Females may breed at 10 to 11 months. Young 

 can be disturbed and handled with minimal 

 adverse effects. Females will not abandon young 

 if disturbed but may move them to a different 

 location (DFSRT draft). 



MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION 



The establishment of Blackwater National 

 Wildlife Refuge (1933) in Maryland has helped 

 protect some habitat (lUCN 1972). LeCompte 

 Wildlife Management Area, Maryland, was desig- 

 nated as a refuge for this species in 1970. Mary- 

 land closed the hunting season on this species in 

 1971. The species was successfully introduced at 

 Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia, 

 in 1968. 



Several hundred nest boxes have been placed in 

 selected habitats and many used in Chinco- 

 teague National Wildlife Refuge. Several thou- 

 sand nest boxes have been built, and some put out 

 in Maryland. Studies with gray squirrels have 

 indicated that provision of nest boxes nearly 

 doubled the population (Barkalow and Soots 

 1965; Burger 1969). 



Management proposals by the State of Virgin- 

 ia include establishing a nest box program and sur- 

 veying for additional sites of suitable habitat for 

 reestablishment (Taylor and Fisher 1978). The 

 State of Maryland's proposals include, in addi- 

 tion, the use of abundance and life history studies 

 (G.J. Taylor personal communication). 



A recovery team has been formed and a final 

 draft recovery plan will be formulated by late 

 1978. The primary objective of the recovery plan 

 is the restoration of the Delmarva fox squirrel to 

 a secure status throughout its former range 

 (DFSRT draft). The plan includes three primary ac- 

 tions: (1) preservation and management of essen- 

 tial denning and feeding habitat; (2) release of 

 Delmarva fox squirrels into suitable habitat; (3) 

 protection of populations through law enforce- 

 ment, reduction of squirrel competition and pre- 

 dation; and (4) promotion of public support. 

 Tentative plans also include aquisition of private 

 lands on which this species occurs. Designation of 

 Critical Habitat will be proposed by 30 June 1979. 



The following is a list of public lands on 

 which the squirrel occurs and related population 

 estimates (F = Federal, S = State, NWR = Na- 

 tional Wildlife Refuge). 



AUTHORITIES 



Vagn Flyger (Recovery Team) 

 1222 H.J. Paterson Hall 

 University of Maryland 

 College Park, MD 20742 



Bernard F. Halla (Recovery Team) 



Nongame Wildlife Program, 



Maryland Department of Natural Resources 



Wildlife Administration 



Tawes State Office Building 



Annapolis, MD 21401 



William H. Julian (Recovery Team) 

 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

 Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge 

 Rt. l,Box 121 

 Cambridge, MD 21613 



Gary J. Taylor (Recovery Team) 

 Nongame and Endangered Species Program 



Manager 

 Maryland Department of Natural Resources 

 Wildlife Administration 

 Tawes State Office Building 

 Annapolis, MD 21401 



PREPARER'S COMMENTS 



Known in literature as Sciurus niger bryanti, 

 S. n. neglectus, and S. n. cinereus. 



LITERATURE CITED/SELECTED 

 REFERENCES 



Abbott, C. C. 1890. The geological survey of New 

 Jersey, 1890. Vol. 2, Part 2:500. John Mur- 

 phy Co., Trenton. 



