Delmarva Fox Squirrel Recovery and Species Restoration in Delaware Continued During 2022

Once a federally-listed endangered species, the Delmarva fox squirrel now populates five sites in Delaware as it continues to rebound through DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife efforts. /Photo courtesy of Sandra and George Wiley

 

Translocations to Three New State Sites Increase the Total Populated Delmarva Fox Squirrel Sites to Five

Delmarva fox squirrels now have three new homes in Sussex County as a result of translocations during 2022 to the Assawoman Wildlife Area, Redden State Forest and Trap Pond State Park, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today on the eve of National Squirrel Appreciation Day. The new locations coordinated by DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife add to known Delmarva fox squirrel populations within the state at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge and DNREC’s Nanticoke Wildlife Area.

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife began in the fall of 2020 translocating Delmarva fox squirrels captured from robust populations in Maryland to suitable habitats for the species in southern Delaware. Thirty-two Delmarva fox squirrels were translocated in 2022, 15 of them going to Trap Pond State Park and 11 to Redden State Forest during the spring and an additional six squirrels placed within Trap Pond last fall. Delmarva fox squirrels translocated to Assawoman Wildlife Area during 2020 and 2021 have established distinct home ranges and reproduction has been documented. Translocations of additional Delmarva fox squirrels from Maryland to Trap Pond State Park and Redden State Forest are planned for the spring of 2023.

While Delmarva fox squirrels are now abundant on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, these large, silver-gray squirrels remain rare in Delaware. Unlike many of its squirrel relatives, the Delmarva fox squirrel is very slow to expand its range and colonize new territories. Although the Delmarva fox squirrel was once a federally-listed endangered species, translocations, habitat management and land and species protection have helped their populations recover regionally in Maryland, resulting in the species being removed from the federal endangered species list in 2015.

Since Delmarva fox squirrels are no longer a federally-listed endangered species, landowners should not be concerned if they start seeing them on their property. Hunting of Delmarva fox squirrels is still prohibited, so it is important that hunters note the differences between them and the more commonly seen eastern gray squirrels, for which Delaware has a hunting season.

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife developed a Delmarva Fox Squirrel Conservation Plan in 2014 in collaboration with stakeholder input to increase the number of Delmarva fox squirrels in Delaware. The plan is now being successfully implemented, as indicated by new resident populations in the state. Translocations have proven to be an important and effective tool for increasing the distribution of this species, and are the cornerstone of Delaware’s Delmarva Fox Squirrel Conservation Plan.

More information about DNREC’s Delmarva fox squirrel restoration project, including photographs differentiating the appearance between the Delmarva fox squirrel and the eastern gray squirrel, and answers to frequently asked questions about the Delmarva fox squirrel in Delaware, can be found at de.gov/foxsquirrel.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, InstagramTwitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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More Delmarva Fox Squirrels Move to Delaware

Delmarva Fox Squirrels are moving into new habitat in Sussex County to bolster the species’ numbers in Delaware

 

Latest Translocation Introduces Rare Species to Redden State Forest

The Delmarva fox squirrel, a rare species in Delaware that has recovered in much of its regional range, received another population boost in Delaware with the recent translocation of four squirrels from Maryland as part of continued efforts by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, state and federal partners.

The two male and two female Delmarva fox squirrels were introduced to the Delaware Forest Service’s Headquarters Tract of Redden State Forest. Part of the Delaware Department of Agriculture, the Delaware Forest Service promotes shared stewardship across agencies by making woodland habitat available to help expand the species’ distribution in Delaware.

Translocations, habitat management, and land protection have helped Delmarva fox squirrel populations recover regionally to the extent that the species was removed from the federal endangered species list in 2015. Delmarva fox squirrels are now abundant on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Still, these large, silver-gray squirrels remain rare in Delaware, with only three established populations known in the state.

Delmarva fox squirrel populations occur in Sussex County, with one population the result of translocations to Assawoman Wildlife Area in the fall of 2020 and spring of 2021, another the result of a translocation to Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in the 1980s, and a third, naturally occurring population, located at the Nanticoke Wildlife Area and surrounding lands. The squirrels released at Assawoman Wildlife Area this past spring and last fall appear to be thriving, with the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife noting at least one female produced young this past summer.

Unlike many of its squirrel relatives, the Delmarva fox squirrel is very slow to expand its range and colonize new territories. In 2014, the Division of Fish and Wildlife developed a Delmarva Fox Squirrel Conservation Plan in collaboration with stakeholders, including representatives from state and federal agencies, Sussex County government, non-governmental conservation organizations, researchers, developers, and local landowners to increase the number of Delmarva fox squirrels in Delaware.

