Geology topics

Louise Richardson

Publications and source records attributed to Louise Richardson.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS1986

Activity of radio-tagged black-footed ferrets

Activity of two radio-tagged black-footed ferrets ( Mustela nigripes ) was investigated during October-November 1981 (an adult male monitored for 16 days), and during August-November 1982 (a young female monitored for 101 days). Aboveground activity of the male averaged 2.95 hr/night, 15% of the total time monitored. From 22 September to 5 November, aboveground activity of the female averaged 1.9 hours; 26% of the time she was stationary and 74% of the time she was moving. During August the juvenile female emerged at least once on 93% of the nights. She was least active in November. Both animals were primarily nocturnal (although daylight activity was not uncommon), and timing of nightly activity was similar, peaking from 0100 to 0359.

Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs↗

USGS1986

Fecal bile acids of black-footed ferrets

Fecal bile acid characteristics have been used to identify scats to species of origin. Fecal bile acids in scats from 20 known black-footed ferrets ( Mustela nigripes ), 7 other known small carnivores, and 72 of unknown origin were analyzed to determine if this procedure could be used as a tool to verify ferret presence in an area. Seventeen ferret scats were suitable for analysis and had a mean fecal bile acid index of 156 ± 9. This was significantly different from mean indices for the other carnivores; however, substantial overlap among confidence intervals occurred for badgers, kit foxes, and especially long-tailed weasels. We conclude this method is not useful for making positive identifications if individual ferret scats and suggest that we may be able to definitively identify individual scats with reasonable confidence by using gas-liquid chromatography.

Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs↗