A New Long-tailed Weasel County Record in Shenandoah National Park

Abstract

Though abundant throughout much of its range, the ecology and local geographic distribution of Mustela frenata (Long-tailed Weasel) is not wellknown, especially in the central Appalachian Mountains. In 2015, we conducted a camera study in rock outcrop habitats within Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. Our objective was to determine the presence of mammals considered uncommon in these habitats. After 2,016 trap nights, we report eleven photographic captures of Long-tailed Weasels at eight sites. Two of these sites represent the first record of this species in Rappahannock County, Virginia. These detections represent the first record of Long-tailed Weasels in Shenandoah National Park in 60 years and extend their known range within the Park.