I LLINOI S UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Large-scale Digitization Project, 2007.

S(HS Natural History Survey (d001 Library 010 10 )/

A Status Survey of the Franklin's Ground Squirrel (Spermophilusfranklinii) in Illinois

Jason M. Martin, Edward J. Heske, and Joyce E. Hofmann Illinois Natural History Survey 607 E. Peabody Drive Champaign, IL 61820

Center for Biodiversity Technical Report 2001 (15)

Prepared for: Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board 524 S. Second Street Springfield, IL 62701

7 December 2001

Table of Contents

Intro du ction ...... 1

Methods Historicaldata collection and mail survey ...... 4 Live-trapping survey...... 5

Results Historicaldata collection and mail survey...... 8 Live-trapping survey...... 10

D iscussion ...... 13

Acknowledgments...... 18

References...... 18

T able ...... 2 1

Figures legends ...... 22

Figures...... 24

Appendices Franklin'sground squirrelmail survey ...... 31 Trapping site descriptions and maps ...... 32 Suggested sitesfor future live-trapping surveys...... 75 Introduction

Sightings and other records of the Franklin's ground squirrel (Spermophilus franklinii) in Illinois have become uncommon in recent decades. Van Petten and

Schramm (1972) described the species as occurring in Illinois with "increasing rarity".

Lewis and Rongstad (1992) solicited the opinions of Illinois wildlife managers, natural heritage biologists, forest preserve districts, and state parks and recreation personnel concerning the status of S. franklinii and concluded that the species was in a state of decline, although quantitative data supporting this conclusion were lacking. A survey of

15 sites containing potentially suitable habitat, some of which historically harbored S. franklinii, in Vermilion, Champaign, and Piatt counties conducted by Hofmann (1998) detected only one ground squirrel.

Franklin's ground squirrels currently ranges from central Alberta, Manitoba, and

Saskatchewan southward to central Kansas and Missouri, and from central South Dakota and Nebraska through western Indiana (Hall 1981), thus placing Illinois at the southeastern extreme of its range. Within Illinois, both Hoffmeister (1989) and Mohr

(1943) described the species as occurring throughout the upper two-thirds of the state, roughly north of a line connecting Clark and Madison counties. This demarcation coincides with the boundary between the Grand Prairie Natural Division and the Southern

Till Plain Division (Schwegman 1973) suggesting that soil type and glacial history may be important factors in determining the suitability of Franklin's ground squirrel habitat.

Hoffmeister (1989) suggests that the shallow soil and underlying hardpan characteristic of southern Illinois prevents these relatively weak diggers from expanding their range southward. The sporadic historical records of occurrence near to and south of the Clark- Madison line, such as a single specimen sighted in St. Clair County (Mohr 1943), point to the species always being uncommon at the southernmost extent of the prairie division of

Illinois.

Historically, the Franklin's ground squirrel has probably never been as common in the state as the thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus). As early as the late 1800's, a report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture suggested that S. franklinii is not as common in Illinois as it is in other parts of its range

(Bailey 1893). Unfortunately, thorough historical population estimates are not available so long-term population trends or the relative local uncommonness of S. franklinii can only be guessed at. Therefore, any mention hereafter of population trends refers only to occurrences within the past 40-50 years.

The preferred habitat of S. franklinii includes the relatively tall, dense vegetative components of the tallgrass and mid-grass prairies. The species avoids open, mowed, and grazed areas (Haberman and Fleharty 1971). A preference for shrubby areas and woodland-field ecotones has also been noted (Murie 1973). The overall decline of prairie habitat due to agricultural practices and urban development has been postulated by many as the major driving force behind the possible decline of the Franklin's ground squirrel.

Sowls (1948) described the species in a portion of Saskatchewan as appearing to retreat before the advance of agriculture.

Choromanski-Norris et al. (1989) found that Franklin's ground squirrels prefer areas that are "characterized by relatively long periods of no disturbance to vegetation or soil." Large contiguous areas fitting these criteria are rare in Illinois. Currently 83.7% of

Illinois is cropland or pasture, 11.9% is woodland, and most of the remaining 4.4% of the landcover is urban, industrial, or transportation related (Illinois Farm Bureau 1997). Of the original 20 million acres of prairie that once covered Illinois only about 2300 acres remain (Neely and Heister 1987). Most of this loss had already occurred by 1900. For more than a century the Illinois Franklin's ground squirrel population has most likely been compacted into continually decreasing remnant habitat patches. In Indiana, S. franklinii has shown a preference for the relatively undisturbed remnant prairie habitat patches which remain along railroad rights-of-way and fencerows (Benjamin 1991). A similar preference for these remnant patches, as well as for similar grassland patches existing in roadside ditches, fallow fields, and prairie cemeteries, can be assumed for the

Franklin's ground squirrel in Illinois.

The activity patterns and secretive behavior of S. franklinii call into question the dependability and accuracy of existing observational records, or more precisely the lack thereof. The squirrels spend very little of their time above ground. Emergence from hibernation occurs sometime between mid-April and mid-May. Males re-enter hibernation in mid-July or early August and females generally follow a few weeks later in early September. Juveniles of the year immerge in late September or early October

(Murie 1973; Choromanski-Norris et al. 1986; Iverson and Turner 1972; Krohne and

Schramm 1994). The species is strictly diurnal and fairly active for most of the daylight hours, but a reduction in activity has been noted during inclement weather conditions

(Krohne et al. 1973; Sowls 1948). Sowls (1948) estimated that individuals spend up to

90% of their lives below ground.

According to Haberman and Fleharty (1971), individual squirrels may move several times after leaving the hibernation burrow. This semi-nomadic behavior can also make observational data unreliable. Cyclic fluctuations in local population numbers have been known to occur (Sowls 1948; Erlien and Tester 1984). Additionally, the species' preference for thick vegetative cover and avoidance of open spaces makes the gathering of purely observational records extremely difficult.

In this study, opinions pertaining to the current status of the Franklin's ground squirrel in Illinois were solicited from wildlife professionals from across the state. We then attempted to confirm these personal accounts of occurrences and anecdotal evidence of population trends by conducting a statewide live-trapping survey. These results were compared with the species' historical range within the state. This information is sorely needed in order to determine if conservation actions are appropriate.

Methods

Historical data collection and mail survey

Known historical locations of Franklin's ground squirrels in Illinois were compiled into a GIS data layer using ArcView 3.2 (Fig. 1). These data are based primarily on vouchered museum specimens held by the following institutions: Field

Museum of Natural History (Chicago), Smithsonian Institution - National Museum of

Natural History (Washington, D.C.), American Museum of Natural History (New York

City), the Carnegie Museum (Pittsburgh), Western Illinois University (Macomb),

Southern Illinois University (Carbondale), Illinois State University (Bloomington-

Normal), University of Illinois Museum of Natural History/Illinois Natural History

Survey (Champaign-Urbana), University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), and Florida Museum of Natural History (Gainesville). Several Illinois district wildlife biologists also provided location information based on positive sightings or successful trapping events. In total,

106 data points were gathered referencing specimens from the 1880's through the late

1990's.

A mail survey (Appendix 1) was sent to persons and organizations throughout the known historical Illinois range of the species that we deemed would be familiar with S. franklinii. The intent of this survey was to solicit information pertaining to knowledge of extant Franklin's ground squirrel populations, locations where the species used to occur but no longer does, unconfirmed sightings, and areas where suitable habitat may still exist. Additionally, each survey recipient was asked to express their opinion concerning population trends of S. franklinii in the region of the state with which they were familiar.

The list of 166 recipients was composed of 6 conservation/conservancy districts, 12 forest preserve districts, 15 natural heritage biologists, 31 Illinois Department of Natural

Resources wildlife biologists, 7 state nature preserves, and 95 state parks and recreation areas.

