Zoological

• American Bullfrog Surveys and Mitigation Strategies for the Yellowstone River Watershed
  Partner(s): BLM, MT-FWP
  Objective: Conduct baseline surveys for exotic American Bullfrogs along the Yellowstone River and its tributaries in order to identify areas most in need of control efforts, identify areas where control efforts are most likely to succeed, and test control methodologies for use by BLM and MT-FWP staff.
  
• Amphibian, Reptile, Bat, and Northern Goshawk Surveys on units of the Custer National Forest
  Partner(s): USFS
  Objective: Conduct baseline surveys for amphibians, reptiles, bats, and Northern Goshawks on units of the Custer National Forest lacking distribution and status information for these species.
  
• Amphibian, Reptile, Bat, and Terrestrial Mollusk Surveys on Lands within the Missoula Field Office of the BLM
  Partner(s): BLM
  Objective: Conduct baseline surveys for amphibians, reptiles, bats, and terrestrial mollusks on lands within the Missoula Field Office lacking distribution and status information for these species.
  
• Baseline call playback surveys for Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoos
  Partner(s): MT-FWP
  Objective: Conduct call playback surveys for Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Black-billed Cuckoo along the Musselshell River, lower Missouri River below the mouth of Big Muddy Creek, and along portions of the Milk River between its mouth and Havre at bridge crossings, accessible public lands, and roadsides immediately adjacent to riparian areas.
  
• Baseline Fish and Wildlife Surveys Across Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribal Lands
  Partner(s): Fort Peck Tribes
  Objective: Conduct baseline surveys for fish, macroinvertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, bats, small terrestrial mammals, and birds across tribal lands administered by the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes.
  
• Baseline monitoring of bats for White-Nose Syndrome
  Partner(s): MT-FWP, USFWS
  Objective: The objective of this project is to collaborate with state and federal agencies and Northern Rocky Mountain Grotto members to compile two types of baseline information on bats that would assist with detection of White-Nose Syndrome as well as allow for more effective mitigation of impacts if the deadly fungus Geomyces destructans does infect bats in Montana. First, baseline information on bat activity near known or potential hibernacula will be monitored passively throughout the year with an array of accoustic detectors and data loggers in order to better understand bat activity levels in the absence of G. destructans. Second, information on bat presence in caves and mines documented by cavers and state and federal researchers will be compiled in order to better understand current bat use of caves and mines in the state.
  
• Baseline surveys for Sprague's Pipits
  Partner(s): MT-FWP, USFWS, BLM
  Objective: Aggregate and develop information to support the USFWS listing review for Sprague's Pipits. Create predicted habitat suitability models across their known range in Montana, survey areas that are predicted to have suitable habitat but lack baseline surveys, and update suitability models and survey summaries.
  
• Bat acoustic monitoring at Landusky Mine
  Partner(s): MT-DEQ
  Objective: The objectives of this project are to provide baseline information on (1) bat species composition and bat activity levels in the vicinity of the planned wind turbine at the Landusky mine site over the course of an entire year, (2) provide baseline information on timing of species immergence to and emergence from hibernacula for nonmigratory bat species and (3) timing of migrations by tree roosting migratory species that have been documented as having the highest levels of mortality from collisions with, or barotrauma from, wind turbines. This information could potentially allow for mitigation of wind turbine impacts through curtailment of energy production at lower wind speeds during times when bats are active.
  
• Bat, Reptile, and Amphibian Surveys on Lands within the Dillon BLM Field Office
  Partner(s): BLM
  Objective: Conduct baseline surveys for bats, reptiles, and amphibians on lands within the Dillon Field Office lacking distribution and status information for these species.
  
• Bird Status Assessment across Bird Conservation Region 11
  Partner(s): MT-FWP, USFS, BLM, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
  Objective: Conduct bird point count surveys on 26 grid cells in five different land stewardship strata across Bird Conservation Region 11 in Montana. These surveys will provide a baseline assessment of the percentage of points occupied by bird species as well as densities of birds detected in various habitat types that can be used for comparison with future assessments. The project is part of a larger collaborative effort to assess the status of bird species across Montana.
  
