History of Wildlife in Massachusetts

• Investigators: Debra Bernardos, James Cardoza, David Foster, Glenn Motzkin
• Contact: David Foster
• Start date: 1640-01-01
• End date: 1998-12-31
• Location: Massachusetts
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• Keywords: extinction, population, regional patterns
• Abstract:

  The settlement of Massachusetts by Europeans resulted in a profound transformation in the composition and density of the native wildlife populations. Changing land-use practices and forest cover over the past three hundred years have caused dramatic changes in the population levels of many species and modern populations may still be responding to these historical dynamics. We investigated changes in wildlife populations from the pre-settlement period to the present and attempted to determine the specific causes behind these historical population fluctuations. Although Massachusetts contains a diverse assortment of wildlife, many are not well represented in the historical record. In this study, we used the history of well-documented species to illustrate population trends for a variety of species and to discuss the conservation implications of these trends.

  These trends and species include: (1) Wildlife species that were abundant prior to European settlement, but that declined with historical land clearing for agriculture and that have become abundant again in the 20th century, (i.e., White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus; Black Bear, Ursus americanus; Wild Turkey, Melagris gallopavo). (2) Wildlife species that were abundant prior to European settlement and then were either extirpated from the State, (i.e., Timber Wolf, Canis lupus and Mountain Lion, Felis concolor) or became extinct, (i.e., Heath Hen, Tympanuchus cupido cupido and Passenger Pigeon, Ecopistes migratorius). (3) Wildlife species that had a low abundance prior to European settlement, increased with historical land-clearing, and have started to decline in the 20th century (i.e., Grassland Birds). (4) Wildlife species that did not occur in Massachusetts prior to European settlement, but have recently expanded their natural range, (i.e., Eastern Coyote, Canis latrans; Virginia Opossum, Didelphis virginiania; Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura).

  These historical population trends will be related to changes in forest cover and the land-use history of Massachusetts to determine whether the driving force behind these population changes was habitat loss, hunting pressure or other factors. Data on historical wildlife distribution and abundance has been gathered through intensive library research of a variety of sources which include accounts from early explorers and colonists, town and county histories, magazine and newspaper articles, and papers written by early naturalists, mammalogist, and ornithologists. Data on recent population levels have been gathered from Annual Reports, Game Population Trend and Harvest Surveys, and unpublished data of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

  The results from this study will aid in understanding current wildlife population trends and in the decision making process of wildlife conservation and management issues, such as high White-tailed deer populations, the decline in grassland birds, and the possible re-introduction of the wolf into the northeastern United States.

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