U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger cinereus

Twice the size of the common gray squirrel, the Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel may grow to 30 inches—with half of that as the tail—and weigh up to 3 pounds. Historically, the fox squirrel lived in the peninsula occupied by portions of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia and bordered by the Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River, Delaware Bay, and Atlantic Ocean.

Habitat loss and probably over- hunting at the turn of the century contributed to the marked decline of this fox squirrel subspecies. Clearing forests for agriculture and short- rotation timber production combined to reduce its distribution to less than 10 percent of the original range by the time the Delmarva fox squirrel was listed in 1967 as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Courtesy of the Delaware Natural Heritage Program. Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel caught on a motion-triggered camera. Decades of conservation work by recovery partners have reversed the status of the squirrel. Its populations spring, the squirrel will also eat February and March as many as four are now increasing. fungi, insects, fruit, and seeds. In the young are born. Females may give summer and early fall, the squirrel birth to two litters per year. They Description, Habitat, and Behavior enjoys eating mature, green pine raise the young by themselves. The largest of all the tree squirrels, cones. The animal generally lives in the Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel woodlands associated with farmland Imperiled Population has silver to whitish-gray slate hair areas—not typically in suburban By the early 1900s, the range of the and an unusually full, fluffy tail and settings. Delmarva fox squirrel was reduced white belly. The squirrel’s coat varies to the Eastern Shore of Maryland. in color from frosty silver-gray to Less agile than the common gray Current threats include predators, almost black. squirrel, the Delmarva fox squirrel such as red and gray foxes, and often ambles along the forest floor eagles and other raptors, such as The Delmarva fox squirrel lives in rather than leaping from branch to great horned owls. Accidental deaths mature forests of mixed hardwoods branch. The animal usually avoids by vehicles also occur. and pines with a closed canopy confrontations by running away and open understory. Although rather than climbing a tree but will When the U.S. Fish and Wildlife it is a forest animal, the squirrel do so to avoid a predator. The fox Service provided it with Endangered spends considerable time on the squirrel is also quieter than the gray Species Act protection, the squirrel ground foraging for food, typically squirrel. The home range of the fox occupied only four counties in in woodlots of mixed loblolly pine squirrel varies, but averages about 40 Maryland—Kent, Queen Anne’s, and hardwoods such as oak, maple, acres. Talbot, and Dorchester. Thanks to hickory, walnut, and beech— trees reintroduction efforts by the Service, that provide food including nuts and The Delmarva fox squirrel may nest Maryland Department of Natural seeds. The squirrel will also take in tree cavities or build a leaf nest. Resources, the Delaware Natural food from farm fields. Feeding on Squirrels mate in late winter and Heritage Program, and the Virginia tree buds and flowers during the early spring. About 44 days later in Department of Game and Inland January 1998 Fisheries, the squirrel can now be another. Developers found in Delaware and Virginia and can also help fox in all counties on the Eastern Shore squirrels by leaving of Maryland except Cecil. buffers of trees and hedgerows between Recovery Efforts streams and Habitat protection for the Delmarva development. Peninsula fox squirrel began in 1945 when the Maryland Department of The Delmarva Natural Resources bought LeCompte Peninsula fox Wildlife Management Area in squirrel receives Dorchester County. Legal hunting additional for the squirrel was banned in 1971. protection under Following the endangered listing, the the Chesapeake Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel Bay Critical Area Recovery Team began coordinating Law of 1984, State and Federal conservation which requires efforts. A major focus has been to endangered species increase the population size and habitat protection distribution of this species through within critical areas a reintroduction program to re- —that is, 1000 feet establish the squirrel throughout its landward of low range. mean high tide.

Of 16 reintroductions in Monitoring Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and One of the principal Pennsylvania, 11 are succeeding criteria of the more than a decade later. Much species’ recovery of the habitat now occupied is is the stability or expansion of monitor the population and tag new privately owned land. Fortunately, Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel animals to help determine their long- the Delmarva fox squirrel can thrive populations. The range is expanding. term presence. in a landscape that is managed for The animals are now found in farming and sustainable timber new areas. Their distribution is Where Can You See a Delmarva Fox harvest. Farmers can provide prime determined by the locations where Squirrel? habitat by leaving uncut corn or they have been observed, trapped, To see a Delmarva fox squirrel and soybeans along hedgerows for the found in next boxes, or photographed. learn more about this unique resident squirrels’ winter food. Developers of the Delmarva Peninsula, visit any can leave woodlot trees that produce Motion-triggered cameras offer of the following National Wildlife nuts, seeds, and berries and can a new monitoring technique that Refuges in the area: Chesapeake provide corridors from one woodlot to enables evidence of their presence Marshlands Complex (Dorchester without the time and effort of County, MD), Chincoteague trapping. Another technique under (Accomack County, Virginia), and development is “hair-catching” at Prime Hook (Sussex County, DE). stations that can be baited and placed Also, be on the look-out in the woods in the forest. Samples collected can and field edges throughout its range. be analyzed for their DNA. Research has determined that scientists can distinguish Delmarva fox squirrel U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hair from that of the gray squirrel. Endangered Species Program 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 420 Chincoteague National Wildlife Arlington, VA 22203 Refuge 703-358-2390 From 1969 to 1971, biologists http://www.fws.gov/endangered/ relocated 30 Delmarva Peninsula fox U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service squirrels to Chincoteague National Northeast Region Wildlife Refuge and released them 300 Westgate Center Drive in habitat surrounding the historic Hadley, MA 01035 Assateague Lighthouse. Since then 413-253-8615 the population of squirrels at the http://www.fws.gov/northeast/ Refuge has reached 300 to 350, with new populations dispersing on their February 2008 own throughout the southern portion. Refuge biologists conduct an annual fox squirrel nesting box check to Photo by M. Simon, Maryland Environmental Service