British Landowner's Group Pushes For Cruel Poisoning of Grey Squirrels

The British war against grey squirrels is once again in the news. Earlier this year, Prince Charles engineered a "squirrel accord" that called for increased slaughter of greys squirrels in the English countryside, and later ordered a massacre of greys on his own personal estates. Now a prominent British landowner's organization is pressing for a reversal of the ban on a blood thinning drug for use as poison against the squirrels.

The County Land and Business Association (CLA) is asking the British government to license Warfarin for use as part of the "national action plan" against grey squirrels. Warfarin, a popular anticoagulant medication for humans, also has a history of use in "pest control," usually against rats and other rodents. Although often touted as a "humane" pesticide, in reality Warfarin kills its victims painfully, usually over a period of several days, of internal hemorrhage, an agonizing death that is anything but humane.

One of the proposed victims

In asking for permission to use this cruel drug, the CLA cites several of the arguments that have been used for years to justify the mass slaughter of grey squirrels in the UK, most prominently: that grey squirrels damage woodlands by stripping trees of their bark; and that grey squirrels are an invasive species that has caused a decline in the native red squirrel population, primarily by infecting red squirrels with the squirrel pox virus. Both of these arguments are flawed.

On the first argument, grey squirrels do sometimes strip bark off trees, particularly beech and sycamore, to access the sap beneath and to use the bark itself for nest lining. However, grey squirrel detractors tend to exaggerate the extent of the damage that this stripping does. The trees are rarely killed, and in fact the stripping can be beneficial to a forest ecosystem by encouraging the growth of fungi and invertebrates that provide food for birds and other animals.

Bark stripping by grey squirrels is seen as a problem mainly by timber harvesters who require "perfect" trees for the sawmill. However, the problem could be mitigated with improved land management practices. A greater mixture of broadleaf and conifer trees would reduce the damage from bark stripping and also provide a better environment for red squirrels who prefer conifer forests.

Regarding the argument that grey squirrels are responsible for the red squirrels' decline, this is a widespread but deeply flawed assumption. The truth is, Eurasian red squirrel numbers have declining in the UK for centuries, since well before the introduction of grey squirrels from North America in 1876. The primary reasons for the decline are habitat loss and deforestation, as well as disease. There is strong evidence that red squirrels were dying of squirrel pox in the early twentieth century, in areas where grey squirrels were not yet present. And up until the 1930s, red squirrels were widely regarded as pests and were slaughtered by the thousands, just as grey squirrels are today.

Also a victim

Proponents of grey squirrel "culls" (read "kills") claim to be conservationists acting in the interest of restoring the red squirrel. However, the true motive is twofold: the financial interests of the timber industry as represented by the CLA and other landowners; and a misguided nostalgia that sees the red squirrel as a symbol of past England that is fading from memory.

The fact is, most of the red squirrels in the UK today are descendants of squirrels introduced from the European mainland after previous local extinctions, so the current red squirrel population in England is no more native than the grey squirrel population. The idea that it is okay to slaughter one species in order to save another, or even worse, to maximize profits, is one that we need to lay to rest.

What Do Squirrels Do In The Winter?

As cold weather sets in and we complain about the freezing temperatures during our morning drive to work, it's easy to forget that wild animals have to deal with the winter weather without the benefit of heated homes and cars. Squirrels, like all other animals that live in cooler climates, have evolved a variety of strategies to deal with the winter cold. Of course, the specific strategies depend on the kind of squirrel, and the area where the squirrel lives, so it's not surprising that squirrels have a variety of behaviors to help them survive the winter months.

One of the most widespread misconceptions about squirrel behavior is that all squirrels hibernate during the winter. The truth is that while many ground squirrels do hibernate, tree squirrels and flying squirrels do not. This detail was apparently missed by the producers of Sponge Bob Square Pants, who depicted Sandy Cheeks, the seafaring eastern gray squirrel from Texas, sound asleep for the winter.

Of course, everything else about this show
makes perfect sense.

For real-life tree squirrels, the most familiar behavior for coping with winter is caching food. The eastern gray squirrel of North America is famous for its habit of burying acorns and other nuts. Facing competition for scarce food supplies from nearby squirrels and other animals, the gray squirrel caches nuts over a wide area during the fall, a technique known as "scatter hoarding." It bites and licks each nut, leaving its scent before burying it. The squirrel retrieves the buried nuts throughout the winter using both memory and its keen sense of smell. It is said that a gray squirrel can locate a nut by scent even through a foot of snow.




