Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve Mammal Inventory & Monitoring Program

Mammal Inventory & Monitoring Program Grant -- 2003-2005.

Beginning in Summer 2003, a grant from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior is supporting a comprehensive inventory and monitoring program of the Mammals of Jean Lafitte National Park and Preserve (JLNPP). The project will provide baseline data on the status and relative abundance of mammals in the Barataria and Chalmette Battlefield units of JLNHPP.
 

The present state of the mammal species list and status is incomplete and largely unconfirmed in the case of the Barataria unit and entirely unknown at Chalmette Battlefield.  The status of bat species in both units is especially poorly documented and is of special concern, as is the status of carnivores.  Additionally, previous mammal studies have not adequately sampled the extensive marsh and swamp habitats of Barataria, which comprise nearly 70% of the unit’s area.

Description of our Project

Photo Gallery

Mammal Sightings (submitted by the public)

Our Research Team is headed by Dr. Craig S. Hood, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans and Ms. Lauren Nolfo, Ph.D. student, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University.  In addition, we have undergraduate student researchers participating from Loyola University, and other students from regional universities.

You can help !!
Members of the public can help us by reporting observations of mammals or mammal sign (tracks, scat, etc...) they make at either Barataria or Chalmette National Historical Park and Battlefield.  Here is a copy of our pubic flyer asking for your assistance ==>  PUBLIC FLYER (in pdf).

You can help us understand the distribution, habits, and ecology of your park’s mammals by reporting the following to the Visitor’s Center -or directly to Dr. Craig S. Hood -- chood@loyno.edu -

• sightings or observations on mammals
• locations of animal remains
• locations of sign (tracks, droppings)
• locations of owl pellets

It is important that you describe the sighting or observation in as much detail as possible, and especially, the specific location, so that we can investigate it and enter it into our GPS data.  Please remember that this is a National Park and all resources are protected.  It is illegal to collect any natural objects including mammals (even their remains).  Just give us your info and we’ll check it out.

In addition to contacting Park personnel in the Visitor’s Center, feel free to contact -- Dr. Craig Hood, Loyola Univ., (504) 865-2193 or 220-2193

Send comments to  chood@loyno.edu
 

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