Overview:
The Kansas Mammal Atlas (KMA) follows the model set by the Kansas Herpetofaunal Atlas (KHA), to document the Kansas biodiversity. A State Wildlife Grant (USFWS/KDWPT joint venture) in 2005 facilitated enhancements to the site and produced a significant increase in specimen occurrence records. Additional assistance was provided by many interested individuals and volunteers. The Atlas continues to be maintained and enhanced by the authors.
The KMA serves both education and conservation. The occurrence records (some going back to the 1800s), represent baseline data for future research, assist with conservation needs as they arise, and contribute to an increasing public awareness of the amphibians and reptiles in the state.
There are 89 species (different kinds) of mammals in Kansas. The KMA contains information on all known occurrences of Kansas' mammals (except humans). Unique to the site, are the most up-to-date distribution maps of each species known to occur (or potentially occur) in the state. Each species account has text descriptions summarizing the description, distribution, natural history, taxonomy, and an ever-growing list of references.
Users have full access to most records and are encouraged to report new occurrences as they are found. Specific locality data for species currently designated as Endangered (E), Threatened (T), or Species in need of Conservation (SINC) by Kansas statute or KDWPT regulation, is limited. Additionally, specific locality for bats are partially restricted due tothe potential for spreading White-nose Syndrom among populations. If you need these data, you are encouraged to contact the collection that maintains them and make a request.
The KMA represents the work of thousands of individuals that collected and recorded the 50,000+ specimens and observations presented herein. Our current level of understanding with respect to Kansas' mammal fauna is a result of their efforts. There is still much to learn, and those of you wishing to contribute to the Atlas, may do so by donating specimens or adding observations directly.
I hope you find the KMA useful... comments and suggestions are always welcome.
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Curtis J. Schmidt1, Matt Peek2, Glennis A. Kaufman3, Donald W. Kaufman3, Elmer J. Finck1, Lorelei Patrick1, Andrew Hope3, and Robert Timm4
1Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Fort Hays State University, Hays; cjschmidt@fhsu.edu, ejfinck@fhsu.edu, lepatrick@fhsu.edu
2Kansas Department of Wildilfe, Parks, and Tourism, Emoporia
3Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan; ahope@ksu.edu, gkaufman@ksu.edu, dwkaufma@ksu.edu
4Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence; btimm@ku.edu
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