Table 17-3. Regional Distribution of Species of Mammals Not Found in 

 All Regions of the Characterization Area 



Species 



Regions 



Virginia opossum X 



Eastern pipistrelle X 

 New England cottontail X 

 Pine vole X 



Gray fox X 



Black bear 

 Marten 

 Fisher 



X 



X 



X 



X 

 X 



X(?) 



X 



X 

 X(?) 



a Godin 1977. 

 The purpose of this chapter is to familiarize the reader with the ecological 

 relationships of mammals within ecosystems along the coast, to describe the 

 effects of people on mammals, and to provide information to help lessen 

 adverse effects. Species found in specific regions, the habitats in which 

 each species is likely to be found, and the abundance of the different habitat 

 types important to mammals are addressed first. Following is a discussion of 

 the the ecological relationships of mammals, the role of mammals in their 

 communities, and the natural factors affecting abundance. These provide a 

 background for a description of the effects of people on mammals, which is 

 followed by a discussion of the importance of mammals to humanity. Finally, a 

 summary is given of some management procedures that can be used to mitigate 

 the detrimental effects of human activity. Common names of species are used 

 except where accepted common names do not exist. Taxonomic names of all 

 species mentioned are given in the appendix to chapter 1. 



DATA SOURCES 



The information used to prepare this report came from books, published 

 research reports, theses, personal communications, and unpublished 

 manuscripts. The latter includes species management plans, which have been 

 prepared by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) on 

 most species of game and furbearing mammals. These plans provide historical 

 perspectives, estimates of current populations, demand by hunters and 

 trappers, current harvest levels, and habitat preference and abundance. Most 

 of the information contained in species management plans is summarized on the 

 basis of Wildlife Management Units (WMU) , which are designated areas within 

 which uniform wildlife management practices are appropriate. Wildlife 

 Management Units 6, 7, and 8 contain most of the characterization area (figure 

 17-1) but extend farther inland so that some information may not represent the 



17-4 



