Bait Preferences and Population Status of Small Mammals in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

A study in Great Smoky Mountains National Park found that peanut butter was the most effective bait for trapping small mammals, significantly outperforming empty traps or those baited with potted meat. However, the overall number of small mammals caught in 2010 was substantially lower than in a previous study conducted between 1999 and 2003, despite similar trapping efforts. This decline may be attributed to factors such as a intervening drought and the recent introduction of coyotes (Canis latrans) and European wild boar (Sus scrofa), both of which could negatively impact small mammal populations. The study also did not detect the presence of the least weasel (Mustela nivalis), suggesting it is unlikely to inhabit the park, but recommended further research to confirm this and explore the effects of invasive species on native small mammals.

Kumar, A. V., Linzey, D. W., & Smith, C. R. (2013). Bait Preferences and Population Status of Small Mammals in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science, 129(2), 44–52. https://doi.org/10.7572/2167-5880-129.2.44