Squirrels have refined their caching techniques to reduce the number of nuts stolen by other animals. They have been observed pretending to bury nuts when they detect another squirrel or other animal nearby, attempting to throw off any potential nut thieves.

Other tree squirrels have different strategies for winter food caching. The American red squirrel inhabits coniferous forests of the north, where it feeds largely on seeds from spruce cones throughout the winter. Rather than scatter hoarding like its gray cousins, the more fiercely territorial red squirrel gathers cones into a central location, or "midden," in its territory. The pile of discarded leaves from the spruce cones can sometimes measure a meter or more across.

American red squirrel

Although they do not hibernate, tree squirrels and flying squirrels will reduce their activity and spend more time in their nests during the winter months. In colder climates, squirrels will often alter the timing of their daily routines. Instead of going out to find food in the early morning and near dust, they will leave the nest in the mid-afternoon to retrieve buried nuts, and stay curled up in their nests the rest of the time. A small supply of nuts may be stored in the nest so that during a particularly cold stretch, a squirrel may be able to stay in the nest without leaving at all for a day or two.

Tree squirrels and flying squirrels are territorial, and adults normally nest alone. But when cold weather sets in, often several squirrels living near each other will gather in one nest, temporarily, to share their body warmth. When warmer weather returns, the squirrels will part ways and return to their own individual nests.

Unlike tree squirrels and flying squirrels, many ground squirrels (which includes chipmunks, prairie dogs, and marmots) do hibernate during the winter. Not surprisingly, the ground squirrels of colder climates are the most likely to hibernate, and the length and timing of hibernation varies by climate. Squirrels of higher elevations, such as the Alpine marmot of Europe or the Belding's ground squirrel of western North America, may have extended hibernation periods lasting as much as eight or nine months.

Squirrels inhabiting similar territories may employ sharply different hibernation behaviors. For example, the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, a very small species whose territory extends from southern Canada south to central Texas, may enter hibernation anywhere from late July to October, and emerge between March and May, depending on the local conditions. By contrast, the black-tailed prairie dog, a larger ground squirrel which has a similar range to the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, does not hibernate at all, but may go into a light hibernation-like torpor in its burrows for short periods during particularly cold weather.

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel in Lubbock, TX

The champion of hibernation among the ground squirrels may be the Arctic ground squirrel. Found in Alaska and northern Canada, these squirrels live in colonies that may number in the hundreds. They spend the short spring and summer eating and gathering food to store in their underground tunnels. They hibernate from September until April in burrows that are lined with lichen, leaves and muskox hair. During hibernation, the Arctic ground squirrel's body temperature drops to 27 degrees F (-3 C), the lowest naturally occuring body temperature recorded for any mammal. When they awaken in April, the squirrels feed on the stored leaves, seeds, and grasses that they stored in the burrows until spring plants start to grow outside.

An Arctic ground squirrel hibernating in a
laboratory at the University of Alaska

Squirrels are an amazingly adaptable and varied family of animals. They can be found in some of the harshest climates on earth. I have touched here on just a few of the strategies that squirrels employ to survive the winter months. Of course, our familiar city gray squirrels are always willing to accept a little help from their friends.

Good News For Berkeley Ground Squirrels

A few weeks ago I shared the plan of Berkeley, California to exterminate the California ground squirrels living in Cesar Chavez Park due to concerns that the squirrels' burrowing might release buried toxic chemicals into the adjacent San Francisco Bay.

Happily, this plan has now been postponed while the city looks for other options. The city council voted to order the city manager to report back in two months with a new plan for dealing with the squirrels, and a response to questions that were raised by citizens and activist groups, including the local Golden Gate Audubon Society, who were upset with the impending slaughter.

While it's possible that the squirrels could still face extermination down the road, it looks like the city of Berkeley is now wanting to find another course of action toward reducing the park's ground squirrel population. The Audubon group, in a comment letter submitted to the council, has made suggestions that include modifying the vegetation in the park to reduce the squirrel population, encouraging the presence of natural predators, the use of squirrel contraceptives, and stricter enforcement of rules against feeding the squirrels.

Perhaps in the future cities might want to reconsider the wisdom of building parks on top of toxic landfills.

Berkeley, California Planning Mass Execution of Squirrels

The city of Berkeley, California is known as a center of tolerance and compassion, but a recent proposal by the city government goes against that image. The city is planning the mass extermination of ground squirrels and gophers in Cesar Chavez park. The park, which overlooks the San Francisco Bay, is built over a reclaimed landfill, and city officials are concerned that the burrowing squirrels might release dangerous toxic chemicals that could spill into the bay. So the city has hired an extermination company to trap and kill many, though not all, of the squirrels and gophers that inhabit the park.

