Nongame Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians 



The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, through 

 its Nongame and Endangered Species Program, has designed a pri- 

 ority rating system to identify key nongame species. The criteria 

 for the rating system are species security level, public appeal 

 and economic and ecological impact of species range expansion 

 and/or increase in numbers. For the four counties (Cascade, Chou- 

 teau, Fergus and Blaine) which are partially taken in by the 

 middle Missouri River project, a list of 17 mammals, 3 reptiles 

 and 2 amphibians was compiled for species with high positive or 

 negative priority ratings. Table 13 presents this list of species 

 and their ratings. Not all of these species may be in the project 

 area, but the potential exists. 



Table 13. Nongame species list. 



Mamma 1 s 



Priority 

 Rating 



Meriam shrew ( Sorex merriami ) 11.5 



Dwarf shrew ( Sorex nanus ) 11.75 



Preble shrew ( Sorex preblei ) 10.25 



Long-legged bat ( Myotis volans ) 8.24 



Townsend's bat ( Plecotus townsendii ) 6.25 



Black-footed ferret ( Mustela nigripes ) 41.5 ' 



Least weasel (Mustela nivalis ) 7.5 



Wolverine ( Gulo gulo ) 20.0 



Swift fox ( Vulpes velox) 24.5 



Wolf ( Canis lupus ) 27.5 ' 



Lynx (Lynx canadensis ) 17.5 



Mountain phenacomy ( Phenacomys intermedius ) 5.75 



Sagebrush vole ( Lagurus curtatus) 9.2 5 



Black-tailed prairie dog ( Cynomys ludovicianus ) 6.0 



Norway rat ( Rattus norvegicus ) -20.25 



Desert cottontail ( Sylvilagus auduboni ) 11.25 



Mountain cottontail ( Sylvilagus nuttalli ) 7.0 



Reptiles 



Snapping turtle ( Chelydra serpentina ) 8.5 



Plains hognose snake ( Heterodon nasicus ) 8.25 



Spiny softshell turtle ( Trionyx spiniferus ) 7.5 



Amphibians 



Spotted chorus frog ( Pseudocris clarki ) 4.0 



Dokato toad (Bufo hemiophrys ) 8.2 



''Endangered species 



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