After a feasibility assessment on methods for reintroduction, the plan is now being implemented by translocating squirrels from robust populations in Maryland to unoccupied, suitable habitats in southern Delaware. Additional translocations of at least 15 squirrels to Delaware are planned for the spring of 2022.

Delaware landowners should not be concerned if they see the Delmarva fox squirrels on their property. Since Delmarva fox squirrels are no longer a federally-listed endangered species, program restrictions on habitat impacts are no longer applicable. However, hunting Delmarva fox squirrels in Delaware is prohibited since they are still a state-listed endangered species, so it is important that hunters note the differences between them and the more commonly seen eastern gray squirrels, for which Delaware has a hunting season. For photographs comparing and contrasting Delmarva fox squirrels and eastern gray squirrels to lessen chances of mistaken identity between the two species, visit the dnrec.delaware.gov.

For more information about Delmarva fox squirrels and the ongoing translocation project for restoring the species in Delaware, catch the “On the Move” article and video from Outdoor Delaware magazine at de.gov/outdoordelaware.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov, Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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DNREC, City of Lewes to erect fencing at Lewes Beach primary dune beginning first week of November

DOVER – DNREC’s Shoreline & Waterway Management Section and the City of Lewes will begin erecting fencing along the bay side of the primary dune at Lewes Beach during the first week of November. The fencing is designed to help protect the dune’s fragile habitat, and act as a deterrent to area residents leaving personal effects and items on the dune that can damage it. The dune-fencing project is expected to take two weeks for completion, depending on weather conditions.

In August, the Shoreline & Waterway Management Section within DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship distributed flyers by mail to area residents asking them to remove any items, such as bikes, boats, kayaks and other water sports equipment from the dune before the fencing project began. Any such personal property remaining on the dune at the start of the project will be removed by DNREC staff.

Earlier this summer, DNREC also placed signage at Lewes Beach reminding beachgoers to stay out of the dune. Lewes Beach residents and visitors were advised to use only existing pathways through the dune when crossing it.

The Shoreline & Waterway Management Section notes that for a dune to best provide protection for coastal communities, a continuous dune line must be maintained. Structures and recreational equipment illegally placed in the dune area, along with heavy use of dunes by pedestrians for access to the beach, can destroy vegetation, and lower the elevation of the dune, thereby reducing the dune’s protection capabilities.

Illegally-stored items also smother and kill the beach grass that supports and helps sustain the dune. Without beach grass, windblown sand is not trapped in the dune, creating weak spots that can be breached by flood waters during coastal storms.

For more information on dune protection, please contact DNREC’s Shoreline & Waterway Management Section at 302-739-9921 or the City of Lewes at 302-645-7777.


New Sexual Harassment Law Extends Protections

Wilmington, DE. December 26, 2018– There’s an important new law affecting Delaware workplaces – the new Delaware sexual harassment law effective January 1, 2019. Sexual harassment has been illegal in Delaware workplaces for over 20 years. However, the definition has never been clearly spelled out in the law until now.

There are also new requirements for employers. Beginning January 1, 2019, each employer must distribute the Department of Labor’s Sexual Harassment Notice to each new employee upon commencement of employment, and to each existing employee by July 1, 2019. The notice explains sexual harassment, provides several examples, cautions against retaliation, and gives instructions on filing a complaint with the Department of Labor. In workplaces with 50 or more employees, employers are required to provide interactive training on sexual harassment prevention for all existing employees by December 31, 2019, and additional training to supervisors about their responsibilities and the retaliation prohibitions. The training must be provided to all new employees and supervisors within one year of commencement of their position.

The Sexual Harassment Notice is available on the Department’s website and the poster can be downloaded from the left side of the website. https://dol.delaware.gov/

The Delaware Department of Labor connects people to jobs, resources, monetary benefits, workplace protections and labor market information to promote financial independence, workplace justice and a strong economy. Any issues concerning sexual harassment should be directed to the Delaware Department of Labor Division of Industrial Affairs.

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Citizens Source Water Protection Committee to meet May 2 in Dover

DOVER – The Source Water Protection Citizens and Technical Advisory Committee (CTAC) of the Source Water Assessment and Protection Program will meet from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, May 2, in Conference Room 220 A&B of the Kent County Administrative Offices on Bay Road in Dover. The CTAC meeting agenda can be found on the Delaware Public Meeting Calendar at https://publicmeetings.delaware.gov/Meeting/56116.

For more information about the Source Water Assessment and Protection Program, please visit http://delawaresourcewater.org, or contact Source Water Program Hydrologist Douglas Rambo at 302-739-9945.

Vol. 48, No. 90

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902