California ground squirrel

As described in this story about the impending slaughter, when the park was built, the landfill was enclosed by layers of clay underneath, on the sides, and on top. The top layer of clay was covered with a layer of topsoil, which is what the squirrels and gophers have been digging into. As of yet, there has not been a problem with the rodents penetrating the clay that protects the landfill. But apparently, as the population of squirrels has increased, city officials have grown concerned that they might burrow right through the clay. If this happens, chemicals that are no doubt contained in the landfull could spill into the nearby bay.

The potential problem has been exarcebated by human visitors to the park who ignore signs warning them not to feed the squirrels, further increasing the population of the animals. The squirrels and gophers cannot be relocated as this would violate state laws that prohibit the relocation of any wild animals. Berkeley officials say that they have tried less extreme measures such as luring birds of prey into the park by providing nesting boxes and perches, but this did not help. And poisoning is not an option because it would affect other species.

There can be no doubt that protecting the San Francisco Bay from pollution has to be a priority, but the articles that I have read about this issue raise a number of bothersome questions. Is it not possible to upgrade the barrier that surrounds the landfill, perhaps by increasing the thickness of the clay cap or adding another material to enclose it? Is the extermination of the squirrels and gophers to go on indefinitely, and at what cost? Surely park officials are aware that any individuals killed will be quickly replaced by others that move in from the surrounding area and by breeding.

There are several other waterfront parks in the area that are also built over landfills, that also have large populations of ground squirrels, but for some reason at the other parks the potential release of toxins is not considered a problem. What makes conditions at the other parks so different? It seems to me that the Berkeley city officials need to more fully explain why this drastic measure is necessary, and investigate more fully what other steps could be taken short of killing potentially thousands of animals.

If the problem here really is the result of humans feeding the squirrels, then maybe the land in question should be closed off and turned into a wildlife preserve instead of a public park.

Update: I've put a link below to a petition that has been created to stop this drastic and cruel measure. Please click below to view and consider signing the petition!

Is Climate Change Creating A New Squirrel Species?

Is it possible that global warming could be causing the creation of new species of squirrels and other animals? According to a story on the Mother Nature Network website, climate change may be the cause for increasing numbers of hybrid flying squirrels being found in Canada.

These squirrels are hybrids of two species, the northern flying squirrel and the southern flying squirrel. As the names suggest, the northern flying squirrel is native to northern regions of the United States into Canada, while the southern flying squirrel is found further south in the United States. The northern flying squirrel is larger, and has a gray and white belly, while the smaller southern flying squirrel has an all-white belly. Hybrids between the two are the size of the southern flying squirrel, with mottled gray and white belly fur.

A northern flying squirrel visiting a
bird feeder

Recently, scientists in Ontario, Canada have discovered an increasing number of hybrids of the two species. Ontario is within the range of the northern flying squirrel, but is well to the north of the usual range for the southern flying squirrel. Researchers including Jeff Bowman theorize that warming temperatures are driving some species, including the southern flying squirrel, farther to the north, so that the ranges of these two species now overlap more than they did in the past. A recent survey found that around four percent of flying squirrels in Ontario are now hybrids.

A southern flying squirrel

This is certainly not the first example of hybridization between species. The story cites the example of cross-breeding between grizzly bears and polar bears, which may also increase with the effects of global warming. But Bowman and other scientists believe that the flying squirrels are the first documented case of a hybrid species specifically caused by human-generated climate change. It is not clear what the long-term impact of hybridization might be for the flying squirrels or other species. Might a new flying squirrel species created by cross-breeding be better adapted to deal with a warmer climate? It's too soon to tell.

Ground Squirrels Give a Hand to Burrowing Owls

The San Diego Zoo is reporting on the initial success of a project to help restore populations of burrowing owls in San Diego county by introducing California ground squirrels to their territory.

Welcome to the neighborhood!

The small owls, along with other species, have declined in number largely due to the introduction of non-native grasses by ranchers. These grasses provide a thicker ground cover than the owls are adapted to. According to researcher Ron Swaisgood of the San Diego Zoo, it would be impossible to restore this habitat to its previous state. However, introducing California ground squirrels might help to recreate a similar habitat as the squirrels dig their burrows and open up the vegetation.

Hey, where am I?

