Our native squirrel is the Western Gray squirrel. They live in taller, older growth trees generally away from humans and have one litter per year. This squirrel is threatened and their numbers are diminishing. The main reason for their threatened status is human development which isolates populations. They also only live in tall older growth trees which have been devastated by the bark beetle and forest fires. They travel and eat mainly in the trees. They cannot replenish their populations as easily as they only have one litter per year.
Fish & Wildlife and members of the public brought Eastern Gray and Eastern Fox squirrels from the east to the west for hunting and eating well over 100 years ago. These squirrels are in abundance. They are in abundance because they are more adaptable. They can live in new growth trees side by side with humans. They travel by tree and ground to find food and mates. This means there is a wider variety of food available to them. They also have two litters per year.
Nicole Carion a wildlife biologist who is also the wildlife rehabilitation coordinator for California Department of Fish & Wildlife stated "these animals adversely compete with native California wildlife to their detriment and the department recommends euthanasia rather than release." This statement is completely false.
People have merely observed that eastern gray and eastern fox squirrels were introduced to California over 100 years ago. During this same time human development, bark beetle, disease, mange...have decimated the western gray population which only live in the foothills in Northern California. Because they only have one litter per year they cannot quickly rebound. Correlation does not equal causation. These squirrels don't utilize the same resources. They don't fight over resources.
If any of you have seen a Western Gray squirrel, they are the largest tree squirrel in our nation. If someone were to put a Western Gray, Eastern Gray and an Eastern Fox squirrel in a room with only one nut, I can assure you the Western Gray would end up with the nut while the other two squirrels lick their wounds.
Many research studies have been done which show these squirrels do not compete for the same resources. If one were to kill every eastern gray and eastern fox squirrel, the native western gray squirrel population would continue to plummet at the same rate. California would then be left without any tree squirrels except flying squirrels. Squirrels play a vital role in our environment. They plant trees by spreading and burying seeds.
Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.
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