Natural History. Stewardship. Sustainablility.
Mammals
Mammals in Hartley Park range from our occasionally seen bear and fox and frequently seen deer, to much rarer species, including ermine, fisher, otter, pine marten, and coyote. Small mammals, such as mice, shrews, squirrels, and chipmunks abound. Ecologically, mammals serve as excellent indicators of food-chain dynamics, especially in urban environments, where sightings are much more rare and encounters often occur only by the side of the road or beneath the tires. For these reasons, diligent data management and utilization of GIS mapping technologies are all the more important for their study, as long-term tracking may help guide our maintenance and policies within the park.
The mammal records are incomplete and are based on occasional (casual) observations and signs (tracks, browsing evidence, etc.). The chart probably shows more about our records than what’s out in the park. It’s probable that most of these species are present every year, but no regular trap-release studies have been reported. The most complete records are of those species seen around HNC. Therefore we have no records of other species that may be present and of population sizes of any species in the park including the deer. There are too many deer, however to maintain forest flowering herbs and shrubs and tree reproduction and replacement.
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