This project is, of course, not without its challenges and setbacks. Many of the ground squirrels apparently don't like their new home and take off for surroundings more to their liking. Others become prey for hawks and coyotes. But the researchers do what they can to ease the squirrels into their new hood. They move groups of squirrels that already know each other together (the squirrels are taken from private land where they are not wanted); the squirrels spend the first week in an "acclimation chamber" getting used to the new area; then they are fed tasty treats for several months as incentive to stick around.

So far the program has had some success. At least some of the squirrels are digging burrows and setting up households. And the owls seem to be benefiting, as some have already moved into abandoned squirrel burrows. The research team is closely monitoring the squirrels after release, and hoping to learn how to better insure greater success in the future!

Prairie Dog Reminder

Just a note to anyone who stumbles across this blog: on the right-hand side of this page you will see a widget where you can click to sign my petition on Care2, asking the EPA to ban two cruel, horrible poisons that ranchers and land developers routinely use for the mass slaughter of black-tailed prairie dogs. I am asking that you sign this petition. There are more humane ways to deal with prairie dogs if they absolutely must be removed from ones property. You can read more about why I care deeply about this issue here on my previous post. I and the prairie dogs thank you for your help.

Climate Change and the North American Red Squirrel

The American red squirrel, also known as the pine squirrel and the chickaree, is a medium-sized tree squirrel that inhabits much of the northern and eastern regions of North America, including most of Canada and the northeastern United States. Its diet consists largely of the seeds of conifer cones, although they also enjoy many other foods including conifer buds and needles, mushrooms, flowers, berries, and sometimes birds' eggs. Unlike the scatter-hoarding gray squirrel, the red squirrel stores food, primarily conifer cones, in a central location to provide food for the winter. The accumulated uneaten scraps from these food stores left behind by a red squirrel create a "midden" or trash pile that can measure as much as a meter in diameter.

Compared to the eastern gray squirrel, the American red squirrel is smaller but more aggressive in defending its territory. It is less likely to be seen in suburban yards and city parks, preferring wilderness areas more isolated from human activity. Also in contrast to the gray squirrel, the red squirrel will sometimes nest underground during the winter, although like other tree squirrels the red squirrel does not hibernate.

A recent study has examined the effects of global climate change on the feeding and mating habits of red squirrels over a period of several generations.

The authors of the study tagged and monitored the females of a population of approximately 325 red squirrels in the Yukon territory of Canada, from 1989-2001. During that period, the researchers kept track of the weather in the area, and monitored the feeding and reproductive habits of the squirrels. During the time of the study the mean spring temperature increased by 2 degrees Celsius. The production of the spruce cones that provide the squirrels' most important food source increased by 35 percent during the same period. And at the same time, the squirrels' breeding took place 18 days earlier by the end of the study period, advancing by about 6 days each generation.

The findings of this study seem on the surface to suggest that global warming has been beneficial to this population of squirrels. However, it is impossible to know what the long-term effects could be, both to the red squirrels and to other plant and animal species, and to the ecosystem as a whole. What seems to me most important about this research is the demonstration that climate change is having very real and demonstrable effects on the environment that has repercussions for the behavior of species. Much more long-term research is needed in this area.

Squirrel Facts: The Black Tailed Prairie Dog Needs Help

I have written about the black-tailed prairie dog before on this blog. Yesterday I created a petition on the Care2.com website to try to help this species by banning the use of two horrible poisons. Although I understand that the chances of success are slim, I want to do my part to raise awareness of the cruelties that are being inflicted on these animals. I am asking that you sign the petition and help spread the word.

This large ground squirrel of the grassy prairie and plains regions of North America lives in large colonies that can number in the hundreds or even thousands. Within their "towns" prairie dogs live in extended family groups or "coteries" consisting of several related females, their first-year young, and one or two males. Members of the coterie engage in mutual grooming, greet each other with "kisses" and hugs, and cooperate in activities such as caring for young and watching for and alerting others of potential danger.

Black-tailed prairie dogs live in burrows which can be amazingly complex. Each burrow may have multiple entrances, increasing the chance for escape from predators. The tunnels, marked by entrances ringed with a mound of dirt to help keep out water, may be up to five meters deep and 30 meters long. A burrow will usually be used by several generations of prairie dogs, and when abandoned may be taken over by other animals.

