Month/Year of Graduation
5-2025
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Department
Biology
First Advisor
Jeremy A. White
Abstract
The southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) is a threatened species in Nebraska that occurs along the Missouri River in the southeastern corner of the state, but recently, a population was discovered in the city of Lincoln. The method in which G. volans established a population in Lincoln is unknown. A survey of the current distribution in Nebraska is long overdue, thus the most effective survey methods need to be determined. This study investigated and compared two noninvasive survey techniques, ultrasonic detectors and trail cameras, that have recently been used successfully to survey for a similar species, the northern flying squirrel, in North Carolina. I also tested whether bait influenced the effectiveness of either survey technique. This study found that the acoustic detectors were significantly more likely to detect flying squirrels and detected them faster than cameras. It also found that bait did not increase the likelihood or rate of detecting flying squirrels with detectors. For southern flying squirrels at the western edge of their range in Nebraska, acoustic detectors are an effective method for rapid presence/absence surveys.
Recommended Citation
Winfield, Jay, "Comparing Non-Invasive Survey Techniques for Southern Flying Squirrels (Glaucomys volans) in Nebraska" (2025). Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects. 361.
https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/university_honors_program/361