Abstract
Translocation, the movement of wild animals from one location to another, is thought to be a humane method of controlling damage caused by fox squirrels (Sciurus niger), yet little is known about the effects of translocation at the population level. This study took place on the Noble Foundation's Red River Demonstration and Research Farm (RRDRF) in Love County, Oklahoma, from May to October 1995, and was designed to develop a methodology to test the effect of translocation on fox squirrel populations. Nineteen fox squirrels from 3 areas on the RRDRF (IO in area A, 5 in area B, and 4 in area T) were radio-collared. Four squirrels were taken from area A and translocated to area T, and area B served as a control. Mean distance between squirrels, home range size (95% harmonic mean), and home range centers were determined for all squirrels before and after translocation, and were compared between areas. Although most results were not significant, squirrels in all 3 areas showed an increase in intraspecific distance and home range size. Squirrels in area B showed the greatest increase in distance between each other, which could not be explained by the experimental treatment. Squiffels from area T had the smallest home range size and the smallest mean distance between home range centers before and after translocation, which may be related to the small size of area T compared to areas A and B. Of the 4 squirrels translocated to area T, 2 returned 2.5 km to area A. Distances between returning squirrels and residents in area A did not differ significantly before translocation and after return. The 2 that did not return died within 55 days. This study showed that translocated fox squirrels can return at least 2.5 km, and translocation may lead to a high rate of mortality in squirrels that are moved. Done on a larger scale, this type of study should provide insight into the effects of translocation at the population level. Unless population effects are known, translocation can not be assumed to be a humane method of damage control.
Ten Brink, Craig Eric (1996). Techniques for analyzing the effects of translocation on fox squirrels (Sciurus niger). Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1996 -THESIS -T462.