Unfortunately, the black-tailed prairie dog has been unfairly demonized by cattle ranchers and land developers. Ranchers believed, incorrectly, that the prairie dogs were taking food that was needed by their herds of cattle. This belief, which persists to this day, has let to the mass extermination of prairie dogs from their range. Today, after more than a century of slaughter by shooting and poisoning, the black-tailed prairie dog occupies less than two percent of its former range. Now, in addition to ranchers, new enemies including suburban land developers and even many city and town governments are carrying out a war of extermination against this sociable, intelligent ground squirrel.

The ranchers' war against the black-tailed prairie dog is based on a myth. The fact is, prairie dogs coexisted on the plains and prairies with massive herds of bison for thousands of years before cattle ranching took over the region. Bison and cattle require a very similar diet, and the prairie dog actually provides a benefit to the growth of the grasses that they eat. Their tunneling activity churns and mixes the soil and organic matter, and helps with water retention in the soil. Overgrazing by cattle does considerably more damage to the land than the presence of prairie dogs, and the activity of the prairie dogs may actually help to repair some of the damage done by the cattle.

Prairie dogs are also a vital component of the natural plains and prairie ecosystems. Ecologists refer to the black-tailed prairie dog as a "keystone" species. This is because a large number of other species are dependent on the prairie dog. They provide food for many predators including the American badger, bobcat, coyote, snakes, weasels, bald and golden eagles, hawks, and the critically endangered black-footed ferret, which has been driven to the brink of extinction by the extermination of the black-tailed prairie dog from its range. Many other animals, including snakes and burrowing owls, use abandoned prairie dog burrows for their homes. In all, at least 140 other species benefit from the presence of prairie dogs in their ranges.

Among the most lethal weapons in the arsenal of the enemies of the prairie dog are two poisons, Rozol (chlorophacinone) and Kaput-D (diphacinone). These two products have been approved by the EPA for use in ten states, in spite of the utter cruelty that they inflict on their victims and the widespread harm that they do to the environment.

These chemicals are blood thinners. When a prairie dog or other animal eats the poison, it experiences a slow, painful decline and death by internal bleeding that may take several weeks. During that time the prairie dog becomes weak and disoriented, making it easier prey for carnivores. After death the poison will remain in the carcass. Any animals that eats the meat will also consume the poison.

Several years ago the Environmental Protection Agency considered and rejected listing the black-tailed prairie dog as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. It has also given approval to the use of these two cruel, dangerous poisons. I believe that the EPA is negligent in carrying out its intended mission. I hope that you will help by signing the petition and take a stand for the prairie dogs.

If you would like more information on black-tailed prairie dogs and the threats that they are facing, you can read more here for general black-tailed prairie dog info, and here for more on the effects of Rozol and Kaput-D.

Could Climate Change Affect Gray Squirrels?

This excellent recent essay on the Chattanooga website Nooga.com notes an apparent absence of gray squirrels in that city, and ponders the possibility that this trend could be related to climate change.

The author, Jean Lomino of the Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center, does not reach any firm conclusions, but raises a significant issue, reminds us of the importance of every species and our responsibility to understand and protect the entire web of nature.

It's strange and sobering to think of the possibility of the southeastern US without its gray squirrels.

Climate Change and The Belding's Ground Squirrel

Continuing on the topic of squirrels and global warming, a study just released by the University of California-Berkeley looks at how climate change is affecting the Belding's ground squirrel (note that this article discusses two studies; the study concerning the ground squirrels is covered in the second half of the article).

Hey, I think someone's talking about us!

The Belding's ground squirrel lives in mountainous areas of western North America. Its range covers parts of northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Nevada. This medium-sized squirrel prefers high meadows and brushy areas with an ample supply of vegetation and water. Related female squirrels live and interact together in colonies, while the adult males are nomadic.

Like most ground squirrels, Belding's ground squirrels hibernate through the cold winter months. The timing of the hibernation depends both on the altitude of the colony and the sex of the individual. As one might expect, squirrels living at higher elevations enter hibernation sooner than those at lower elevations. Also, males usually enter hibernation earlier than females. Related females often hibernate together, while males hibernate alone.

The study that I linked to at the beginning of this post looked at the movements of populations of the Belding's ground squirrel in response to global climate change. The authors of the study found that the squirrels had disappeared from more than forty percent of the areas that they had been recorded in the early part of the twentieth century. The disappearances were most common in higher-elevation areas that have experienced pronounced increases in temperature and rainfall in the past century. This finding was a surprise to the researchers, as the species has not been considered to be threatened and was in fact thought to be quite common. On the other hand, the Belding's ground squirrel has increased in some areas that have been modified by humans.

Although the Belding's ground squirrel is still not considered to be under serious thread, the unexpected declines demonstrate clearly how serious and complex an issue climate change is.

