This month, we published
Mammals of Indiana by Indiana State University biology professor John O. Whitaker, Jr. In
this pocket-sized field guide, the author provides color photos, skull close-ups, range maps, and descriptions to help the reader identify all mammals
indigenous to the area—and even a few that are not, but now can be
found in the Hoosier state. I recently interviewed Whitaker about his book, his love of mammals, and the work he is doing on bat research and education.
IU Press blog: When did you first become interested in studying mammals?
John Whitaker: I have been interested in natural history since I was about 7 or 8, but became serious in 8th grade (1949), when my mother informed me that I did not have to be a dentist (my father had actually provided a dental chair for me). In the next sentence I said that I was going to Cornell University and would study vertebrate natural history. I had planned to study birds, but a series of events led me to work with W. J. Hamilton Jr. on mammals. That particular decision was made about my junior year in college, and I went on to work with Bill Hamilton on undergraduate research projects, and then did my PhD on the meadow jumping mouse with him as my adviser.
IUP blog: In your book, you propose that Indiana should have a state mammal. What do you think it should be and why?
JW: I think that it should be the Indiana bat, as it is one of only two mammals described from Indiana, it has Indiana in its name, and this species is well known because of its economic impact. This species has been listed as endangered, and the USFWS [
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service] spends much effort on this animal.
IUP blog: One species I am surprised to see listed as an Indiana mammal is the armadillo. How did it end up here?
JW: We have seen four individuals of armadillos from Indiana to date. There are over 100 known from Illinois, and quite a few from Kentucky. It is possible that all four have moved into Indiana from Illinois and possibly Kentucky and are not hoaxes (One was a hoax—i.e., somebody brought it from elsewhere and deposited it on an Indiana highway). All four were in the southwest part of the state, and one was picked up (still warm) by a conservation officer. This species may be moving northward with climate warming.
IUP blog: You provide a list of extirpated native species in your book. I noticed that some of the dates of extirpation roughly coincide with the time when more settlers moved into Indiana (when the Indiana Territory was established in 1800 and later when Indiana became a state in 1816). How large of a role do humans play in the extirpation of a species? What are some other reasons why a species becomes extirpated?
JW: Humans play a huge role in extirpation of species in a number of ways. It is mostly the larger predators that become extirpated. They are hunted and trapped and are often killed because of a real or perceived (often just perceived) idea that they will kill livestock. Unlike normal predators, humans can continue to hunt an individual species to extinction. Pressure from natural predators decreases as prey populations decrease; then they turn their attention to more abundant prey. Another huge cause of extirpation is loss of habitat, and this too is mostly human caused. Pollution is another factor than can cause mortality and can contribute to extirpation.
IUP blog: In addition to the list of extirpated native species, you also provide a list of Indiana’s endangered species (Indiana myotis, gray myotis, evening bat, swamp rabbit, Franklin’s ground squirrel, Allegheny woodrat, and bobcat). What efforts are underway to preserve these Indiana mammals?
JW: The USFWS is responsible for maintaining populations of the federally endangered species, the Indiana and gray bats. The Indiana bat receives by far the most attention for two reasons—there is only one population of gray bats in Indiana; it invaded about 1980 and has one main population which has been increasing since then. It started with about 400 individuals and now has over 6,000. The others are state endangered and are managed by IDNR [
Indiana Department of Natural Resources]. The evening bat receives little or no protection but is maintaining itself well mostly in the lower Wabash River Valley. The swamp rabbit is fully protected, but there is very little habitat where they still occur. Some thought is being given to moving some to areas of good habitat. Franklin's ground squirrel, wood rat and bobcat are being monitored by DNR, and studies are being made on them to see what can be done for each.
IUP blog: Besides being an author and professor, you’re also the director of the
Center for North American Bat Research and Conservation. Tell us a little about your work with the center and its purpose.
JW: The Bat Center does research and monitoring for bats around the state and in some other states. We have the largest and most comprehensive study on the Indiana bat anywhere. It is being done on Indianapolis International Airport ground southwest of the airport. We have had and have other studies underway on most other species of Indiana.
IUP blog: Is the center conducting any research on
white-nose syndrome?
JW: Yes, we are currently doing research on white-nose syndrome [WNS]. We are studying chitinase producing bacteria. We think that chitinase producing bacteria produce energy by digesting the tiny remnant pieces of exoskeleton of insects even during the winter and that this gives the bats an extra source of energy to help them survive the winter, a time when they are not feeding (and the main time that WNS bats die). We find that these bacteria are much reduced in bats with WNS, which could mean that they are energy deprived. We also do many projects with companies to determine if Indiana bats are present on sites to determine if mitigation is needed.
IUP blog: The center sponsors a yearly
bat festival in Indiana. How did the idea for this event come about? What kinds of activities will take place at this year’s festival?
JW: The bat festival this year will be on 18 September here in the Science Building at ISU [
Indiana State University]. As usual, it is for the general public, and we will have speakers, live bats, events for kids, books and articles for sale, an art contest, an auction, mostly of bat or wildlife related items, and a science night where we demonstrate bats flying and feeding, and we have broadcasting equipment so that people can hear the echolocation calls while they watch the bats.
IUP blog: What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
JW: I hope that they will get an appreciation for the mammals that occur in the state, especially the smaller species, and will be able to identify them and learn something of their life histories.
IUP blog: What upcoming books are you working on?
JW: Habitats and Ecological Communities of Indiana. It was sponsored by IDNR, has several authors, and has been accepted for publication by IU Press;
Mammals of New York (also has several authors) and is about ready to be submitted;
Food Habits of Mammals of North America (with Laura Bakken). I have been working on this for over 50 years, but it is approaching finalization.
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