Save the northern Idaho Ground Squirrel!

SAVE THE NORTHERN IDAHO GROUND SQUIRREL!

Julian Lohser

The northern Idaho ground squirrel[1]

About

The northern Idaho ground squirrel (Spermophilus brunneus brunneus) is a smaller member of the squirrel family. The fur on the dorsal area is dark reddish-gray, with a buffy white eye ring. It has one of the smallest geographic ranges of any North American mammal.

This squirrel occupies meadow habitats that are bordered by pine forests. Their primary diet consists of seeds of forbs, lupines, and composites. The grasses and seeds are especially important, because the northern Idaho ground squirrel uses these to store energy for the winter.

The northern Idaho ground squirrel emerges in late March, and is active until early August. They are sexually mature the first spring after their birth, and are reproductively active within 2 weeks of emergence. Males tend to die at a younger age, due to the long distances traveled to find receptive females and fights with other males over the females.

Geographic and Population Changes

The northern Idaho ground squirrel is found in fragmented populations in the Adams and Valley counties of west-central Idaho. They prefer open meadow areas that also have a low density of coniferous trees[2]. Habitat fragmentation has led to smaller, isolated squirrel populations that are prone to extinction due to naturally occurring factors. In 1985, the population of squirrels was approximately 5000. A 2002 estimate showed approximately 450 to 500 squirrels remaining.

The small geographic range the northern Idaho ground squirrel occupies[2].

Listing Date and Type of Listing

On April 5, 2000, the northern Idaho ground squirrel was federally listed as a threatened species.

Cause of listing and Main threats to its continued existence

Habitat loss threatens the northern Idaho ground squirrel due to forest encroachment causing habitat fragmentation. Fire exclusion and the dense regrowth of conifers from past logging activities are significantly reducing suitable meadow habitats. This has led to the reduction in dispersal corridors, further isolating the species.  It is also threatened by land use changes, recreational shooting, poisoning, genetic isolation, and competition from the larger Columbian ground squirrel. Badgers are also an efficient predator that can wipe out smaller populations of squirrels in just a few days[4].

Badgers easily overpower ground squirrels.[5]

Description of Recovery Plan[4]

The northern Idaho ground squirrel has a recovery priority number of 3C assigned to it. This comes from a scale of 1-18, where 1 represents the highest priority for recovery. Also, it means that the northern Idaho ground squirrel is a subspecies facing a high degree of threat, but have a high potential for recovery.

The recovery criteria include an effective population size of greater than 5000 individuals. There must be at least 10 metapopulations that each maintain an average effective population size of greater than 500 individuals for 5 consecutive years. The area of the 10 metapopulations must be protected, whether by government agency or agreement with landowners.

The steps to recovery are:

    

           1. Restore and Maintain Habitat – Create site specific habitat management plans. Thin and burn the habitat, and reseed with native grass and forb species. Appropriate habitat must be maintained with prescribed burning and vegetation management. 
     2. Conduct Population Actions – Translocation of the squirrel to increase genetic diversity, combined with a captive breeding program to offset the high loss of the translocation, followed by reintroduction within the probable historic distribution. Further research must be done on habitat, ecology, and genetics.

        3. Monitor Habitat and Populations – Better methodologies to survey the population of squirrels must be standardized. The effects of vegetative treatments will be monitored as well.
 4. Coordinate the Recovery Program – Establish a coordinator, working group, public outreach program, and central database.

What can you do?

 Donate! Currently, no organizations exist solely to protect the northern Idaho ground squirrel, but any organization focused on conserving land could help.

Write! E-mail or send a letter to any mayor in Adams County, Idaho or Valley County and let them know how much the northern Idaho ground squirrel means to you!  

Other resources

Species Profile

Works Cited

1. "Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus Brunneus)." Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus Brunneus) | Species. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.

2. Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife. "Species Profile for Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus Brunneus)." Species Profile for Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus Brunneus). N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2016. <https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=A0EK>.

3. SURONEN, ELISE F., and BETH A. NEWINGHAM. "A Starting Point: An Ecosystem Of Reference For Habitat Restoration Of The Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel, Urocitellus Brunneus Brunneus." Northwestern Naturalist 94.2 (2013): 110-125. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.

4. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2003. Recovery Plan for the Northern Idaho

Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus brunneus brunneus). Portland, Oregon. 68 pp.

5.  Rolf Nussbaumer Photography, 2323 Bretzke Lane, New Braunfels, TX 78132, USA, Www.rolfnp.com, Tel. 210 643 4800. "AMBA_027234.jpg." Premium Nature Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2016. <http://rolfnussbaumer.photoshelter.com/image/I0000rOv5UJ7ocRY>.