Climate Change and the Columbian Ground Squirrel

The Columbian ground squirrel is found in high meadows and grasslands of eastern British Columbia and western Alberta in Canada, and parts of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana in the United States. These ground squirrels live in colonies, spending four to five months of the year eating grasses, leaves, bulbs, fruits and seeds, and raising their litters of three to five young.

The other seven or eight months they spend hibernating. Each squirrel's burrow has a hibernation chamber. Columbian ground squirrels may begin hibernation in some areas as early as July. During the warm months, each squirrel puts on sufficient fat to survive the winter, and gathers seeds and bulbs in its burrow to eat when it wakes up. When hibernation begins the squirrel will seal the chamber with a plug of dirt. It will not emerge until the following spring.

Is it spring yet?

Now research is suggesting that global climate change is altering the hibernation patterns of the Columbian ground squirrel, with troubling implications. A team of scientists followed a group of female squirrels in Alberta over a period of twenty years. They have found that by 2011, the squirrels were emerging from hibernation an average of ten days later than at the beginning of the study.

The researches believe that the reason for the later emergence is a trend toward wetter, snowier winters in the region. They believe that the squirrels can detect the presence of snow cover from inside their hibernation chambers. Global warming is creating favorable conditions for later snowfall, and as a result the squirrels hibernate longer and emerge later.

The troubling aspect of this research is that with the longer hibernation, fewer of the ground squirrels are surviving the winter sleep. At the beginning of the project, twenty years ago, 87 percent of the female squirrels survived the winter hibernation. By 2011, only 67 percent of the females that entered hibernation emerged the following spring. The scientists aren't sure of the reason, but speculate that the shorter period above ground means that there is less time for the squirrels to put on the body fat required to survive the winter.

Whatever the reason, the fact is that fewer of these ground squirrels are surviving their winter hibernation, and this trend is not likely to reverse any time soon. It is one more piece of evidence of the damage that human-created climate change is doing to our planet.

Addition: Here is another, more detailed article about the Columbian ground squirrel study. It gives more information on the relationship between emerging later from hibernation and the increased failure of the squirrels to survive. It also gives a more complete explanation of the relationship between climate change (global warming) and increased late-winter and early-spring snowfall.

Chicago Squirrels Scarce During Hot Summer

According to the Chicago Sun Times, squirrel sightings have become increasingly rare this summer, even in areas where the rodents are usually plentiful. One puzzled Chicago resident is quoted asking "where did all the squirrels go? It's so weird."

The reason for the absence of squirrels, the article says, is the relatively mild winter followed by this summer's unusual heat and lack of rain. While more squirrels than usual survived the winter, the resulting overpopulation combined with the drought and extreme heat have probably resulted in a large-scale die-off, especially among the spring litters.

An urban ecologist quoted by the paper, Steve Sullivan, states that this combination of factors could affect the next three generations of squirrels in the windy city.

Can someone bring me a glass of water?

Of course, that estimate is probably assuming that conditions return to normal next year. Unfortunately, the Sun Times completely ignores the larger issue of global climate change. Local and regional fluctuations in numbers of squirrels and other wildlife are likely to become more frequent, and more lasting, as temperatures continue to rise and rainfall becomes more scarce in coming years. And of course it's not just wildlife that will be affected by global warming.

It's little stories like this, that are so easy to overlook, that should be getting much more attention for what they tell us about the bigger picture of long-term global climate change.

Good News For Red Squirrels In England

The website ClickLiverpool.com is reporting a strong increase in the population of Eurasian red squirrels in a wildlife conservation area near the city of Liverpool in northern England. According to the report, just a few years ago an epidemic of squirrel pox virus had reduced the population at the preserve at Sefton on Merseyside from 1500 to only 150 in 2008. Now, the most recent census of the red squirrels has found the population in the area at around 1000, and the article notes that additional "small but viable" populations have been established in other nearby areas.

It would be nice if this could
be a common sight in the UK

The article did not suggest any theories about why the population has rebounded so strongly. However, it did mention that the area is one of pine forests, which is the most favorable habitat for the red squirrels. It is likely that the survivors of the epidemic have passed on some resistance to the virus to their offspring, which would help ensure greater survival rates in the event of a future outbreak of the disease.