Live-trapping survey

We conducted a live-trapping survey to test the reliability of the mail survey reports and to obtain a general sense of the persistence of historical populations. We compared the information gathered from our mail survey with the data points representing historical occurrences as well as with land cover information originating from the Critical Trends Assessment Landcover Database of Illinois 1991-1995 (Illinois

Natural History Survey, Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois Department of Natural

Resources). Ten areas were subsequently chosen for field surveys throughout the species' historical range in Illinois based on the reported presence of Franklin's ground

squirrels, occurrence of appropriate habitat, or historical occupancy (Fig. 2). Each area

usually consisted of multiple trapping sites, henceforth referred to as "areas" and "sites"

respectively.

There were a total of 24 sites that were trapped, 10 of which were linear railroad

right-of-way corridors while the other 14 were non-linear areas, such as open fields and

prairies. Sites that were separated by only a short distance along the same stretch of

railroad were considered individual sites only if the vegetative species composition

and/or physical structure of the two sites in question were determined to be significantly

different. Nine of the sites were selected on the basis of historical or known current S. franklinii occupancy and 15 were chosen based on the recommendations provided by the

mail survey. Descriptions of the trapping sites and maps of the areas are provided in

Appendix 2.

Upon arrival at a site, we first searched for physical indications of the presence of

Franklin's ground squirrels. We looked for runways and burrow entrances, which

consistently measure roughly 7-8 cm (3-4 inches) in diameter (Haberman & Fleharty,

1971), and also listened for calls of the ground squirrel. Time spent searching for these

signs varied depending on the size of the site.

Forty single-door, collapsible Tomahawk live traps (Tomahawk Live Trap Co.,

Tomahawk, WI) measuring 48 x 16.5 x 16.5 cm were distributed among the sites within

each area. Traps were placed near burrow entrances or along well-worn runways, if they

were present. The remaining traps were set in suitable habitat, as defined in the

introduction. If no signs of Franklin's ground squirrel activity were found, then all forty

6 traps were placed in areas of suitable habitat in a pattern that maximized coverage for that particular site. In linear sites, such as railroad rights-of-way, traps were arranged along a single transect, while in more open areas, like prairie restorations, they were spread out in a grid pattern.

Traps were baited with a mixture of peanut butter and sunflower seeds spread on a piece of bread. All traps were placed out on the first day of each survey following the initial visual site assessment, but not opened and set until the next morning, usually between 0700 and 0800 hrs. On days 2 and 3, the traps were checked at 1200 h and again between 1800 and 1900 hrs, at which time they were closed for the night. On the fourth day, the traps were again opened in the morning but they were checked and picked up at noon. The first two areas, Grundy/Will County and Coles County, departed from this schedule in that all traps were left open over night. This procedure was discontinued for the remainder of the survey after it was determined that there was little or no chance of catching a Franklin's ground squirrel during this extra time and to minimize the capture of non-target species such as raccoons (Procyon lotor), opossums (Didelphis virginiana), and skunks (Mephitis mephitis). In certain instances, traps were moved from their original locations to further reduce the capture of non-target species and to increase trapping effort. For example, if a trap was placed near a possible burrow opening and subsequently several thirteen-lined ground squirrels were caught in it, it was assumed that the burrow was inhabited by thirteen-lined ground squirrels and the trap was moved to a different location.

All species captured were recorded. For any S. franklinii captured, sex, age (adult or juvenile), and weight (using a Pesola spring scale) were recorded. A patch of fur was clipped from the rump of all individuals in order to identify previously captured animals.

A cursory survey of the plant species in the area was made, as well as a written description of the overall structure of the habitat being trapped. All trapping was conducted between 7 May and 12 July 2001.

Results

Historical data collection and mail survey

The distribution of the historical locations that we collected concurred with the range in Illinois of S. franklinii as described by Hoffmeister (1989) and Mohr (1943). In the past, specimens have been collected in higher abundance in the Chicago and

Champaign County regions than in other portions of the state.

We received 77 responses to the original 166 surveys that were sent out (Table 1).

Three pairs of biologists responded jointly and several of the surveys that were initially sent to state parks, natural areas, and nature preserves were forwarded by them to regional IDNR wildlife biologists or other wildlife personnel who had already received the survey. Additionally, one state park site manager responded in reference to two separate sites.

The information gathered as a result of our mail survey was entered into a second

GIS data layer (Fig. 3). Survey recipients were asked to report any extant, extirpated, or unconfirmed populations or the overall absence of S. franklinii in the portion of the state with which they were familiar (Fig. 4). Only nine of the respondents replied that they knew of extant populations, describing a total of 11 individual populations. Like the historical data points, the majority of these described populations occurred in or near the Chicago area or Champaign County. Six populations were reported to occur between

Cook and Will counties, three were distributed among Champaign, Douglas, and Coles counties, one occurred in Christian County, and the last in Macoupin County. In addition to the reported extant populations, we assumed that Franklin's ground squirrels still inhabited the Knox College Biological Field Station in Knox County, an introduced population which has been studied thoroughly (Van Petten and Schramm 1972; Krohne et.al. 1973; Krohne and Schramm 1994), as well as in the Champaign County location where one squirrel was trapped by one of us (Hofmann) in 1998.

Twenty-two of the respondents reported a total of 44 possible populations based on unconfirmed sightings coupled with the existence of historical records and/or the occurrence of appropriate habitat. These potential populations were distributed throughout the northern two-thirds of the state. Two of them were located below the

Madison-Clark County line, referencing possible sightings slightly beyond the normally accepted southern extent of the species' range in Illinois. Eight respondents reported that they knew of extirpated populations of Franklin's ground squirrels in their region of the state. Forty-five respondents reported that S. franklinii was not present in their areas at all.

Survey recipients were asked to report any discernible population trends in

Franklin's ground squirrel populations with which they were familiar (Fig. 5). There were no reports of populations that are currently increasing in size and only three reports of stable populations. Ten people expressed concern that S. franklinii is in a state of decline in their region of Illinois. The vast majority of the respondents (63) did not feel

9 sufficiently familiar with the species or its local distribution to form an opinion about its

current status.

When asked to suggest a cause for the theoretical decline of the Franklin's ground

squirrel in Illinois, ten respondents attributed the possible trend to loss of suitable habitat.

Two respondents referred to habitat fragmentation and one postulated an increase in

predation by habitat edge occupying predators (Fig. 6).

Live-trapping survey

Franklin's ground squirrels were captured at 3 of the 24 trapping sites, all three of

which were chosen on the basis of recommendations made in mail survey responses.

None of the nine trapping sites located in areas of historical occupancy yielded any S. franklinii captures. Two of the capture sites were linear habitats (i.e. railroad rights-of-

way) and one was a non-linear habitat (i.e. a 12-hectare (30-acre) prairie restoration).

Eleven adults (six males, five females) were captured between 29 May and 1 June 2001

at the Barnhart Grove Prairie Restoration located 2 miles south of Urbana, in Champaign

County. This is a naturally occurring population and not the result of an introduction

project. The two linear sites were located along the active railroad line running east of

Hoopeston, in the extreme northeastern corer of Vermilion County, at the 2100E Road

and 2250E Road crossings. Two adults (both female) and 14 juveniles (eight males, five

females, and one unknown) were captured at 2100E while three adults (two males, one

female) and four juveniles (one male, three females) were trapped at 2250E, all between

10 July and 13 July 2001.

10 Eight mammal species in addition to S. franklinii were captured during the survey along with three bird species. The most commonly captured non-target species was the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, which occurred in high numbers at seven of the sites.

A few sites that had no Franklin's ground squirrels present are worth mentioning.

