The Delmarva fox squirrel is similar in color and appearance to the eastern gray squirrel, but is larger and heavier. It is approximately 30 inches long, including its 15 inch tail, and weighs around three pounds. Its body and tail are a frosty silver-gray, with a white belly. Its most noticeable feature is its unusually full, fluffy tail.
Compared to the eastern gray squirrel, the Delmarva fox squirrel is quiet and shy, and somewhat less active than its smaller cousin. These squirrels inhabit mixed forests of conifer and broadleaf trees with open understory, feeding on nuts from oak, hickory, walnut, sweetgum, and loblolly pine trees. In the summer and early fall they like to eat pine cones, and in the spring, tree buds and flowers, fungi, insects, fruit, and seeds.
Like other tree squirrels, Delmarva fox squirrels make their nests either in cavities in trees, or construct a drey from twigs and leaves in the tree branches.
In 1967, the Delmarva fox squirrel was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. At the time, it inhabited only 10 percent of its former range. Since then, there has been some success made in restoring habitat, and some squirrels have been relocated to parts of the former range. However, the species is still under serious threat from continuing development of its habitat. Global warming presents an additional threat, as some parts of the coastal territory are predicted to be inundated by rising sea levels within the next fifty years.
One spotted last year and one this year in Bethel, DE
ReplyDeleteTalbot County is trying to cut down the Mistletoe Forest, a 6 acre Fox Squirrel Habitat outside of Easton. We need your help to stop this.
ReplyDeleteRobert, I would love to do anything I can to help. Where can I find more information on this? I did a Google search and didn't come up with anything. You can email me at dan.hickerson@gmail.com.
ReplyDeleteDermatophytosis is caused by a fungus that attacks the shaft of the hair where it emerges from the skin. Since it attacks the hair and causes it to become brittle, the hair breaks off at the skin line and falls off leaving a bald area, but no obvious skin irritation. This condition is common in late Winter and early Spring. The treatment is nutritional support. It's usually not fatal and the squirrel will recover from it over time. Feeding squirrels chunks of raw coconut and raw coconut oil can help, because the Lauric Acid and Capric Acid in the raw coconut oil is anti-fungal.
ReplyDeleteThese animals are so cute! We need to save them!
ReplyDeleteThey've been delisted because of captive releases on the Delmarva pennisula.
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