I studied habitat use by 9 radio-collared Mt. Graham red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis) during the summers of 1988 and 1989 in the Pinaleno Mountains, Arizona. My 2 study areas represented an Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii)/corkbark fir (Abies lasiocarpa) association on High Peak and a Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) association on Merrill Peak. I trapped 9 squirrels in 33,400 trap hours, and calculated the seasonal home range for 4 animals, 2 in each study area. Hidden density was 0.54 and 0.2 middens/ha, respectively, but seasonal home range size (x = 3.62 ha) did not vary between habitats. Squirrel numbers decreased on both study areas between 1988 and 1989. I concluded that preference for habitat characteristics in midden areas explained lower densities in the mixed conifer vegetation. Squirrels fed mainly on cones and mushrooms, depending on season and availability. Mt. Graham red squirrels may breed twice/year.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/277333 |
| Date | January 1990 |
| Creators | Froehlich, Genice Frances, 1953- |
| Contributors | Smith, Norman S. |
| Publisher | The University of Arizona. |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
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