Four of the survey respondents were confident that a sizeable, stable population occurred at the Des Plaines Conservation Area and Game Farm in southwest Will County. Site personnel related personal observations of S. franklinii at the Conservation Area as well as at nearby Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area. They also confirmed that squirrels were present at the Game Farm and utilizing burrow systems inside pheasant pens as recently as the summer of 2000. These burrows were located during our trapping session in this area but no squirrels were captured or seen. We contacted the Game Farm staff later in the summer and they still had not observed any ground squirrel activity. In

October 2001, a Natural Heritage Biologist found a dead Franklin's ground squirrel along a length of railroad track near the northeastern corer of the Midewin National Tallgrass

Prairie, which is located immediately east of the Des Plaines Conservation Area. So while the species' disappearance from the Des Plaines Game Farm remains unexplained, it is highly likely that S. franklinii still occurs somewhere in this area, as there is an abundance of appropriate habitat in the vicinity.

As previously stated, we assumed that the introduced population at the Knox

College Biological Field Station in Knox County, first established in 1969 (Van Petten and Schramm 1972), was still in existence. According to the station manager no

Franklin's ground squirrels have been seen or trapped on the site within the past few years, but there also has not been a concerted effort to document their presence.

11 Possible burrows have been seen after spring prairie burs and much suitable habitat remains on the site itself and in the form of nearby weedy roadside ditches. This area should be surveyed thoroughly to definitively determine if the population has or has not sustained itself.

The Gensburg-Markham Prairie, located in southern Cook County, is the site of another attempted S. franklinii introduction. Twenty-six individuals were released into this 42.5-hectare (105-acre) restored sandy loam prairie in 1983 and 1984 (Panzer 1986).

We intensively trapped this site but did not capture any squirrels. The site manager reported that no Franklin's ground squirrels have been seen on the site since 1987 and that since the introduction there has been a marked local increase in the populations of two potential ground squirrel predators, coyote (Canis latrans) and gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). It is also interesting to note that while the prairie itself is a high- quality habitat, it is surrounded on all sides by urban sprawl.

The Sand Ridge Nature Center, located about 6 miles east of the Gensburg-

Markham Prairie, has a photograph on file of a Franklin's ground squirrel taken in their very small (less than 1 acre) prairie restoration in the late 1980's but no ground squirrels have been seen there since then. Suitable habitat still exists nearby in some of the Cook

County Forest Preserve District's properties and along railroad rights-of-way.

No Franklin's ground squirrels were captured during our trapping session at the

Spring Bluff Nature Preserve or Illinois Beach State Park in northeast Lake County.

There have been reports of the species occurring in Chiwaukee Prairie (J.Huebschman, personal communication), which borders the preserve to the north just over the

Wisconsin state line, and one of us (Martin) observed an individual Franklin's ground

12 squirrel in this prairie. Squirrels may be using a railroad right-of-way that runs between

Chiwaukee Prairie and the west side of the Spring Bluff Nature Preserve and Illinois

Beach State Park. Most of this area was inaccessible to us during our survey and should be surveyed more carefully.

Discussion

Three states adjacent to Illinois have already determined that conservation efforts are warranted for the Franklin's ground squirrel. It is listed as "endangered" in Indiana

(Indiana Department of Natural Resources 1993), as a "species of special concern" in

Wisconsin (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 1993), and as "rare" in Iowa

(Bowles et. al. 1998). It is our opinion, based on the aforementioned conservation actions taken by surrounding states coupled with the opinions expressed in the mail survey portion of this study and the results of our live-trapping survey, that the Franklin's ground squirrel population of Illinois is in need of conservation actions as well. This concurs with the results of similar studies conducted by Hofmann (1998) and Lewis and

Rongstad (1992).

Admittedly, the historical records of S. franklinii in Illinois necessary to examine long-term population trends are lacking and therefore our opinion is based on relatively short-term information. Cyclic fluctuations in local Franklin's ground squirrel populations have been noted (Sowls 1948; Erlien and Tester 1984) and have been pointed to as a possible explanation for the species' scarcity in short-term studies (e.g. Hofmann

1998). We discounted local fluctuations as an explanation for the apparent statewide scarcity of S. franklinii by surveying widely dispersed areas. Because Franklin's ground

13 squirrels appeared uncommon throughout the state, the apparent decline of the species cannot be explained as the normal downswing of a localized cycle. Still, more thorough, long-term monitoring surveys should be conducted to confirm our conclusion.

The majority of the known historical locations of S. franklinii populations are concentrated near Chicago and Champaign County. This can probably be accounted for by the concentration of major universities, research institutions, and population centers in these two localities and the resulting higher probability of interaction with the species.

Even though local abundance or absence is most likely determined by local habitat constraints, our historical data indicate that the species once had a fairly widespread distribution throughout the entire northern two-thirds of the state. While it is normal for a species to become less common towards the edge of its geographic range, the apparent current low incidence of S. franklinii in Illinois when compared to its historical distribution seems to exceed this natural pattern.

According to Sowls (1948), Franklin's ground squirrels are very easy to trap. Our

experiences confirm this opinion. At our successful sites, at least a few traps always

captured ground squirrels on the first day within hours after they were opened. The

Vermilion County sites (Area 10, Sites A and B) were trapped shortly after the juveniles

of the year had emerged but before they had permanently dispersed from the area. On

four.separate occasions at these sites, two juveniles were captured simultaneously in

single traps. We are confident that if no ground squirrels were captured at a site during

our trapping session then they simply were not present and that the zero capture rate is

not attributed to trap shyness.

14 It is a concern that we found Franklin's ground squirrels at only three of our sites.

The two Vermilion County sites (Area 10, Sites A and B) were connected by only a few miles of railroad right-of-way that contained suitable ground squirrel habitat. It is likely that both of these sites were components of a single population. On the other hand, some of our sites were under-trapped and should be considered for further, more extensive surveying. Several of these areas are discussed in the results of this report, and several more sites that were not included in this study but may harbor remnant Franklin's ground squirrel populations are listed in Appendix 3 and should be considered for future surveys.

The Champaign County site and Vermilion County sites, which at first glance appear to contain thriving populations of Franklin's ground squirrels, may be quite different ecologically. The Champaign County site is a high-quality restored prairie containing a heterogeneous mixture of prairie flora while the Vermilion County sites occur along a narrow strip of degraded habitat composed primarily of non-native plant species. Differences in reproductive success and general population dynamics may exist between the two populations due to the differences in habitat quality. The amount of vegetative cover, which has been described as an important factor determining the quality of Franklin's ground squirrel habitat, appeared to be similar in both areas. S. franklinii has been described as eating a wide variety of food items, animal as well as plant (Sowls

1948). Food sources appeared to be common in both areas however sheer abundance does not necessarily coincide with high nutritional content. A comparison of the nutritional value of the food available in both areas would be interesting.

Railroad rights-of-way connected to the Vermilion County sites should be examined closely to determine the full size, extent, structure, and health (both physical

15 and genetic) of this population. Additional appropriate habitat extends along railroad

lines to the west, north and south, and Franklin's ground squirrels have been trapped

farther east along this same rail line near Talbot and Atkinson in Benton County, Indiana

(J.Huebschman, personal communication). This particular population would be important to study because it could shed light on any negative consequences of S. franklinii apparently being restricted to linear railroad right-of-way habitats of possibly marginal quality by the current intensive agricultural practices in Illinois (Fig. 7). The

increase in interspecific competition and predation risk that could result from populations of multiple species being forced into relatively small areas could result in these areas acting as ecological traps rather than high-quality habitat. Limited options for dispersal resulting when a habitat specialist, such as the Franklin's ground squirrel, is confined to a linear corridor also could reduce the long-term viability of populations. Conversely, corridors may serve as the only pathway of dispersal between larger habitat patches and may prevent these patches from becoming ecologically isolated.

S. tridecemlineatus was not found in either area where we successfully trapped

Franklin's ground squirrels but the two species have been known to coexist at other locations in their shared geographic range (Erlien and Tester 1984). The ability of thirteen-lined ground squirrels to utilize a more highly disturbed habitat than the

Franklin's ground squirrels might give it a competitive edge. Hoffmeister (1989) described thirteen-lined ground squirrels as usually avoiding the taller, thicker grasses that Franklin's prefers. Resource overlap and interspecific competition may occur between these two species, especially in areas that contain habitat subject to intermittent

16 management practices, such as occasionally mowed roadsides and herbicided railroad

rights-of-way. The extent and consequences of this competition need to be studied.

