Thanks, Chris for the post. I'm an inveterate D.O.R. tallier, too.

Where were the peaks of the roadkills, up north or down south, where there are many more species of oaks?

I expect late next summer there will be a peak in rattlesnake birthing, females having gorged this summer on the bumper crop of chipmunks and white-footed mice.

Ted 

On Tue, Sep 4, 2018 at 6:05 AM Chris Rimmer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Following up on widespread observations of large squirrel numbers this summer, both road-killed and alive, I conducted an ad hoc census along I-91 between WRJ and the MA border, en route to and from DE, first southbound on 8/31 and then northbound yesterday. 

On Thursday, I counted 52 dead and 3 live gray squirrels, 3 dead and 1 live red squirrels, and >15 unidentifiable small carcasses, most of which I'm sure were squirrels, perhaps with some chipmunks mixed in. Yesterday's northbound count was probably more accurate (my wife Leslie helped, even as she texted our kids about Dad's latest wildlife obsession...), and the numbers jumped: 117 gray and 9 red road-killed squirrels, none live, >20 unidentified carcasses, plus 7 skunks, 2 porcupines and 1 red fox.

Of course, I have no idea what "baseline" interstate mortality would be, but there can be no doubt that this is high. I recommend this kind of censusing as a method to avoid road weariness!

Chris

________________________

Chris Rimmer
Vermont Center for Ecostudies
PO Box 420 | Norwich, Vermont 05055
802.649.1431 x202
http://vtecostudies.org/

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