By far the most important thing that humans can do to help this population of red squirrels continue to grow is to protect the remaining pine forest habitat, and hopefully set aside areas where additional pine forest can grow. The article made no mention of culling of grey squirrels in the area, and I hope that this loathsome and cruel practice has not been carried out there. Grey squirrel culling will not bring about sustainable recovery of the red squirrel population. This can only be accomplished through habitat protection focusing on pine forests in the norther parts of England and in Scotland.

With your help we can both survive!

For more information on why the culling of grey squirrels is a mistake, please visit Professor Acorn's website or the website of SOG Save Our Greys.

Squirrel Facts: The Kaibab Squirrel

The Kaibab squirrel is a subspecies of the Albert's squirrel, a large tree squirrel of the Rocky Mountain and plateau regions of the western United States and Mexico. Kaibab squirrels are found only in northern Arizona, in a small area on the north rim of the Grand Canyon around the town of Jacob Lake.

As you can see I am quite unique!

A dark-colored squirrel with a body about twelve inches long, a black or dark-gray belly and a dark-brown patch on the back, the Kaibab squirrel has two particularly noticeable features: long ear tufts similar to those of the Eurasian red squirrel; and a startling snow-white tail.

Like other Albert's squirrels, the Kaibab squirrel is completely dependent on ponderosa pine forests. The most important part of its diet consists of the seeds found on the inside of the ponderosa pine cone. It also eats the inner bark from the twigs of this tree, as well as fungi that grow in the vicinity of the trees. Fruit and acorns also make up part of its diet. Unlike most tree squirrels, the Kaibab squirrel does not hide or store food for the winter.

Female Kaibab squirrels build dreys of twigs and needles high in ponderosa pine trees, usually on a strong limb close to the main trunk. The dreys are roughly spherical and may have a platform that extends from the bottom edge on one side. The mother will often move the young to a larger nest when they are between three and six weeks old.

The Kaibab squirrel is just one of nine different subspecies of Albert's squirrel. The various subspecies have evolved sharply different appearances because of geographic isolation, after the last ice age left stands of ponderosa pine, which grows in cooler climates, separated at areas of high elevation.

Prairie Dog Town in Lubbock, TX

Last week we arrived at our new home in Lubbock, Texas. Taking a break from the work of moving in, a few days ago we visited one of the local landmarks, the Prairie Dog Town.

One of the residents

Lubbock's Prairie Dog Town is a large enclosure located in Mackenzie Park, that is the home to hundreds of black-tailed prairie dogs. It was established in the early 1930s by Kennedy N Clapp, a prominent Lubbock resident who was concerned that a government-run poisoning program would drive the black-tailed prairie dog to extinction. As explained on the sign pictured below, Clapp and a friend trapped two pairs of the prairie dogs as the original residents of the town. Mr. Clapp oversaw the operation of the refuge until he died.

In addition to prairie dogs, numerous other animals either live in or frequent the Prairie Dog Town. This is just as true in the wild, where prairie dogs are a "keystone" species whose presence is vital to the plains and prairie ecosystem. The prairie dog's presence is important to many other species, such as the black-footed ferret, which feeds almost exclusively on prairie dogs, and the burrowing owl, which uses abandoned prairie dog burrows for shelter. Burrowing owls are common in the Lubbock area, seen anywhere that prairie dogs are found.

During our visit we saw this 13-lined ground squirrel going about its business....

and this great-tailed grackle surveying the scene from the top of a shelter...

and, of course, many black-tailed prairie dogs!

Craigslist Founder Teams Up With Squirrels To Raise Money For Wildlife

Craigslist founder Craig Newmark announced yesterday that he will donate one dollar to the National Wildlife Federation for every tweet on Twitter that includes the hashtag #Squirrels4Good, up to a total of $5000. Newmark is teaming up with the popular Twitter squirrel @common_squirrel to publicize the campaign.

Mr. Newmark has grown fond of squirrels working in a home office that overlooks a wooded area where squirrels are common. He is using this campaign as an experiment to evaluate the use of social media in raising funds for causes.

I was a little bit uneasy about this campaign when I was told that the National Wildlife Federation has had a marketing partnership with the Scotts Miracle-Gro company, the marketer of lawn and garden chemicals, distributor of consumer Roundup weed killers, and poisoner of birds and other backyard wildlife. However, the NWF canceled the partnership in late January, after news came out about the court case pending over the poisoned bird seed. I still think that the partnership was ill-advised and violated the basic principles that the NWF promotes, but hopefully this will be a lesson learned for the environmental organization.

