Reported Animal Rabies in Arkansas: 1950-1981

Reported animal rabies in Arkansas is reviewed for the years 1950-81 . Total cases ranged from 44 in 1969 to 332 in 1979, with a mean of 154. Domestic animals accounted for 72.5% of the total cases until 1961-63 and then declined to 15.8% from 1964-81. This switch from domestic to wildlife rabies corresponded to a similar trend in nationally reported rabies and was probably due to increased public awareness and the vaccination of domestic dogs and cats. Over the 31 year period a total of 18 species of mammals has been implicated in reported rabies (individual species of foxes, bats and skunks have been grouped together). The four species accounting for the highest incidence are: skunks (34.5%), dogs (27.2%), foxes (15.8%) and cattle (13.9%). Between 1964-81, skunks accounted for 63.5% of total reported rabies; however, in recent years this percentage has increased to 80-90%

Anatomical and Behavioral Aspects of Killing and Feeding by the Least Weasel, Mustela nivalis L.

The least weasel (Mustela nivalis) is a remarkably well adapted predator of mice and other small animals. Each kill is rather stereotyped, in that the weasel grabs the prey by the nape of the neck and bites through the base of the skull and/or throat, using its lithe body to wrap up and hold the prey. The least weasel will kill mice successively until it is too exhausted physically to kill more. Mice are always eaten from the head posteriorly until completely consumed

Utilization of Nest Boxes by the Southern Flying Squirrel, Glaucomys volans, in Central Arkansas

Thirty-five nest boxes were placed 4.5-5.5 meters above the ground in an eight acre mixed pine-hardwood plot 20 km SE of Bryant, Saline County, Arkansas. These boxes were monitored from February, 1972, to May, 1975. Flying squirrels used the boxes between October and May, probably returning to den trees during the hotter period of the year. A total of 30 squirrels (18 males and 12 females) were marked by ear notching during the three year period. The winter population of the study area was estimated to be between 10 and 15 squirrels. It was not uncommon to find eight or more squirrels in one nest. There were five litters born in nest boxes during the study, with an average of two young/litter. Examination of other females during January and February, together with these litters, indicated that all spring litters were born during March. Boxes served either as nesting areas or feeding stations. Nests were composed of shredded bark with a moss base and often filled a box to a depth of 8 or more centimeters. Acorns were the major food item, with sweet-gum balls, immature pine cones, and insects also being utilized. Between April and October, the boxes were utilized most extensively by gray tree frogs, red wasps, dirt-dauber wasps, wood roaches, wrens, and black rat snakes

Analysis of Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) Fur Harvests in Arkansas

An investigation was conducted on gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) fur harvest in Arkansas. Data were gathered from a mail survey of Arkansas trappers and from Arkansas Game and Fish Commission fur harvest records from 1939 to 1983. Analyses of these data demonstrated: 1) gray fox were abundant statewide with lower levels in the Delta region; 2) there was a need for fox trappers to keep better records on their trapping efforts, success and composition of catch, including sex and age data; 3) market price: harvest correlation was high (r = 0.956, p \u3c .001); 4) over the past 10 years, the Ozark Mountain region provided the greatest contribution to annual fox harvests, the Ouachita Mountain and Gulf Coastal Plain regions were similar to each other, but lower than the Ozarks, and the Delta region contributed the least, but with a generally stable harvest

Bats of Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

A survey was conducted from June 1982 through January 1987 to determine the occurrence of bat species in Hot Springs National Park, Garland County, Arkansas; an area of approximately 2025 hectares. A total of 309 bats in the families Molossidae and Vespertilionidae were captured. Species represented included: Eptesicus fuscus, Lasiurus borealis, Lasiurus cinereus, Nycticeius humeralis, Pipistrellus subflavus, and Tadarida brasiliensis cynocephala