1.
Zoology Program Update
Bryce A. Maxell
Program Coordinator
(406) 444-3989
bmaxell@mt.gov
Braden Burkholder
Biologist / Biological Data Analyst
Montana Natural Heritage Program
(406) 444-0202
bburkholder@mt.gov
Montana Natural Heritage Program Partner’s Meeting
December 7, 2015
Shannon Hilty Ellen Whittle
mtnhp.org

2.
Senior Zoologist Position
• Posted at http://bit.ly/1426mtnhp
• Open until January 15th
• Combination of natural history, database,
writing, and entrepreneurial skills
• Search committee is composed of MTNHP,
BLM, FWP, and USFS representatives
• Aiming for person in place by late February

3.
Animal Observations/Surveys
Fall 2012 Fall 2013 Fall 2014 Fall 2015
Observations 1,334,551 1,438,742 1,562,954 1,672,449
% Obs Pending
Final Review
12% 12% 12%
0.1% SOC
16% Overall
Surveys 146,306 159,448 166,513 182,608
Observations Surveys
*Added FWP Scientific Collector’s Permit data between 2006 and 2014.
**About to start a new exchange of data with Ebird.

4.
Species Occurrence Updates
for Environmental Reviews
• Updated 37 vertebrates and 31 invertebrates
• Reviewed and/or updated 28,500+
observation records for Species of Concern
• Updated >9,500 Species Occurrences
• Created >700 new Species Occurrences
including 187 new bat roosts and 104 new
bat SOs from acoustic monitoring
* Special Thanks to Braden Burkholder,
Scott Blum & Karen Newlon!

5.
Field Guide Updates
• Updated Species Accounts
for 10 Species of Concern
• Literature references now
correct for all Species of
Concern.
• Updated or created range
maps for 63 SOC & PSOC
• Custom Field Guide Reports
* Special Thanks to Shannon Hilty & Karen Newlon!

6.
• Ran updated models for 11 species
Baird’s Sparrow, Bald Eagle, Canada Lynx, Fisher, Idaho Giant Salamander, Long-
billed Curlew, Marten, Spalding’s Catchfly, Sprague’s Pipit, Ute Ladies’-Tresses,
Whitebark Pine
• Have models for most SOC and many Non-SOC.
• On verge of ability to automate model production
Predicted Distribution Models
Long-billed Curlew

7.
SOC List Updates
Red Knot
(ESA Listed Threatened, SSS, G4, SNA)
Caenis youngi – A Mayfly
Removal from SOC
Northern Myotis
(ESA Listed Threatened, SSS, G1G3, SU)
G4 – S3
Removal From Species of
Greatest Inventory Need
Harlequin Duck
Eastern Screech-Owl
Great Horned Owl
Long-eared Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Short-eared Owl
Special Status Species Designations

8.
Bat Surveillance Efforts

9.
Northern Myotis Surveys

10.
Working with Cavers
Map and Photo by
Hans Bodenhamer

11.
Educational Signs – Example Small Internal Mount

12.
Visitation and Bat Activity Monitoring

13.
Growth of Pseudogymnoascus destructans
(Verant et al. 2012, PLoS One 7(9):e46280)
Temperature (Degrees Celsius)
Lewis&ClarkCaverns
LickCreekCaveandOphirCave
MysteryCave
AzureCave
WhitakerSink

14.
Bat Acoustic Surveillance Network

15.
Acoustic Information Through September 2015
• 44,748 nights sampled across 76 detectors (30 active)
• 520,328 hours of bat detector deployment
• >6.25 million bat passes recorded
• 40,000 call sequences examined by hand
• 6,261 call sequences definitively identified to species
• 2,104 records of monthly species presence in Montana
• 8,440,361 temperature logger records
• 61,318,343 weather station records across 625 stations

16.
Weather Data
http://mesowest.utah.edu/ • Station ID and start and end date of interest
• Build URL Code that includes MesoWest token
• Import site specific CSV files into SQL Server
*Code in Montana Bat/WNS Surveillance Plan

17.
Statewide Bat Activity
Total weekly bat passes
week and month of year

18.
Statewide Acoustic Detections by Month
All Previous Data (blue shading), Probable (black), Definitive (red)

19.
Temperatures (°C) of Activity
= Background Temperatures Available
= Flight Temperatures Used
* Coldest confirmed flight temperature is -8.6 C from an unidentified 40 kHz Myotis

20.
Wind Speeds (M/sec) of Activity
= Background Wind Speeds Available
= Wind Speeds Used

21.
Barometric Pressure Change and Activity
= Hourly Barometric Pressure Changes Available (millibars of mercury)
= Hourly Barometric Pressure Changes Used (millibars of mercury)

22.
Moon Illumination and Activity
= Moon Illumination Hours Available
= Moon Illumination Hours Used
0 = No moon illumination
1 = Full Moon
Less than
Expected
More than
Expected
More than
Expected
Less than
Expected

23.
Upcoming Zoology Efforts
• Field Guide species accounts for pollinators
• Update data exchange MOU with FWP
• Data review, SO, & predictive model automation
• Reports for existing bat acoustic monitoring data
• Bat acoustic monitoring by habitat cover type
• Continue bat roost monitoring
• Statewide amphibian calling surveys
• Western Toad breeding site monitoring
• Pryor Mtns Bat/Cave Surveys & Conservation Plan
• Northern Goshawk, Raptor, and Bird Surveys on
Ashland & Sioux Districts of Custer Forest
• Bat roost and mist net surveys for BLM