A Study of Small Mammal Populations in the Rockaway River Wildlife Management Area, Jefferson Township, NJ

Small mammal populations within the state of New Jersey have not been as thoroughly studied as avian, amphibian and reptile populations. The state list of species of special conservation concern includes very few mammals proportionally, and of those mammals that are listed only a handful are ground dwelling small mammals. This study sampled the small mammal population at the Rockaway River Wildlife Management Area in Jefferson Township, New Jersey and compared the sample to a similar study in Stokes State Forest. Pitfall traps were installed in four different kinds of habitats within the management area and the captures collected and recorded. Species richness was similar between Stokes and the Rockaway River Wildlife Management Area, though some differences in species composition stand out. The presence of the pygmy shrew (Sorex hoyi) in several habitats within the Rockaway River Wildlife Management Area is significant, since the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife they seek to implement forest management strategies to best protect species of concern. Future research should focus on collection of genetic information from shrew species in order to aid in future identification of difficult and rare species of shrews