Biology:Mount Graham red squirrel

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Short description: Subspecies of rodent

Mount Graham red squirrel

Critically Imperiled (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Tamiasciurus
Species:
T. fremonti
Subspecies:
T. f. grahamensis
Trinomial name
Tamiasciurus fremonti grahamensis
(J. A. Allen, 1894)
Synonyms
  • Sciurus hudsonicus grahamensis J. A. Allen, 1894[4]: 350 
  • Tamasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis (J. A. Allen, 1894)

The Mount Graham red squirrel (Tamiasciurus fremonti grahamensis) is an endangered subspecies of the southwestern red squirrel (Tamiasciurus fremonti)[5] native to the Pinaleño Mountains of Arizona. It is smaller than most other subspecies of red squirrel, and also does not have the white-fringed tail that is common to the species. Its diet consists mainly of mixed seeds, conifer cones and air-dried fungi. It exhibits similar behavior to other squirrels in its species.

Description

Physical

The Mount Graham red squirrel is a generally tiny squirrel weighing on average around 8 ounces (230 g) and measuring about 8 inches (20 cm) in length.[2] The subspecies also has a 6-inch (15 cm) tail.[2] Unlike most other squirrels in its species, the squirrels do not have a white-fringed tail.[2] Both females and males share similar markings and features and are typically grayish brown in color with rusty yellow or orange markings on their backside.[2] During the winter season, the squirrels' ears are tufted with fur, and during the summer a black lateral line is observed on the squirrel.[2][6] The skull of the subspecies is rounded and its teeth are low-crowned.[6]

Behavior

Mount Graham red squirrels behave in a manner similar to most other subspecies of American red squirrel. They are diurnal and do not hibernate during the winter months, but instead carry out activities in the mid-day sun.[7] Mount Graham squirrels usually eat a diet of mixed seeds, conifer cones and air-dried fungi.[8]

Habitat

Historically, the Mount Graham red squirrel inhabited about 11,750 acres (47.6 km2) of spruce-fir, mixed-conifer and ecotone zone habitats that were generally at higher elevations throughout the Pinaleño Mountains.[8] Recent data shows that it occurs more frequently at the ecotone zone than the other habitats.[8] When choosing a potential nesting site, the squirrels typically pick a cool, moist area with an abundance of food sources.[8] Drought, forest fires, and insect infestation have been responsible for a decrease of the squirrel in the spruce-fir habitat.[8]

Conservation

The Mount Graham subspecies was believed to be extinct in the 1950s, but was "rediscovered" in the 1970s.[9] After its rediscovery, it was suggested for threatened or endangered species status under the Endangered Species Act in 1982.[10] On May 21, 1986, the subspecies was officially recommended to become an endangered species,[11] and effective June 3, 1987, was listed as endangered.[2][3] The Mount Graham International Observatory was controversial when it was built in the squirrel's habitat; the observatory has been required to monitor the community near the observatory to determine if its construction is having any negative effects on the population.[9] Habitat loss is also occurring at high levels for a variety of natural and anthropogenic reasons.[9] In 1988, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated most of this area as a refuge, and access to the area is granted only with a special permit.[9] A lightning strike on June 7, 2017, started a wildfire that could have led to the extinction of this subspecies.[12]

In September 2019, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to consider if the squirrel needed further protection. They were petitioned under a procedure of the Endangered Species Act by a group that contends it is necessary to remove the observatory and other private structures.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101915/Tamiasciurus_fremonti_grahamensis. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "Mount Graham red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis)". U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/8370. Retrieved 6 September 2024. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Shull, Alisa M. (3 June 1987). "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Determination of Endangered Status for the Mount Graham Red Squirrel". Federal Register 52 (106): 20994–20999.  52 FR 20994
  4. ↑ Allen, J.A. (1894). "Descriptions of Five New North American Mammals". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 6: 347–350. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/86428. Retrieved 6 September 2024. 
  5. ↑ "Explore the Database". https://www.mammaldiversity.org/explore.html#species-id=1001705. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Fitzpatrick, Lesley; Genice Froehlich (May 3, 1993). "Mount Graham red squirrel". U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Albuquerque, New Mexico. http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Arizona/Documents/RecoveryPlans/MtGrahamRedSquirrel.pdf. Retrieved 10 April 2010. 
  7. ↑ "The Natural History of the Mount Graham Red Squirrel". The University of Arizona. http://www.ag.arizona.edu/research/redsquirrel/mgrs-nathistory.html. Retrieved 13 September 2012. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 "Mount Graham Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis) 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation". U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Arizona Ecological Services Field Office Phoenix, Arizona. January 2008. http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/five_year_review/doc1617.pdf. Retrieved 10 April 2010. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "The Mt. Graham Red Squirrel Research Program Project History". The University of Arizona. http://www.ag.arizona.edu/research/redsquirrel/mgrs-projhistory.html. Retrieved 13 September 2012. 
  10. ↑ "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Review of Vertebrate Wildlife for Listing as Endangered or Threatened Species". Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.. December 30, 1982. http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/federal_register/fr650.pdf. Retrieved 10 April 2010. 
  11. ↑ Shull, Alisa M. (21 May 1986). "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Determination of Endangered Status and Critical Habitat for the Mount Graham Red Squirrel". Federal Register 51 (98): 18630–18634.  51 FR 18630
  12. ↑ Albeck-Ripka, Livia (October 25, 2017). "For an Endangered Animal, a Fire or Hurricane Can Mean the End". New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/25/climate/fires-hurricanes-endangered-animals.html. 
  13. ↑ "US officials to consider protections for endangered Arizona squirrel". KTAR News. September 5, 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-09-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20190910194909/https://ktar.com/story/2725706/us-officials-to-consider-protections-for-endangered-arizona-squirrel/. Retrieved September 8, 2019. 

Wikidata ☰ Q6920967 entry



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