Murie (1973) hypothesized that Franklin's ground squirrels differ from other

ground squirrel species in social organization and several behavioral traits. For example,

several studies have found the adult sex ratio of S. franklinii populations to be near 1:1

(Murie 1973; Haggerty 1968; Ellis 1982). Many other species of ground squirrels

typically have a greater number of adult females than males (Sheppard 1972; McCarley

1966) because of a higher rate of dispersal, and resulting higher mortality, of juvenile

males (Byrom 1999). Equal dispersal of both male and female juveniles could result in a

balanced adult sex ratio. If this scenario holds true for Franklin's ground squirrels, then the persistence of individual populations would be more sensitive to disruption of

metapopulation structure and the resulting exchange of individuals and genetic material than if females were strongly philopatric.

Dispersal dynamics could have played a major role in the failure of several attempted introductions in Illinois, such as the Gensburg-Markham Prairie project.

Because that particular site is entirely surrounded by urban sprawl, it is unlikely to receive influx of individuals from other populations. Inbreeding depression could contribute to an overall decline in fitness and a population crash. The same end would come to any naturally occurring population that becomes isolated due to habitat degradation or destruction. We currently have no data to support these suppositions but if they prove to hold true then the maintenance of dispersal corridors and proximity to surrounding populations would be critical factors in the success of any future conservation efforts for the species. The dependence that Franklin's ground squirrels

17 may have on a stable metapopulation structure is an issue that is critical to further explore.

Acknowledgments

This project was made possible through funding provided by the Illinois

Endangered Species Protection Board. I would like to thank my advisory committee, Ed

Heske, Joyce Hofmann, and Pat Brown, for their advice and guidance and Tari

Weicherding and Shana Lavin for their help with the GIS portions of this study. Thanks also to Brett Barnhart, the Coles County Airport, the Douglas-Hart Nature Center, and the

Kibbe Life Science Field Station of Western Illinois University, as well as all other pertinent permit granting agencies, for allowing us access to their properties and for the use of their facilities.

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Neely, R.D. and C.G. Heister, compilers. 1987. The natural resources of Illinois: Introduction and guide. Illinois Natural History Survey Special Publication 6. 224 pp.

Panzer, R. 1986. Franklin's ground squirrel translocation to an Illinois prairie preserve. Restoration and Management Notes 4:27.

Schwegman, J.E. 1973. Comprehensive plan for the Illinois Nature Preserves System. Part 2. The natural divisions of Illinois. Illinois Nature Preserves Commmissions, Rockford. 32 pp.+map.

Sheppard, D.H. 1972. Reproduction of Richardson's ground squirrel (Spermophilus richardonii)in southern Saskatchewan. Canadian Journal of Zoology 50:1577- 1581.

Sowls, L.K. 1948. The Franklin ground squirrel, Citellusfranklinii(Sabine), and its relationship to nesting ducks. Journal of Mammalogy 29:113-137.

Van Petten, A. and P. Schramm. 1972. Introduction, dispersal, and population increase of the Franklin's ground squirrel, Spermophilusfranklinii, in a restored prairie. Pages 166-173 in Proceedings of the Second Midwest Prairie Conference. J.H. Zimmerman, ed. University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 1993. Wisconsin natural heritage working lists. Wisconsin Natural Heritage Program, Bureau of Endangered Resources, Madison. 18 pp.

20 Table 1. Response rates to the Franklin's ground squirrel mail survey.

TYPE OF RECIPIENT SENT RETURNED % Conservation/Conservancy 6 3 50% Districts Forest Preserve Districts 12 6 50%

Natural Heritage Biologists 15 10 67%

IDNR Wildlife Biologists 31 22 71%

Nature Preserves 7 3 43%

State Parks and Natural Areas 95 33 35%

TOTAL: 166 77 46%

21 Figure Legends

Fig. 1. - Known historical locations of Franklin's ground squirrel occurrences. These

106 data points represent specimens sighted or collected from the 1880's through the late

1990's.

Fig. 2. - The large circles represent the areas of the live-trapping survey. The star shows the position of the Knox College Biological Field Station, a site that we assumed harbored an extant population of Franklin's ground squirrels at the outset of this study.

Fig. 3. - Information on current Franklin's ground squirrel occurrences compiled from the mail surveys. Triangles represent extant populations known to survey recipients and question marks represent areas where it was suggested that the squirrels might occur due to the presence of appropriate habitat, historical occupancy, or unconfirmed sightings.

Fig. 4. - Non-exclusive, categorical information provided by mail survey recipients referring to the presence or absence of S. franklinii populations in the area of the state with which they were familiar. Several respondents knew of multiple local populations and therefore responded to more than one category.

Fig. 5. - Opinions expressed by mail survey recipients about current trends in Franklin's ground squirrel populations with which they were familiar.

22 Fig. 6. - Possible explanations offered by mail survey recipients for the theoretical

decline of S. franklinii in Illinois.

Fig. 7. - A large majority of the known historical locations of occurrence (dots), possible extant populations (triangles), and suggested areas of current occurrence (question marks) of the Franklin's ground squirrel in Illinois coincide with the state's railroad system, represented by dashed lines.

23 Fig. 1.

24 Fig. 2.

25 Fig. 3.

26 Fig. 4.

DJU I I I· 40

I 30

S.5 20

10-

0 - I- I I Extant Extirpated Unconfirmed Not present Local population status

27 Fig. 5.

28 Fig. 6.

29 Fig. 7.

7

30 Appendix 1: Survey form distributed to wildlife professionals in Illinois to gather information about the current status of S. franklinii within the state.

Name: Phone/Email:

Affiliation/Position: County(s):

1. Please list locations where you know that Franklin's ground squirrels (S. franklinii) occur in your area.

2. Please list locations where you know that Franklin's ground squirrels used to occur, but no longer do.

3. Please list locations of any unconfirmed sightings that have been reported to you.

4. Please list locations where this species might occur (due to past records, suitability of habitat, etc.) even if you cannot confirm their presence.

5. In your opinion, is the Franklin's ground squirrel population in your area stable, declining, or increasing? If you think that the species is declining, to what do you attribute this?

31 Appendix 2: Descriptions and maps of trapping sites, and species captured at each site.

(Note: Plant species lists for each site are not exhaustive and are only meant to serve as a representative sample of the overall habitat structure.)

AREA 1. Grundy and Will counties

Dates trapped: 7-10 May 2001

Site A: Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area

Species captured: none

This location was chosen due to a known historical presence of

S. franklinii based on a description of the preserve's mammal fauna (Birkenholz

1973) as well as on personal correspondence with the site supervisor. The

1148.5-hectare (2,838-acre) site, located about 80.5 km (50 miles) southwest of

Chicago, contains the largest remnant tract of tallgrass prairie in the state, pothole

marshes, and reclaimed farmland and strip-mines. Twenty traps were placed

throughout the prairie along the nature trail.

Plant Species: Baptisia leucantha (white false indigo), Dodecatheon meadia

(shooting star), Aster novi-angliae (New England aster), Solidago spp.

(goldenrod), Andropogon gerardii(big bluestem), Sorghastrum nutans (Indian

grass), Panicum virgatum (switch grass), Spartinapectinata (prairie cordgrass)

32 Site B: Des Plaines Wildlife and Conservation Area

Species captured: Spermophilus tridecemlineatus (thirteen-lined ground squirrel)

This site historically had a population of S. franklinii residing on it.

Thirteen traps in total were set in the prairie field located just west of the park office and along the railroad tracks east of the office. Several burrow entrances measuring 7-8 cm (3-4 inches) in diameter were located along the track bed and in the field.

