Delmarva Fox Squirrel Recovered

The Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel is no longer at risk of extinction, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

USFWS will officially remove the squirrel from the list of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in December 2015.

The species was one of the animals included on the first list of endangered species nearly a half century ago.

Larger than other squirrel species and generally not found in suburban or urban areas, the Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel ranged throughout the Delmarva Peninsula of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia before experiencing a sharp decline in the mid-20th century.

With its range reduced more than 90 percent, the squirrel was one of 78 species listed under the Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1967, the predecessor of the ESA enacted six years later.

Since listing, the squirrel’s range has increased from four to 10 counties, and a population of up to 20,000 squirrels now covers 28 percent of the Delmarva Peninsula, primarily in Maryland.

Efforts contributing to recovery include translocation of animals to establish new populations, closing of the targeted hunting season, growth and dispersal of the population, and protection of large forested areas for habitat.

Delmarva fox squirrels are common at Blackwater (Maryland), Chincoteague (Virginia), and Prime Hook (Delaware) national wildlife refuges.

Prior to its 2014 proposal to remove the squirrel from the endangered species list, FWS followed a rigorous and detailed process to assess the Delmarva fox squirrel’s extinction risk.

The agency’s 2012 five-year review analyzed the status of populations, habitat and threats, considered the delisting criteria from the 1993 recovery plan, and ultimately recommended to delist the species because it is no longer in danger of extinction. A post-delisting monitoring plan will ensure the squirrel remains secure from extinction.

source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Swamp Bay Tree Added to Maryland Big Tree Program

A large swamp bay tree (Persea palustris) was recently recognized by the Maryland Big Tree Program. The unusual tree was measured in Hickory Point Cypress Swamp at Pocomoke State Forest by Dan Wilson, a volunteer with the Maryland Big Tree Program (MBTP).

The swamp bay is listed on Maryland’s Threatened and Endangered Species List for Worcester County. The tree has a circumference of 17 inches, a height of 27 feet and an average crown spread of 20 feet. Its total point value is 49, making it the first State Champion.

The species more common in North Carolina. The U.S. Champion, with a total of 212 points is located in a swamp in Newport News, Virginia.

The swamp bay is now the 143rd tree species to be added to the Maryland Big Tree Program. The recently found example is among a clump of smaller trees of the same species, so it appears there is a well-established colony to support future growth.

The Big Tree Program originated in Maryland in 1925, went national in 1940, and is run by American Forests, www.americanforests.org. Each state has a State Coordinator who collects data, measures trees, and biannually submits certain trees to American Forests as potential National Champions. For more information, visit dnr.state.md.us/forests/trees/bigtree.asp.

The universal “point” system was developed by Maryland’s first State Forester, Fred Besley. The formula is: circumference in inches + height in feet + one fourth of the average crown spread in feet.

To report what may be a State Big Tree, or for a copy of the State Big Tree List, contact John Bennett at mdbigtreeprogram@aol.com or 410-287-5980.

source: MD DNR