DELMARVA PENINSULA (BRYANT) FOX SQUIRREL Sciurus niger cinereus (Linnaeus ) 

 Order: RODENTIA Family: SCIURIDAE 



Distinguishing characteristics: Similar to, but larger than, the gray squirrel; 

 coloration uniform light grizzled-grayish above with a steel blue cast; belly and feet 

 white; tail with a pronounced black stripe on outer edges . A melanistic form occurs in 

 which the belly and back are black . 



Present distribution : Queen Anne's, Dorchester, Talbot, Wicomico, Somerset, and 

 Worcester Counties , Maryland . The center of population appears to be in the 

 Drawbridge district of Dorchester County. 



Former distribution : From southeastern Pennsylvania, south on the Delmarva Peninsula 

 to Northampton County, Virginia. 



Status : Occurs in limited numbers in restricted areas. Flyger (1964) considered this 

 race as "threatened with immediate extinction." 



Estimated numbers : 200 on Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Maryland; 250 on 

 Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, Maryland; 18 on Chincoteague National Wildlife 

 Refuge, Virginia and Maryland. 



Breeding rate in the wild : One or two litters of two to four young per year. 



Reasons for decline : Destruction of habitat through timber cutting, construction, 

 road building, forest fires, etc. 



Protective measures already taken : Establishment of the Blackwater National Wildlife 

 Refuge (1933) and of the Pocomoke State Forest has helped to preserve some habitat. 

 Introduced to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in 1968. Lecompte Wildlife 

 Management Area designated as refuge for species by the State of Maryland in 1970. 

 The State of Maryland closed the hunting season on this squirrel for 1971. 



Measures proposed : Initiate studies to determine optimum habitat requirements . 

 Enlarge refuges on the Delmarva Peninsula to protect and develop optimum habitat. 



Number in captivity : Unknown . 



Breeding potential in captivity : Probably good. 



Remarks : The scientific name of this race has changed several times in recent years . 

 Thus , it is often known in the literature as Sciurus n . bryanti or S . n . neglectus . 



References : 



Allen, CM. 1942. Extinct and Vanishing Mammals of the Western Hemisphere. 

 American Committee for International Wildlife Protection, Special Publ . 11, 

 pp. 45-46. 



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