Plant species: Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Silphium terebinthinaceum(prairie dock), Silphium laciniatum (compass plant), Asclepias spp. (milkweed),

Tradescantiavirginiana (spiderwort), Eryngium yuccifolium (rattlesnake master),

Andropogon gerardii(big bluestem), Sorghastrumnutans (Indian grass), Bromus spp. (brome grass)

Site C: Des Plaines Game Farm

Species captured: Rattus norvegicus (Norway rat)

Franklin's ground squirrels were regularly seen on the property as recently as the summer of 2000. Many ground squirrel burrows were located in and around several of the pheasant enclosures and ten traps were set in these large net- covered pens. The ground cover in the pens was primarily mowed and un-mowed brome grass.

Plant species: Bromus spp. (brome grass)

33 \I

Island - / ,-° V-\\ / .: 0 ' 4.•^

Area 1, Site A: Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area, Grundy County (Wilmington 7.5' quadrangle)

34 Area 1, Site B: Des Plaines Wildlife and Conservation Area, Will County (Minooka 7.5' quadrangle)

35 f\r

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(Minooka 7.5' quadrangle)

36 AREA 2. Coles County

Dates trapped: 14-17 May 2001

Site A: Charleston-Mattoon Bike Trail

Species captured: Dumetella carolinensis (gray catbird), Turdus migratorius

(American robin), Quiscalus quiscula (common grackle), Didelphis virginiana

(Virginia opossum)

Seventeen traps were set along this old railroad grade immediately east

and west of the Interstate 57 overpass, east of Mattoon. The tracks have been

removed and it is now maintained as a recreational trail. Franklin's ground

squirrel sightings were reported along this section of the trail as well as along a

nearby roadway. A shrub line extended north from the 5-m (16.5-ft) wide mowed

grass and gravel trail for 15-20 m (50-65 ft) before terminating at a cemetery. A

narrower grass/shrub line, drainage culvert, and mowed grass patch containing

possible burrow entrances lay on the south of the trail on the east side of the

overpass. On the south side of the trail to the west of the overpass an un-mowed

grass field extended for about 75 m (246 ft) to an agricultural field.

Plant Species: Rhus radicans(poison ivy), Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Taraxacum

officinale (common dandelion), Rubus allegheniensis (common blackberry), Vitis

riparia(riverbank grape), Asclepias spp. (milkweed), Daucus carota (wild

carrot), Festuca spp. (fescue grass), Poapratensis(Kentucky bluegrass), Bromus

spp. (brome grass), Populus deltoides (cottonwood), Rhus glabra (smooth

sumac), Elaeagnus angustifolia(Russian-olive)

37 Site B: Coles County Airport

Species captured: Didelphis virginiana(Virginia opossum), Sylvilagus floridanus (eastern cottontail)

Four traps were set along a grassy, roadside ditch and tree line at the southwest comer of a pond located in the southeast extent of the airport property.

Eleven traps were set along a drainage ditch containing small trees and shrub cover in the southwest portion of the property. A 50-meter (165-ft) wide strip of un-mowed grass surrounded the ditch. Crop fields further surrounded the entire area. Several potential burrow entrances were observed near the ditch and along the adjacent roadside.

Plant species: Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Poapratensis(Kentucky bluegrass),

Bromus spp. (brome grass), Typha latifolia (cattail), Gleditsia triacanthos(honey locust), Acer rubrum (red maple), Salix nigra (black willow)

Site C: Douglas-Hart Nature Center

Species captured: none

This site was selected due to its proximity to the Charleston-Mattoon Bike

Trail. Four traps were set along the tree-lined edge of the small tall-grass prairie restoration at the southeast corer of the property. Six more traps were set along the tree line near the prairie and wetland to the north.

Plant species: Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Silphium terebinthinaceum(prairie dock), Silphium laciniatum (compass plant), Asclepias spp. (milkweed),

Parthenium integrifolium (American feverfew), Eryngium yuccifolium

(rattlesnake master), Aster novae-angliae (New England aster), Rosa Carolina

38 (Carolina rose), Andropogon gerardii(big bluestem), Schizachyrium scoparium

(little bluestem), Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass), Vitis riparia(riverbank grape), Quercus alba (white oak), Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip tree), Populus deltoids (cottonwood)

39 ao~8gT~ x 2 -' x 10

Area 2, Site A: Charleston-Mattoon Bike Trail, Coles County Area 2, Site C: Douglas Hart Nature Center, Coles County (Mattoon East 7.5' quadrangle)

40 Area 2, Site B: Coles County Airport, Coles County (Mattoon East 7.5' quadrangle)

41 AREA 3. Macoupin County

Dates trapped: 21-24 May 2001

Site A. Carlinville Railroad Prairie

Species Captured: Sylvilagusfloridanus(eastern cottontail), Spermophilus

tridecemlineatus (thirteen-lined ground squirrel), Didelphis virginiana (Virginia

opossum), Mustelafrenata(long-tailed weasel)

This site was chosen due to the presence of appropriate habitat and a

reported sighting along a nearby roadway. Many burrow entrances were seen

along the sides of the railroad grade. Forty traps were set along a 550-m (1805-ft)

stretch of the tracks northeast of Carlinville, centered at the Schale Road crossing.

Agricultural fields lay beyond an 18-m (59-ft) wide mesic buffer strip on the west

side of the grade that was thickly covered with forbs, weeds and some small trees.

To the east of the track bed and north of the road, the vegetation buffer was

narrow, 10 m (33 ft), and provided only sparse cover. On the east side of the

tracks and south of the road, the right-of-way was at its widest, composed of a

mixture of tall grasses, forbs, and a few clumps of trees. This section extended

for 25 m (82 ft) from the tracks to another crop field.

Plant species: Cirsium spp. (thistle), Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Asclepias spp.

(milkweed), Silphium laciniatum (compass plant), Vitis riparia(riverbank grape),

Tradescantiavirginiana (spiderwort), Iris versicolor (large blue flag iris),

Ambrosia artemisiifolia(common ragweed), Rhus radicans(poison ivy),

Pastinacasativa (wild parsnip), Rosa palustris (swamp rose), Sorghastrum

42 nutans (Indian grass), Andropogon gerardii(big bluestem), Salix interior

(sandbar willow), Rhus glabra (smooth sumac), Acer saccharinum (silver maple)

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Area 3, Site A: Carlinville Railroad Prairie, Macoupin County (Carlinville East 7.5' quadrangle)

44 AREA 4. Champaign County

Dates trapped: 29 May - 1 June 2001

Site A. Barnhart Grove Prairie Restoration

Species captured: Spermophilusfranklinii (Franklin's ground squirrel - 11

adults), Sylvilagusfloridanus (eastern cottontail)

This 12-hectare (30-acre) prairie restoration, planted 1987-1990, is located

3 km (2 miles) south of Urbana. Franklin's ground squirrels have been seen

regularly at this site since 1989. S. franklinii were captured in the oldest mixed

prairie plot and along the length of a 20-30 m (66-98 ft) wide strip of un-mowed

brome grass next to the entrance roadway. Burrow entrances were found in the

prairie and along the road, most of which were near small clumps of trees or

shrubs. A total of twelve traps were set at this site.

Plant species: Allium canadense (wild onion), Coreopsispalmata (prairie

coreopsis), Fragariavirginiana (wild strawberry), Tradescantiaohiensis

(spiderwort), Achillea millefolium (yarrow), Asclepias tuberosa(butterfly weed),

Asclepias spp. (milkweed), Aster spp. (aster), Cassia chamaecrista(partridge

pea), Echinaceapallida (pale purple coneflower), Eryngium yuccifolium

(rattlesnake master), Rudbeckia serotina (black-eyed Susan), Solidago spp.

(goldenrod), Sisyrinchium albidum (common blue-eyed grass), Carex spp.

