Site 8

Since O.W.L.S. is an outdoor classroom for the students of Goddard High School, it is important to mention that the GHS Science Department does provide an opportunity for interested students to participate in a state wide study of trapping, tagging, and releasing field mice and voles.  The purpose of tracking these critters is to monitor the wellbeing of the ecosystem of the area as well as the grassland biome overall.   The number of field mice and small mammals tagged for data provides insight of how healthy the plant life in the park is, as well as how plentiful of a food source is available to the predators of the area like coyotes, hawks, owls, foxes, and snakes that eat voles and mice.  If there is a balanced number of rodents in the park, then the vegetation provides enough healthy food and shelter for them to reproduce, and in turn, the field mice, shrews, and voles keep the predators well fed so that their numbers in the area are evened out as well.  Once the number of small mammals is skewed as either too many or not enough, then the ecosystem of the area or the food chain is off-kilter for many species that reside here. 

Small mammals that you could find in the O.W.L.S. park that keep flora and fauna in balance are the following:  

• Cotton Rat

• Deer Mouse

• Shrew

• Vole