Delmarva fox squirrel
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| Delmarva Fox Squirrel | ||||||||||||||||
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| Sciurus niger cinereus |
The Delmarva Fox Squirrel, Sciurus niger cinereus, is an endangered subspecies of fox squirrel.
Its historical range included the Delmarva Peninsula, southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, but its natural occurrence is now limited to parts of the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia. It has, however, been successfully reintroduced in other parts of its historical range.
Like all fox squirrels, the Delmarva has a full, fluffy tail. The Delmarva fox squirrel is frosty silver to slate gray with a white belly and can grow to be 75 cm (30 in) long, including up to 38 cm (15 in) of tail. They weigh around three pounds.
Their preferred habitat is mature forest of both hardwood and pine trees with an open, park-like understory. They feed mostly on nuts and other tree seeds, including seeds of oak, hickory, sweetgum, walnut and loblolly pine. In the summer and early fall they often feed on mature green pine cones. Other less important food sources include buds, fruit, insects, and grain.
These fox squirrels prefer to make their dens in the hollows of trees. However, they will also make a nest of leaves and twigs in the crotch of a tree, in a tangle of vines on a tree trunk, or near the end of a large branch. Mating occurs in late winter and early spring. Gestation is about 44 days, with most young born between February and April. Litters average 1-6 young, which the female raises by herself.
The Delmarva fox squirrel was listed as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1967. A recovery plan was developed in 1979 and revised in 1983 and 1993. A principal strategy for species recovery is protection of its habitat.
[edit] External links
- Delmarva fox squirrel, Sciurus niger cinereus, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Chesapeake Bay Field Office
- Delmarva Fox Squirrel, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
