M. A. Melchoirs

A Comparison of Snap Traps for Evaluating Small Mammal Populations

We compared rat, mouse, and museum special snap traps to determine if differences existed in capture efficiency of small mammals and whether type of trap affected indices of richness, evenness, and diversity. Small mammals were trapped in 57 streamside study areas in 1990 to 1995 in the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas. Efficiency of mouse traps was equal to or greater than that of museum special traps in capturing all small mammal species. Rat traps were most efficient for capturing the 2 largest small mammal species recorded, the eastern wood rat (Neotoma floridana) and the cotton rat (...