Diversity of Small Mammals in the Northwestern Lithuania (Mažeikiai District)

During the investigation carried out in 1997 and 2000 on the territory of Mažeikiai district small mammals representing 13 species were found. The most widespread and abundant were Sorex araneus and Clethrionomys glareolus, captured in all the 20 investigated UTM squares. In more than half of the investigated squares Apodemus agrarius, A. flavicollis, A. uralensis, Microtus arvalis and M. agrestis were detected. Sorex minutes, Neomys fodiens, Mus musculus, Micromys minutes, Microtus oeconomus and M. rossiaemeridionalis were comparatively rare and were captured in less than half of the investigated squares. Rarity of some of the species during the investigation could have been related to their natural fluctuation in abundance. Noteworthy is the wide distribution of Apodemus uralensis quite a recently identified species in Lithuania - on the territory of Mažeikiai district.