Mammals of Carolina Bays 35 



North Carolina mammals, and listed as "status undetermined" Blarina 

 brevicauda telmalestes, Sorex longirostris fisheri, Lasiurus seminolus, 

 Plecotus rafinesquii macrotis, Microtus pennsylvanicus nigrans, and 

 Synaptomys cooperi helaletes, all associated with pocosins and Carolina 

 bays. Ursus americanus was considered of special concern, and Felis 

 concolor as endangered and possibly extirpated. Later information on 

 the "undetermined" species and races has shown them to be more com- 

 mon or widespread than previously suspected (see Lee et al. 1982; Rose 

 1981a; and this study). The number of known localities of extant popu- 

 lations has at least doubled for all these mammals, and some are now 

 known to be widespread and even common. In the case of the Black 

 Bear, though, pocosins and related habitats play a more than minor role 

 where survival is concerned. A significant percentage of the surviving 

 Coastal Plain bears is closely associated with pocosins and Carolina 

 bays. Modern hunting methods, however, may make even extensive 

 pocosins unsafe sanctuaries for bears. 



The classification of pocosins and Carolina bays as types of wet- 

 lands, although in our opinion correct, has led others to a general 

 assumption of high wildlife values despite the lack of systematic inven- 

 tories. Misconceptions, absence of standard definitions, and lack of 

 comparative information from other Southeastern wetland habitats, 

 have also contributed to the problems of inventory and projection of 

 habitat loss. Accurate assessments of the wildlife values of pocosins are 

 further hampered by the lack of comparable historical comparisons of 

 the mammalian fauna in the Southeast in general, and in the North 

 Carolina Coastal Plain in particular. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.— We thank the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

 Service for partial support of our studies in Dare County (contract 

 number 14-16-0004-81-056). Bryan Taylor, N.C. State Parks, provided 

 permission and encouragement to study certain areas in the state parks 

 system. Bill Adams, Eloise Potter, Gilbert Grant, Steve Platania, Marty 

 Williams, Warren Parker, Paul Kumhyr and Danny Smith all assisted 

 in portions of our inventory effort. The Explorers Club provided, 

 through Clark, a grant for D. Smith to determine the mammals of Salt- 

 ers Lake Bay. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided Lee and 

 Platania funds (contract number DACW 54-78-F-0069) for a study of 

 the Coinjock area. David K. Clark, Elizabethtown, gave assistance in 

 aerial surveys of Carolina bays and lodging to field party members in 

 Bladen County. 



