A Bit About The Fox Squirrel
Fox Squirrels are medium sized reddish brown squirrels. They have long, bushy tails and extremely muscular bodies. Their sharp claws and muscles allow these squirrels to maneuver up trees and build nests. They prefer to live in oak, pine, mangrove and swamp forests. They use trees for hibernation during the winter. Fox Squirrels typically breed between December and February, but they breed from May to July as well. They can have either one or two litters a year. Fox Squirrels can live from 8 to 18 years, but it depends on competition and the size of their family litter/food distribution.
|
DietTheir diets consist of insects, birds, and trees like pine and oak trees. One of the most important roles Fox Squirrels assume in the ecosystem is burying seeds. Squirrels will collect seeds during the year, and then store them underground for hibernation months. Any seeds that the squirrels forget to collect later grow into trees and populate the forest. Forgotten seeds also feed other forest animals, circulating nutrients through the food web.
|
ImportanceFox squirrels are one of the most common species of squirrel living in The Everglades. They typically live in tall trees, building holes for their families and for hibernation. Fox Squirrels construct nests out of leaves and twigs within tree branches. The second role Fox Squirrels have in the ecosystem is acting as a food source for larger mammals. Fox Squirrels are eaten by many predators including Great Horned Owls, Bobcats, and other rodents. Lastly, they spread fungi spores throughout The Everglades, increasing tree growth and providing the basis for a healthy ecosystem.
|
Carrying Capacity
The carrying capacity of Fox Squirrels in the Everglades is 0.18. However, in recent years, squirrel populations have not reached their carrying capacity due to density independent factors like construction, farming, wildfires, hunting, and hurricanes. The density dependent factor of habitat loss is having the biggest impact on these mammals since it creates intraspecific competition for land and resources. The high density of the squirrels also allows for a rapid spreading of diseases and parasites such as ticks, mange mites, fleas, and internal parasites. More recently, Fox Squirrel populations have become threatened by humans, since the squirrels frequently scamper across the street. Road deaths by cars have now become a serious threat to Fox Squirrels. Lastly, The Burmese Python is now limiting the carrying capacity of the Fox squirrel since it feeds on most small mammals. It is also fast moving, and young Burmese Pythons can slither up trees, destroying squirrel nests. It has been predicted that there is a 50% chance of a 95% decrease in Fox Squirrel populations. Without high squirrel populations, almost every organism in The Everglades will face problems. There will be a lack of trees and vegetation, since squirrels spread seeds. Many small mammals will also starve, since they feed on nuts buried by squirrels. Subsequently, animals in higher trophic levels will have less prey, and this eventually causes a trophic cascade.