(sedge), Panicum virgatum (switch grass), Bouteloua curtipendula(side-oats

grama), Andropogon gerardii(big bluestem),

45 Site B. Mayview-St. Joseph RR (Cottonwood Rd.- Site B1, 2000E Rd.- Site B2)

Species captured: Quiscalus quiscula (common grackle), Sylvilagusfloridanus

(eastern cottontail)

J.E. Hofmann captured a single Franklin's ground squirrel at this site in

May 1998. Thirty traps were set along the length of this abandoned railroad bed, eight at the Cottonwood Road crossing and twenty-five at the 2000E Road crossing. A 10-meter (33-ft) wide right-of-way separates the bed from US

Rte 150 to the north and a 20-meter (66-ft) wide buffer divides the area from a crop field to the south. The vegetation along the railroad grade itself and in the rights-of-way represent a degraded prairie remnant and contains many non-native species.

Plant species: Asclepias spp. (milkweed), Cirsium spp. (thistle), Erigeron strigosus (daisy fleabane), Helianthus spp. (sunflower), Pastinacasativa (wild parsnip), Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed), Rubus allegheniensis (wild blackberry), Bromus spp. (brome grass), Spartinapectinata (prairie cordgrass),

Agrostis alba (red top), Conium maculatum (poison hemlock)

46 S Vi jli~ (4 N)-

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47 (1 (7 P , I'I .. - i . \ i - .I... , 670 •-'• i -_ :Iu 2) 67 ^c;, KT·=~67 05N 68{! \ * r r ,'- -a•one,•a•-/ _ !· · 61674 l - ;7o' ------I3I ---- B2 ,_ ZB - I_,, .o. L7676 - -- r 1za SC CD r I .^-~ ! ~ / ' *-^ I 680 "2g a 9 Q1 -1 Q: __ hi_------_--•• -- - _ _K: d S \~~~~~~ LT ^ ^ / l>\ '-^\ ^w . 6 c2 0 h... (N 68 ^°/y,(a^ 85~j Q -Y 6 N .------.. "•i ( .. ir " C Wi ("c (Ki ' y ' o -- --L- -- 1P-C 4 k I It

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Area 4, Site B: Mayview-St. Joseph RR, Champaign County Site B - Cottonwood Rd. crossing, Site B2- 2000E Rd. crossing (St. Joseph 7.5' quadrangle)

48 AREA 5. Hancock County

Dates trapped: 4-7 June 2001

Site A. Elvaston Railroad - US Route 136 crossing

Species captured: none

Four museum specimens were collected from Elvaston in the late 1960's

and early 1970's. Suitable habitat was determined to exist along the railroad that

runs northeast and southwest of the town. Four traps were set immediately south

of U.S. Route 136, between the roadway and railroad tracks, around the

intermittently shrubby perimeter of a small, low-lying field covered

predominantly by brome grass and goldenrod. Eight additional traps were set in

the 10-15 m (33-50 ft) wide railroad right-of-way on the north side of the road.

This area was also dominated by brome grass but it contained many forbs.

Agricultural fields surrounded the entire site.

Plant species: Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Tragopogon pratensis (yellow

goatsbeard), Amianthium canadense (wild garlic), Trifolium pratense (red clover),

Potentillarecta (rough-fruited cinquefoil), Silphium laciniatum (compass plant),

Lobelia spicata (spiked lobelia), Bromus spp. (brome grass), Festuca spp. (fescue

grass), Agrostis alba (red top), Hordeumjubatum (foxtail barley), Ulmus

americana(American elm), Morus alba (white mulberry)

49 Site B. Elvaston Railroad - 1200E Road crossing

Species captured: Spermophilus tridecemlineatus (thirteen-lined ground squirrel)

Eight traps were set in a 10-meter (33-ft) wide strip of brome dominated railroad right-of-way north of the track bed and west of 1200E Road. A drainage ditch divided the right-of-way from the grade. An agricultural fielded boarded the strip on the far side.

Plant species: Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Pastinacasativa (wild parsnip),

Silphium laciniatum (compass plant), Cirsium spp. (thistle), Oenotherafruticosa

(sundrops), Conium maculatum (poison hemlock), Bromus spp. (brome grass),

Poapratensis(Kentucky bluegrass)

Site C. Kibbe Life Science Field Station of Western Illinois University

Species captured: none

Two hilltop prairies, each approximately .5 km (.31 miles) long, were determined to contain suitable habitat. The north prairie was dominated by mature Indian grass and switch grass while the south field contained shorter grasses and a higher concentration of shrubs and goldenrod. Sixteen traps were set between these two fields.

Plant species: Asclepias spp. (milkweed), Fragariavirginiana (wild strawberry),

Rosa setigera (prairie rose), Monarda didyma (Oswego tea), Lobelia spicata

(spiked lobelia), Phlox pilosa (downy phlox), Coronillavaria (crown vetch),

Erigeronstrigosus (lesser daisy fleabane), Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Coreopsis

50 verticillata(whorled coreopsis), Rhus radicans(poison ivy), Rosa multiflora

(multiflora rose), Bromus spp. (brome grass), Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass),

Panicum virgatum (switch grass), Rhus glabra (smooth sumac), Quercus stellata

(post oak), Cornus drummondii (rough-leaved dogwood)

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Area 5, Site A: Elvaston RR - U.S. Route 136 crossing, Hancock County Area 5, Site B: Elvaston RR - 1200E Rd. crossing, Hancock County (Hamilton 7.5' quadrangle)

52 · ___·

Area 5, Site C: Kibbe Life Science Field Station, Hancock County (Warsaw 7.5' quadrangle)

53 AREA 6. Iroquois County

Dates trapped: 11-14 June 2001

Site A. Gilman - South Railroad

Species captured: Spermophilus tridecemlineatus (thirteen-lined ground

squirrel)

A museum specimen was collected from Gilman in 1960. It was

determined that appropriate habitat still exists along the railroad rights-of-way

running north, south, east, and west of Gilman. Eight traps were set on the west

side of the two parallel tracks immediately south of U.S. Route 24. The tracks

were on top of a steep, very high grade. A wet ditch lay to the east of the tracks

and a 15-m (50-ft) wide degraded vegetative buffer strip existed on the west slope

of the grade. A drainage ditch lay at the base of this slope with a mowed grass

field beyond.

Plant species: Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Amianthium canadense (wild garlic),

Silphium terebinthinaceum (prairie dock), Pastinacasativa (wild parsnip),

Silphium laciniatum (compass plant), Tradescantiavirginiana (spiderwort),

Asclepias spp. (milkweed), Verbascum thapsus (common mullein), Aruncus

dioicus (yellow goatsbeard), Cichorium intybus (chicory), Erigeron annuus (daisy

fleabane), Cirsium spp. (thistle), Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem),

Populus deltoids (cottonwood)

54 Site B. Gilman - Crescent City RR (900E Rd.- Site B1, 1300E Rd.- Site B2)

Species captured: Spermophilus tridecemlineatus(thirteen-lined ground squirrel)

A total of 28 traps was set along the railroad corridor running parallel to

U.S. Route 24 between Gilman and Crescent City, 16 at the 900E Rd. crossing and 12 at the 1300E Rd. crossing. To the north of the grade a 10-20 meter

(33-66 ft) wide buffer strip separated the tracks from crop fields. This area was primarily flat and covered with grasses and forbs but it became very wet adjacent to 1300E Rd. A 10-meter (33-ft) wide strip of grasses, forbs, and shrubs extended to the south of the tracks and abruptly terminated at a very large drainage ditch.

