Squirrel Trapping Starts Monday

Monday will mark the beginning of the fourth year of the T.A. Squirrel Project, a mark/recapture study of Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) on the grounds of Thornton Academy. Squirrels are a common sight here at T.A. and conducting some real-world research on these creatures helps to drive home many of the management concepts we learn about in Maine Fish and Wildlife class. As an added bonus, there is very little published research on gray squirrels so any findings we make during our study could someday help to add to our overall scientific understanding of the species.

A collared squirrel on the feeder in 2017. Notice the red collar (2017) and beads used for individual ID. 

Each fall since 2015, we have captured gray squirrels in live trips around campus and fit adult individuals with a color coded collar. Juveniles are released without any hardware to avoid ending up with a collar that fits too tightly. We switch the color of the collars every year to help keep track of year class and possibly glean some information on the lifespan of our squirrels. The other day, while doing a preliminary count with my G2 class, we spotted a squirrel wearing an orange collar. This was especially exciting as that squirrel would have been originally trapped in the fall of 2016 making it at least three years old. Two year olds have been common since our study began but to document a three year old is a first for us. I'm really hoping to catch that squirrel again this fall to get some data on changes in its body size as well as get a fresh new orange collar on it. The average lifespan of a wild gray squirrel is something that still remains a little foggy.

Another collared squirrel visits the feeder in December of last year.

The second phase of our mark/recapture research kicks in sometime around November when we deploy mobile feeders around campus and monitor them with trail cameras. My lab aide, Cody Agro, will end up sifting through thousands of photos of feeding squirrels looking closely for collars. We will then keep track of the ratio of collared to non-collared squirrels on our feeders and use a mathematical formula called the Lincoln-Peterson index to estimate the overall population, but more on that later. For now, we need to focus on capturing adults and getting some new collars out there around campus. Our 2018 class will be wearing yellow collars. I'm planning on providing regular updates throughout the trapping and monitoring season so stay tuned!

This large male was the first squirrel we collared last fall. It was hit by a car on Fairfield Street later on that winter