Allegheny Woodrat: Update since 2017

Allegheny Woodrat, Neotoma magister.  Photo by: Sam James

A blog post written back in 2017 introduced the reader to an ongoing project to protect the Allegheny woodrat, Neotoma magister.  Since 2017, a lot has happened in the woodrat world on and around the Edge of Appalachia.  From the 55 woodrats caught in 2017, DNA samples have suggested lower than optimal genetic health.  In order to booster the genetics of the rat populations in Ohio, biologists decided to capture woodrats from surrounding states and release them in Ohio. The known population of Ohio woodrats are isolated from others across Eastern US.  The goal is to add some diversity to the tiny island of woodrats left in this state.

In 2018 and 2019, Ohio Division of Wildlife continued baiting the known habitats of the woodrat with deworming pills dropped from helicopters.  The idea is to deworm the raccoons that might have the roundworm detrimental to the woodrats survival.  This creates a safer place to release woodrats from other localities.

So far, two out of state woodrats have been released in suitable sites on the preserve.  Working with Pennsylvania Game Commission, we trapped woodrats in Pennsylvania, finding the proper aged female we wanted for translocation.

Allegheny woodrat habitat in Pennsylvania.  Re-finding traps in this habitat was a challenge. 

Pennsylvania woodrat getting ready for transfer.

Pennsylvania woodrat getting ready for released in her new home.

This woodrat was released on the preserve at a pre-determined spot, close to a males territory and within cliffs providing plenty of space for nesting.  She was monitored for a few weeks, and now lives somewhere on the preserve.  Hopefully, she will be mating this spring and adding to the genetics of Ohio.

Another rat came to us opportunistically from Virginia.  A private landowner had caught some rats on his farm that he said "looked different".  They were Allegheny woodrats, not Norway rats.  So the Virginia DOW contacted Ohio DOW and organized a rat transfer to the Edge for a second release.  This second rat was vetted by Veterinarians, had radio collar applied and brought to the Edge before the winter.  Since it was late in the season, plans were made to watch her more closely, giving her plenty of food and recording her actions throughout the winter.

This Virginia rat moved right in, making herself home in the cave.  She decided to use the cave we released her and to date, has been there all winter.  If she hasn't already, we hope the neighboring male will mate with her. This will add her genes into the pool of these isolated woodrats that have little chance of genetic diversity where fewer than 100 individuals live within 17,000 acres.

Here is a video of the Virginia rat's release into her new cave:

Below is a compilation of the Virginia woodrats activities. 

She has taught us a lot about Allegheny woodrat behavior throughout the winter.  A few other woodrats have visited her cave, some male and some juvenile.  Other visitors include: Virginia oppossum, raccoon, bobcat, Carolina wren, mice, gray squirrel and humans.  She was active all winter.  She fought with the male to keep him away from her multiple nests she built.  Three nests were visible in a crack.  Her midden full of food we left for her was not visible, but videos showed her collect the majority of food.  And multiple times she at least went through the motions of mating with the male.  Whether or not she was ready, or it was successful will be determined later!

The plan for the future is to translocate a few more rats.  In the meantime, we will continue baiting and monitoring for raccoon roundworm parasites. Next year we will trap again to collect DNA to see if the foreign genes are making their way into the local gene pool.  This large conservation project to save and protect one of the rarest mammals in Ohio could not happen without the help of Ohio Division of Wildlife.  Although an ongoing project, it appears the current Allegheny woodrats population in Ohio is at least stable and hopefully will increase after this projects efforts.

Posted by: Mark Zloba