• BLM Aquatic Task Group Project
  Partner(s): BLM
  Objective: This project will provide Baseline Assessments for Fish, Macroinvertebrates, and Herpetofauna in the Headwaters of Otter and Hanging Woman Creeks and Aquatic Community Monitoring on the Powder River between the Wyoming state line and Broadus. These areas were determined to still contain large data gaps for the biological communities in and around the headwaters of these watersheds where CBNG production has been permitted to occur. In 2011, we will also repeat an earlier aquatic assessment (http://mtnhp.org/Reports/Mid_Powd_Riv_Water_Assess.pdf) from 2005 on the mainstem Powder River to monitor conditions six years later and document any noticeable changes in the aquatic communities, especially the SOC invertebrates and the sturgeon chub populations.
  
• Digital Mapping and Coordination of Ground Truthing of Prairie Dog Towns
  Partner(s): MT-FWP, BLM
  Objective: Digitally map and coordinate ground truthing of prairie dog towns statewide using the 2005 and 2009 NAIP high resolution color imagery and color infrared aerial photographs to provide information to fulfill objectives in the Montana Prairie Dog Conservation Plan.
  
• Grassland Bird Response to Grazing and Cropland Practices in Northeastern Montana
  Partner(s): BLM
  Objective: Determine breeding-season bird use of rangelands subjected to prevalent grazing practices, as well as their use of non-irrigated cropland and converted/fallow cropland (CRP), and the effects of “patch size” on patterns of bird presence and relative abundance. Evaluate management issues and provide recommendations to improve habitat through best-management practices.
  
• Montana Bat Poster and Brochure on Living with Montana Bats
  Partner(s): MT-FWP, USFS
  Objective: Create an educational poster on Montana’s 15 documented bat species and a brochure on Living with Montana’s Bats that includes sections on how the public should deal with bats in buildings, how they should exclude and/or remove bats from buildings when necessary, how they can protect themselves from contracting rabies from bats, and how they can create roosting habitat for bats that will allow bats to control pest insects around their houses.
  
• Non-Game Wildlife Data Management and Status Ranking
  Partner(s): MT-FWP
  Objective: Collaborate with FWP staff to update and maintain a highly accurate database documenting non-game and Species of Concern animals, review and update their status ranks, model their predicted distributions, and make information available to partners and the general public via web applications.
  
• Statewide Amphibian and Aquatic Reptile Inventory
  Partner(s): MT-FWP, BLM, USFS, USGS, MT-DEQ, USEPA
  Objective: Conduct baseline inventories for Montana amphibians and reptiles across Montana to determine distribution and status. Surveys in southeast Montana are an area of focus in order to assess status in relation to local and landscape level variables associated with coal-bed-natural-gas development.
  
• Surveys for Animal and Plant Species in Aquatic Communities
  Partner(s): USFS
  Objective: Conduct surveys for amphibians, reptiles, and macroinvertebrates on USFS R1 lands in Montana in order to better document the status and distribution of these species.
  
• Surveys for Reptiles and Amphibians within the Tongue and Powder River Watersheds
  Partner(s): BLM, USFS, USGS
  Objective: Conduct baseline surveys for amphibians and reptiles within the portions of the Tongue and Powder River watersheds that are potentially the focus of coal-bed-natural-gas development in order to document the status and distribution of these species and identify potential mitigation strategies.
  
• Surveys for USFS Terrestrial Wildlife Species of Concern.
  Partner(s): USFS
  Objective: Conduct surveys and compile other existing information for USFS Terrestrial Wildlife Species of Concern in order to assist R1 USFS personnel with forest plan revisions and project level planning.
  
• Wildlife Diversity Monitoring
  Partner(s): MT-FWP
  Objective: Initiate a statewide program for assessing and continuing to monitor the status and distribution of terrestrial wildlife including amphibians, reptiles, bats and small terrestrial mammals.