mammal study

[scouter01]

My troop did a "class" to get most of a mb. the requiremnet is
5. Work with your counselor, select and carry out one project that will influence the numbers of one or more mammals. I was joking around and said that we could use rat traps to influnce the popluation, but they thought that wasn't what the requirment wanted even though i think it is ok. my quesitons are 1. Do you thik that is allowable ( I won't do it but I want to anyway) and 2. In your opion what would be a good rpoject?

[Quailman]

Bat houses. They're easy to make and if the bats take up residence, you've got a natural insect control, reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Everyone wins. You just have to get past people's irrational fear of flying mammals.

And your suggestion (rat traps) sounds like something I wopuld come up with. As a MBC, I'd try going the other way (increasing the numbers of a desirable mammal).

[scouter01]

hmmm I don't reallysee bats where I live (can't post where ) but maybe I will try squirrel houses

[Quailman]

hmmm I don't reallysee bats where I live

That's okay. I'll bet they don't see you either.

Check a field guide to mammals or look online for their range. They may live in your area and you don't see them because of the time of day they're active. Or maybe they don't have enough suitable habitat (like bat houses) to occur in great numbers.

[jr56]

You could establish some plantings that would provide food for mammals.
Build a brushpile to provide shelter. There's lots of possibilities.