Eastern grey squirrels, Sciurus carolinensis, introduced to Britain and northern Italy are replacing the native Eurasian red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris. We studied the pattern of colonization of a high-quality broadleaf woodland by grey squirrels by means of livetrapping and radio-tracking. The studies started in July 1996, when six grey squirrels (four males, two females) first colonized the woodland, and lasted until November 1998, when densities exceeded those of the local red squirrel population. Grey squirrel colonization was rapid, with a high proportion of adult and yearling females breeding. Juvenile recruitment was also higher than in stable populations in Britain. Adult survival was better in 1997 (83%) than in 1998 (47%), with predation accounting for 67% of losses in 1998. This indicates the effects of local predator communities on the colonization process. Densities of grey squirrels were moderate in 1998, with a maximum of 1.9 squirrels/ha and we expect density to increase further. Adult home range sizes were three to four times larger than those of subadults, and male ranges were larger than those of females. Body mass was positively correlated with both total home range size and core-area size. Core-area size for adults was inversely correlated with food availability. Juvenile female grey squirrels were philopatric, forming female kin groups, while most juvenile males settled outside the mother's home range.
Natural strongholds for red squirrel conservation in Scotland