Plant species: Asclepias spp. (milkweed), Erigeron annuus (daisy fleabane),

Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Pastinacasativa (wild parsnip), Tradescantia virginiana(spiderwort), Aruncus dioicus (yellow goatsbeard), Silphium terebinthinaceum (prairie dock), Silphium laciniatum (compass plant), Cichorium intybus (chicory), Taraxacum officinale (common dandelion), Trifolium pratense

(red clover), Equisitum spp. (horsetail), Festuca spp. (fescue grass), Populus deltoides (cottonwood)

Site C. Hooper Branch Nature Preserve / Iroquois County Conservation Area

Species captured: none

The Hooper Branch Nature Preserve is primarily an oak savanna with sandy soil. It was suggested that appropriate habitat existed in this area as well as immediately south in the sedge meadows and prairies of the Iroquois County

55 Conservation Area. Two traps were set in a small field and along the roadside on the west edge of the Nature Preserve. Three traps were set along an un-mowed,

3-meter (10-ft) wide roadside on the north side of the Conservation Area.

Plant species: Tradescantiavirginiana (spiderwort), Festuca spp. (fescue grass),

Bromus spp. (brome grass), Agrostis alba (redtop), Vitis riparia(riverbank grape),

Parthenocissusquinquefolia (Virginia creeper), Ligustrum vulgare (common privet), Salix nigra (black willow), Quercus velutina (black oak)

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59 AREA 7. Winnebago County

Dates trapped: 18-21 June 2001

Site A. Searls Park Prairie Nature Preserve

Species captured: Sylvilagusfloridanus (eastern cottontail), Sciurus niger

(eastern fox squirrel)

This 163-hectare (66-acre) high-quality mesic prairie restoration in west

Rockford was chosen based on reports of the presence of suitable habitat.

Twenty-four traps were set in the northwest quarter of the prairie. We determined

that the soil becomes too wet to the east and south to contain burrows. A few of

the traps were moved on the second day to a small, un-mowed grass field north of

the prairie.

Plant species: Erigeron annuus (daisy fleabane), Pastinacasativa (wild parsnip),

Valeriana officinalis (garden valerian), Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Rosa setigera

(prairie rose), Rudbeckia serotina (black-eyed susan), Tradescantiavirginiana

(spiderwort), Asclepias spp. (milkweed), Eryngium yuccifolium (rattlesnake

master), Eupatoriumperfoliatum (boneset), Helianthus spp. (sunflower), Phlox

pilosa (downy phlox), Silphium laciniatum (compass plant), Rubus spp.

(dewberry), Carex spp. (sedge), Agrostis alba (redtop), Bromus spp. (brome

grass), Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass), Andropogon gerardii(big bluestem),

Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem), Rhus glabra (smooth sumac), Quercus

alba (white oak), Ulmus americana(American elm), Populus deltoides

(cottonwood), Salix nigra (black willow)

60 Site B. Winnebago-Rockford railroad recreation trail

Species captured: Spermophilus tridecemlineatus (thirteen-lined ground

_squirrel)

This abandoned, un-graded railway runs west of Rockford towards

Winnebago. The tracks have been removed and the area is now maintained as a recreational trail. The trail itself is a 2-3 m (7-10 ft) wide mowed path with a

15-20 m (50-65 ft) wide degraded prairie buffer on each side separating it from crop fields. Ten traps were set along a 300-m (984-ft) stretch of the buffer at the

Falconer Road crossing. Several thirteen-lined ground squirrel burrows were located along the adjacent mowed roadside.

-Plant species: Taraxacum officinale (common dandelion), Ambrosia trifida (great ragweed), Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Tragopogon pratensis (yellow goatsbeard),

Lychnis alba (white campion), Asclepias spp. (milkweed), Pastinacasativa (wild parsnip), Potentillarecta (rough-fruited cinquefoil), Verbascum thapsus (common mullein), Silphium terebinthinaceum (prairiedock), Cirsium spp. (thistle),

Echinaceapurpurea (purple coneflower), Silphium laciniatum (compass plant),

Baptisia leucantha (white false indigo), Tradescantiavirginiana (spiderwort),

Trifolium repens (white clover), Fragariavirginiana (wild strawberry), Carex spp. (sedge), Bromus spp. (brome grass), Lonicera spp. (honeysuckle)

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63 AREA 8. Lake County

Dates trapped: 25-28 June 2001

Site A. Spring Bluff Nature Preserve - North

Species captured: none

S. franklinii sightings have been recorded regularly just north of the

preserve across the Wisconsin state border in Chiwaukee Prairie. The Spring

Bluff Nature Preserve is a combination of sand prairie and marsh. Fifteen traps

were set on the north side of the preserve behind the parking lot of the North Point

Marina boathouse. The trapline ran parallel to the state border along a sparsely

vegetated, slightly raised stretch of land that measured 500 m (1640 ft) long and

60-80 m (197-262 ft) wide. Lower areas to the north and south were much more

mesic and a cattail marsh lay to the west. This was the closest that we could get

to Chiwaukee Prairie and remain in Illinois.

Plant species: Tradescantiavirginiana (spiderwort),Asclepias spp. (milkweed),

Tragopogonpratensis (yellow goatsbeard), Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Verbascum

thapsus (common mullein), Achillea millefolium (yarrow), Rubus spp. (dewberry),

Vitis riparia(riverbank grape), Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem),

Sporobolus heterolepis (prairie dropseed), Stipa spartea (porcupine grass),

Equisetum spp. (horsetail), Populus deltoides (cottonwood), Salix interior

(sandbar willow)

64 Site B. Spring Bluff Nature Preserve - South / North Point Marina

Species captured: Marmota monax (woodchuck)

Ten traps were set in a cordgrass and sedge field located in the

southwestern corer of the nature preserve adjacent to the 7th Street entrance of the North Point Marina and to the railroad tracks that run southward from

Chiwaukee Prairie through Illinois Beach State Park. Fifteen additional traps

th were set just south of 7 Street, also adjacent to the railway, within the State Park property in an area dominated by sedges and shrubs. Both of these areas were very wet but drier patches with sandy soil were scattered throughout.

Plant species: Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Asclepias spp. (milkweed), Silphium

terebinthinaceum (prairie dock), Rosa setigera (prairie rose), Rudbeckia serotina

(black-eyed susan), Tradescantiavirginiana (spiderwort), Asparagus officinalis

(asparagus), Trifolium repens (white clover), Phlox glaberrima(smooth phlox),

Vitis riparia(riverbank grape), Rubus spp. (dewberry), Convolvulus sepium

(hedge bindweed), Vicia americana(American vetch), Prunellavulgaris

(selfheal), Carex spp. (sedge), Bromus spp. (brome grass), Poapratensis

(Kentucky bluegrass), Agrostis alba (redtop), Spartinapectinata (prairie cordgrass), Rhus glabra(smooth sumac), Quercus alba (white oak), Salix interior

(sandbar willow)

65 Site C. Illinois Beach State Park - Camp Logan

Species captured: Spermophilus tridecemlineatus (thirteen-lined ground squirrel)

Five traps were moved on the second day from the North Point Marina site to the large, sandy soil prairie fields of the Camp Logan multiple-use area, located in the North Unit of Illinois Beach State Park. Potential ground squirrel burrows were located along the edges of these prairies and thirteen-lined ground squirrels were observed.

Plant species: Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Asclepias spp. (milkweed), Achillea millefolium (yarrow), Verbascum thapsus (common mullein), Rosa setigera

(prairie rose), Rudbeckia serotina (black-eyed susan), Potentillarecta (rough- fruited cinquefoil), Erigeronannuus (daisy fleabane), Tradescantiavirginiana

(spiderwort), Mirabilisnyctaginea (heart-leaved umbrellawort), Lychnis alba

(white campion), Vitis riparia(riverbank grape), Rubus spp. (dewberry),

Tragopogonpratensis (yellow goatsbeard), Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass),

Bromus spp. (brome grass), Sporobolus heterolepis (prairie dropseed), Quercus velutina (black oak), Salix interior (sandbar willow)

66 LINEi

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67 AREA 9. Cook County

Dates trapped: 2-5 July 2001

Site A. Gensburg-Markham Prairie Nature Preserve

Species captured: none

Franklin's ground squirrels were introduced onto this 42.5-hectare (105-

acre) prairie restoration, located in the southern portion of the Chicago

metropolitan area, in the early 1980's. The vegetation here was a unique mixture

of black silt loam prairie and sand prairie due to the presence of both associated

soil types. The eastern and central portions of the property contained wet sedge

meadows. Thirty traps were set in the western, northern, and southern areas,

which were generally drier.

