Abstract
ABSTRACT Fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) populations in the southeastern United States are declining, with fragmentation of large mature forests believed to be the primary cause. Historically, demographics of midwestern fox squirrel or gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) populations have been applied to management of southeastern fox squirrels. However, fox squirrels rarely become abundant in southeastern forests, despite variations in habitat quality. Previous research has reported on low density populations in the Southeast, but the effects of changing land use patterns on population demographics remain untested. We studied the demographics of a stable high density population of southern fox squirrels (S. n. niger) on Spring Island, South Carolina. Squirrel density (75.8 squirrels/km2), as estimated by the mark–resight method was the highest reported for fox squirrels in the Southeast. Mean annual survival rate was 62%, with automobiles causing 31% of squirrel deaths. Seasonal weights (992 g–1150 g), age ...
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