3.7 Mammals
ability to infuence vegetative communities, play a signifcant role in nutrient cycling, and contribute to ecosystem integrity.
Te general public is often familiar with our larger, more visible species, like the White-tailed Deer and American Black Bear, but it is our species of bats, shrews, rodents, and other small mammals that comprise most of our mammalian diversity. North Carolina is ranked 11th in the country in mammalian diversity (Stein 2002) . A 2013 guide to the mammals of North Carolina (LeGrand and Howard 2013) , prepared by the NC Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP) and the NC Division of Parks and Recreation (NCDPR), noted that there are 121 mammal species in the state; however, several of those accounts represent rare, introduced, or extirpated species. Mammals can occupy a variety of habitats and are distributed from the mountains to the coast, including marine habitats. Some species, such as the Coyote, are extremely adapt- able and are found in a variety of habitat types throughout the state. Other species, like the Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel, are more restricted in their distribution, having very specifc habitat requirements, and therefore only exist in isolated areas. Te conservation needs of mammals in North Carolina are addressed mainly through hab- itat management, restoration, and protection. However, disease, particularly white-nose syndrome in bats, is also a major conservation issue that requires ongoing surveillance and research. Te community descriptions in Chapter 4 provide information on conservation recommendations for mammal species. A list of mammal SGCN is provided in Table 3.19 and the Taxa Team evaluation results can be found in Appendix G. Habitat associations for these species can be found in Appendix H. Conservation recommendations for mammal species and their associated habitats have been incorporated into the natural community descriptions in Chapter 4. Te following paragraphs provide information about species identifed by the Mammal Taxa Team as SGCN or a priority for research, and for which work has been conducted to implement con- servation and management recommendations from the 2005 WAP. 3.7.2 Comparison of 2005 and 2015 Priority Species Te 2015 evaluation identifed 56 species as conservation concern, knowledge gap, or management concern priorities. Some species are a priority in more than one of the three evaluation categories (see Appendix G). In comparison, the 2005 WAP listed 38 mammals as priority species, which may have included species for which there were knowledge gaps. However, the 2005 Taxa Team evaluations did not identify knowledge gaps or management concerns as separate priorities. Tese changes do not necessarily indicate a change in the
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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