RESPONSES OF RED SQUIRREL (TAMIASCIURUS-HUDSONICUS) POPULATIONS TO SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD

Squirrel populations were sampled by live trapping on replicate study areas in mature coniferous forest near Prince George and in the Cariboo, British Columbia. Average abundance of squirrels in fed populations was 3-4 times higher than in controls during the 2 yr of supplemented feeding. More adults were recruited into fed populations. The fed population had longer breeding seasons and some females may have had 2 litters compared with only 1 in the controls. There were no consistent differences in survival between control and fed populations. Population densities declined slowly after the food was withdrawn from the experimental areas, and population characteristics gradually approached those of the control. Food is likely a driving factor in population fluctuations. -from Author