart, H. Lentfer, and
done by the late Fairbanks artist, William D.
M. Murray; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — S.
Berry (1926-1979), with permission from
Brockmann, E. Grossman, W. Hanson, K. Hast-
© BERRY STUDIOS (www.berrystudios.biz).
ings, N. Holmberg, B. Jacobsen, D. Klein, J.
The drawings on pages 30, 65, 69, 80, 84, 87,
Lindell, J. Maniscalo, J. McClung, P. Schempf,
88, 92, 97, and 102 are by the late Robert W.
and Teresa Woods; Metlakatla Indian Communi-
Hines (1912-1994); on pages 29, 36, 37, 40, 42,
ty — J. Moran; Sheldon Jackson College — M.
49, 50, 61, 122, 123, 124, 127, 129, 130, 131,
Siefert, B. Colthrap, and M. Ahlgren; The Nature
and 132 by Orien O. MacDonald; and on pages
Conservancy in Alaska — D. Albert; Alaska Nat-
21 and 51 by S.O. MacDonald.
The town of Wrangell at the north tip of Wrangell Island
The Haida village of Klinkwan, Prince of Wales Island (1929) is situated near the mouth of the Stikine River
(1892) is no longer inhabited(courtesy of the Alaska State (courtesy of the Alaska State Library, George A. Parks Collec-
Library Place File Collection, H.F.R., Klinkwan-1). tion, U.S. Navy Alaska Aerial Survey Expedition, P240-104).
vii
Contents
Preface v
Abstract vi
Acknowledgments vii
Introduction 2
Materials and Methods 7
The Setting 7
Fieldwork 9
Museum Studies 9
Species Accounts 11
Abbreviations 12
Results 13
The Mammal Fauna 13
Specimen Representation 13
Faunal Composition 14
Mammal Checklist 15
Key to the Mammalian Orders of Southeast Alaska 17
OrderPrimates
Family Hominidae 18
Key to the Rodents of Southeast Alaska 19
OrderRodentia
Family Sciuridae (squirrels) 21
Family Castoridae (beavers) 27
Family Dipodidae (jumping mice) 28
Family Cricetidae (voles, lemmings, deermice) 30
Family Muridae (Old World mice and rats) 49
Family Erethizontiade (New World porcupines) 50
Key to the Lagomorphs of Southeast Alaska 52
Order Lagomorpha
Family Ochotonidae (pikas) 52
Family Leporidae (hares and rabbits) 53
Key to the Shrews of Southeast Alaska 54
OrderSoricomorpha
Family Soricidae (shrews) 54
Key to the Bats of Southeast Alaska 62
OrderChiroptera
Family Vespertilionidae (vesper bats) 62
OrderCarnivora
Key to the Carnivores of Southeast Alaska 67
Family Felidae (cats) 68
Family Canidae (dogs) 70
Family Ursidae (bears) 75
Family Otariidae (sea lions) 79
Family Phocidae (earless seals) 81
Family Mustelidae (weasels) 84
Family Procyonidae (raccoons) 98
Key to the Hoofed Mammals of Southeast Alaska 99
OrderArtiodactlya
Family Cervidae (deer) 99
Family Bovidae (sheep and goats) 104
Key to the Whales of Southeast Alaska 106
OrderCetacea
Family Balaenidae (right whales) 107
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