Squirrel Facts: The Endangered Delmarva Fox Squirrel

The Delmarva fox squirrel is an endangered subspecies of the fox squirrel of North America. Historically, this large tree squirrel inhabited southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, southern New Jersey, Maryland, and the Virginia portion of the Delmarva peninsula (Delmarva refers to the states of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia). Due to habitat loss resulting from logging, agriculture, and urban development, its range has been reduced to parts of the eastern shore of Maryland, one county in Delaware, and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia.

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.

The Endangered Black-Footed Ferret

The black footed ferret is a member of the mustelid, or weasel, family. Although it is obviously not a squirrel, its survival depends on the survival of a ground squirrel, specifically the prairie dog. Up to 90 percent of this ferret's diet consists of prairie dogs. As farmers and ranchers exterminated the prairie dog from most of its native range during the twentieth century, the black-footed ferret was driven to the brink of extinction. With conservation efforts now underway, it is only just beginning to show signs of recovery.

Historically, the black-footed ferret could be found from southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, south to Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, a range that correlated closely with that of the black-tailed, white-tailed, and Gunnison's prairie dogs. The ferrets are 18-24 inches long, including the six-inch tail, and weigh about two and a half pounds. They are territorial, and solitary except when mating and raising young. They are nocturnal, hunting at night for sleeping prairie dogs which they take from the burrows. In addition to eating prairie dogs, black-footed ferrets are one of several species that make their homes and raise their young in abandoned prairie dog burrows.

The nationwide effort to eradicate prairie dogs from farm and ranch land, which started in the early 1900s, was devastating not only to the prairie dog but also to the black-footed ferret. By the 1970s, the ferret was widely believed to be extinct. In 1981 a wild population was discovered on a private ranch in Meeteetse, Wyoming, and a subsequent search for survivors by the US Fish and Wildlife Service found around 100 ferrets. When an outbreak of disease reduced this population to only 18 individuals, the remaining ferrets were trapped for captive breeding.

Since then, breeding and reintroduction efforts have had some success. As of 2007 there were estimated to be around 650 black-footed ferrets living in the wild. Populations have been introduced in several states, including Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah, as well as Saskatchewan in Canada and Chihuahua, Mexico.

However, in order for the black-footed ferret to survive in the long term, it is vital that the populations of prairie dogs on which they depend also be protected. One way that you can help is by signing this petition asking the state of South Dakota not to poison prairie dogs. The practice of poisoning prairie dogs is especially destructive because when ferrets eat the poisoned animals, they are, of course, eating the powerful poison as well.

The relationship between the black-footed ferret and the prairie dog is just one powerful example of how the removal of one species can affect others, and how easily an ecosystem like the plains/prairie system can be damaged by short-sighted actions like waging war against a species.

Squirrel Facts: The Endangered Mount Graham Red Squirrel

Today I am featuring another endangered squirrel. The Mount Graham red squirrel is a subspecies of the North American red squirrel. It lives only in the Pinaleno Mountains of southeastern Arizona, where it has been isolated from other red squirrels since the end of the last ice age about 10,000 years ago. It was believed in the 1950s that this squirrel had become extinct, but it was rediscovered in the 1970s, and was given endangered status under the Endangered Species Act in 1987.

Physically, the Mount Graham red squirrel is smaller than most North American red squirrels. It weighs only 8 ounces, and measures 8 inches in length, with a tail 6 inches long. It's tail lacks the white fringe that is displayed by most red squirrels. It inhabits cool, moist spruce-fir and mixed conifer forests at the higher elevations in the Pinaleno Mountains, where it eats mostly seeds, conifer cones, and fungi.

The Mount Graham red squirrel has been devastated by habitat loss, drought, and forest fires. It has been estimated that from 2001-2009 the population dropped from around 350 to around 250 individuals.

This species has been involved in controversy due to the construction of the University of Arizona's Mount Graham International Observatory within its range. The observatory was built in the early 1990s, and with additional construction projects planned, continues to come under fire from conservation groups for its impact on the squirrels' habitat.

The Mount Graham red squirrel also made the news in 2010 when the Arizona Department of Transportation announced plans to spend $1.25 million on conservation measures to reduce mortality of the squirrels due to cars. Unfortunately the plan, which included the construction of rope bridges across two highways that pass through the squirrels' range as well as additional monitoring of the squirrels' numbers, was met with loud protests from right-wing politicians and pundits and was subsequently canceled.

This tiny but unique squirrel clearly faces an uphill battle for survival. Fortunately, the Mount Graham Red Squirrel does have some friends. There is a group, the Mount Graham Coalition, that is dedicated to preserving the area's ecosystem and species, including the red squirrels.