Plant species: Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver's root), Chrysanthemum

leucanthemum (oxeye daisy), Fragariavirginiana (wild strawberry), Verbascum

thapsus (common mullein), Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Asclepias spp.

(milkweed), Lilium superbum (Turk's-cap lily), Silphium perfoliatum (cup plant),

Allium cernuum (wild onion), Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Cirsium spp. (thistle),

Hypericum perforatum (common St. Johnswort), Coreopsispalmata (prairie

coreopsis), Eryngium yuccifolium (rattlesnake master), Baptisia leucantha(white

false indigo), Ambrosia trifida (great ragweed), Parthenium integrifolium (wild

quinine), Tradescantiavirginiana (spiderwort), Andropogon gerardii(big

bluestem), Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass), Sporobolus heterolepis (prairie

dropseed), Rhus glabra(smooth sumac), Rhamnus cathartica(common

buckthom)

68 Site B. Sand Ridge Nature Preserve

Species captured: Sciurus carolinensis(eastern gray squirrel)

Ten traps were set in the sand prairie in the northeastern corer of the preserve.

The Sand Ridge Nature Center, located on the west side of the preserve, has a photograph on file of a Franklin's ground squirrel taken on their property in the early 1980's. No ground squirrels have been seen in this area since then but there are several nearby railroad rights-of-way and Cook County Forest Preserve

District properties that may harbor remnant populations or serve as dispersal corridors.

Plant species: Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver's root), Asclepias tuberosa

(butterfly weed), Solidago spp. (goldenrod), Asclepias spp. (milkweed), Phlox pilosa (downy phlox), Lilium tigrinum (tiger lily), Coronillavaria (crown vetch),

Erigeronannuus (daisy fleabane), Rudbeckia serotina (black-eyed Susan),

Ambrosia trifida (great ragweed), Rubus spp. (dewberry), Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem), Populus deltoides (cottonwood)

69 Area 9, Site A: Gensburg-Markham Prairie Nature Preserve, Cook County (Harvey 7.5' quadrangle)

70 a-, - ',C m u *, ".10k'.mw L i11.J, Ni 0i3) I033II l1 I r II ^m II I I l JLL I S•UL -- "" rF- i===r-

Is ' " E -^m*g lI.ý- -0Id'IN11 1 o-e-z' \ c •3" \ ! \ -i/• II +--Ii • •,ll iT ^ ?s Prum -* ' _ INV 600 it, .771,,nk,ter,,i• Id - ^'III IrIi _ _ _: 17 DlIw5 S _S :t ;i ]iL rk ;\ 56 II E Ut' l

_607 L'-, ,__j: JL,-^^ *r<_ 56 ^ 0^I",. _ ,J6ifolA F- L _ . "[• 602 ---- %:,__ a, -^dlj =-7 Pautrlberg- ir« YPI' LpottsU ik-i H:i -~··- ~Pa rk X^ j ]i 7j_- JI IleaorI .25. I'I 3 -wiFI1--1 I¶7FWW-%1T _29 6z ýl " , .j 1 . I-hmR P i mmiri 61 NG I'I I.F 4F7- "S- ,"was=" I -ý\\f -.dL~I~~ 1- Pt-F i .-.-___._ r 1IE MAIM -. I- • nFI, TORRENCE AVE I-- V. i HI ITT" It 2 KIIGERY J INTERCHANGE I U.__liT..;f••-, TFP H-A, -- I ^\0- 600 --.-- fll 8... IR. ...T mii9- L#ns1 If-'-7

Area 9, Site B: Sand Ridge Nature Preserve, Cook County (Calumet City 7.5' quadrangle)

71 AREA 10. Vermilion County

Dates trapped: 9-12 July 2001

Site A. Hoopeston Railroad - 2100E Road crossing

Species captured: Spermophilusfranklinii (Franklin's ground squirrel - 14

juveniles, 2 adults)

This stretch of railroad was a suggested site of Franklin's ground squirrel

occupancy. The right-of-way consisted of a 10-m (33-ft) wide buffer of weedy

vegetation to the north and south, with crop fields beyond. A drainage ditch

divided the buffer and field on the north. Twenty traps were set along a 0.8-km

(0.5-mile) stretch of tracks centered on the road crossing.

Plant species: Ambrosia trifida (great ragweed), Tradescantiavirginiana

(spiderwort), Rosa setigera (prairie rose), Coronillavaria (crown vetch),

Asclepias spp. (milkweed), Convolvulus arvensis (field bindweed), Silphium

terebinthinaceum (prairie dock), Silphium laciniatum (compass plant), Rubus

allegheniensis (common blackberry), Cirsium spp. (thistle), Pastinacasativa

(wild parsnip), Rudbeckia serotina (black-eyed Susan), Daucus carota (wild

carrot), Cichorium intybus (chicory), Tragopogonpratensis (yellow goatsbeard)

Site B. Hoopeston Railroad - 2250E Road crossing

Species captured: Spermophilusfranklinii (Franklin's ground squirrel - 4

juveniles, 3 adults)

Twenty traps were set along 0.8 km (0.5 miles) of the tracks to the west of

2250E Rd. that delineates the Illinois/Indiana state border. A 5-m (16-ft) buffer

72 composed primarily of brome grass separated the track bed from a crop field to the south. To the north of the tracks, a 15-m (49-ft) wide strip containing some trees and large patches of horsetail divided the tracks from a deep drainage ditch containing standing water and an agricultural field beyond.

Plant species: Tradescantiavirginiana (spiderwort), Asclepias spp. (milkweed),

Cirsium spp. (thistle), Daucus carota (wild carrot), Convolvulus arvensis (field bindweed), Rubus allegheniensis (common blackberry), Tragopogonpratensis

(yellow goatsbeard), Silphium terebinthinaceum(prairie dock), Asparagus officinalis (asparagus), Equisitum spp. (horsetail), Bromus spp. (brome grass),

Salix nigra

73 1722

Area 10, Site A: Hoopeston RR - 2100E Rd. crossing, Vermilion County Area 10, Site B: Hoopeston RR - 2250E Rd. crossing, Vermilion County (Ambia 7.5' quadrangle)

74 Appendix 3: Sites that were not included in this survey but may harbor remnant

Franklin's ground squirrel populations.

Vermont Cemetery Prairie, Will County - This small site is located adjacent to a railroad right-of-way near Plainfield and was one of the sources for the Gensburg-Markham

Prairie introduction.

Powderhorn Prairie Natural Area and vicinity of Lake Calumet and Powderhor Lake,

Cook County - Photographs of Franklin's ground squirrels were taken in this area by

McHenry County Conservation District staff in 1997.

Manito Prairie Nature Preserve, Tazewell County - There are records of the species existing in the preserve in the 1980's. The Directory of Illinois Nature Preserves (McFall and Kames 1995) also lists the Franklin's ground squirrel as a resident mammal.

Weldon Springs State Park, DeWitt County - This park is located just southeast of

Clinton. A Franklin's was reportedly seen on the north side of the park along the side of

500N Road in October 2000. Given the time of year of the sighting, it is probable that this was a dispersing individual; therefore surrounding areas of appropriate habitat should be examined as well.

Railroad ROW northeast and southwest of Taylorville, Christian County - Franklin's ground squirrel sightings were reported in the mid-1980's and mid-1990's.

75 Jubilee College State Park, Peoria County - A sighting was reported from the mid 1980's along the side of Brimfield-Jubilee Road on the north side of the park.

Williamsburg Hill area, Shelby County - An individual was observed and photographed in this area in June 1989.

76