|Talus cave community ||David M. Hunt SubSystem: Natural Caves
State Rarity Rank: Global Rarity Rank: Did you know? Talus cave
communities are not like typical caves. They occur amidst
boulders or cobbles where openings form between rocks. They
originate from layers of rocks and boulders that slip down a
mountain or cliff. Animals that use talus caves for denning and
cover include rattlesnakes, bobcats, porcupines, bats, and other
small mammals and reptiles. |State Ranking Justification|| There
are a few hundred occurrences statewide. A few documented
occurrences have good viability and few are protected on public
land or private conservation land. This community is limited to
areas of the state with fractured talus that accumulates at the
base of cliffs and mountains. There are a few large, high
quality examples in New York. The current trend of this
community is probably stable for occurrences on public land, or
declining slightly elsewhere due to moderate threats that
include mineral extraction and recreat