The population of endangered Mount Graham red squirrels has rebounded dramatically since last year, when squirrel numbers declined after their habitat in the Pinaleño Mountains near Safford was nearly wiped out by the Frye Fire.
This year’s annual survey has resulted in a minimum population estimate of 67 squirrels — a 91 percent increase from the 35 recorded in 2017, the Arizona Game and Fish Department reported in a news release.
That’s still well below the estimated population of 252 squirrels counted in 2016 before the 2017 fire burned more than 48,000 acres.
The population of Mount Graham red squirrels, which peaked at about 550 animals in the late 1990s, usually ranges between 200 and 300 animals, according to Game and Fish estimates.
Last year’s population of 35 was the lowest that has been recorded for the Mount Graham squirrels, said Nathan Gonzalez, spokesman for the department.
“The Mount Graham red squirrel has faced some significant, daunting challenges since their habitat was severely damaged by the Frye Fire,” said Tim Snow, terrestrial wildlife specialist with the Game and Fish Department.
“The data suggests that while the fire was devastating to red squirrel habitat and their overall population, several likely fled the area to avoid the ensuing wildfire,” Snow said. “This is truly a resilient species, but much work must be done to help conserve and protect the species to ensure its continued recovery.”
The annual squirrel survey was a joint effort by Game and Fish, Coronado National Forest, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Center for Nature Conservation-Phoenix Zoo, and the University of Arizona.
The work involved visiting all known squirrel middens, which are areas where the animals store their cones from trees. Population size is estimated based on activity at the middens.
The Mount Graham red squirrel subspecies was listed as endangered in 1987.
Living only in the upper elevation conifer forests of the Pinaleño Mountains, northeast of Tucson, the animals feed primarily on conifer seeds, according to Game and Fish biologists. The subspecies is highly territorial and has lower reproductive rates than red squirrels in other locations.
