About Project Squirrel

This research program started with a simple question: "Is the squirrel that I see every day outside my window the same squirrel?" This question has grown into an ecological research program conducted by students on the campus of the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine. Using mark-recapture techniques and radio telemetry, we explore movement patterns and survival of the Eastern Gray Squirrel on campus and in the surrounding community.

This preliminary study began in November of 2009 as part of the Conservation and Preservation Lab. The research continues to be collected by this and other classes taught by Dr. Noah Perlut, as well as a field crew of students.  

Small and large live traps are deployed across campus to capture squirrels throughout the academic year. The traps are baited with peanut butter, peanuts and sunflower seeds and set in the morning and checked in the afternoon. 

Upon capture, squirrels are released from the cages into a canvas sack for tail, hind foot and ear measurements as well as body weight. The canvas sack utilizes a Velcro closure on one side, which is partially undone to complete the necessary measurements, then resealed.

The hind foot measurement is defined as the distance from the point where the foot meets the leg to the end of the middle toe. The ear length is defined as the distance from the ear notch to the tip of the ear. 

Each squirrel is also tagged with a numbered band and a colored plastic washer. All squirrels are given a unique combination of color tags and band numbers to distinguish them from one another. After the tags and bands are placed on the ears of the squirrels, they are released. Squirrels that are recaptured are re-weighed and then released. 

In addition to the tagging project, in the Fall 2010 semester, we deployed radio transmitters on six individual squirrels. We followed these squirrels to see what habitats they selected and when. 

See the Project Squirrel blog

We have found that home range size varies significantly. The map below shows home ranges covering 2.1 acres (yellow: tracked 7/6/12 to 3/5/13), 6.1 acres (blue: tracked 8/21/12 to 6/24/13) and 24.1 acres (red: tracked 3/4/13 to 9/6/13). GIS analysis and map by Ryan Roseen, Environmental Science major, GIS minor, class 2017.

If you see a tagged squirrel, contact Dr. Noah Perlut at nperlut@vbj4.com. In your message, please include:

• Observation date
• Where you saw the squirrel
• What ear the first tag was in
• What color the tag was
• Any additional comments

A squirrel can have between one and four tags in its ears (but no more than two in each ear). Pay very close attention to which ear (left, right, or both) is tagged and to and what colors you see in each ear. Thank you for your participation.