SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - Delmarva fox squirrels relocated to Sussex County are reproducing, offering encouraging signs for efforts to restore the state-endangered species in Delaware, according to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
Between 2020 and 2024, DNREC says it moved 123 Delmarva fox squirrels from established populations in Maryland to three locations in Sussex County.
Biologists have since documented reproducing females at all three sites and captured squirrels born in Delaware, the department said. A wildlife camera also recorded a mother with two young squirrels.
DNREC highlighted the findings in an update featuring monitoring work at Redden State Forest.
Biologists use live traps baited with nuts, corn, and sunflower seeds to capture squirrels, assess their health, identify individuals, and check for signs of reproduction. Radio tracking equipment and wildlife cameras help researchers follow the animals’ movements and monitor population growth.
DNREC says Delmarva fox squirrels were removed from the federal endangered species list in 2015 but remain endangered in Delaware.
Continued monitoring will help determine whether the newly established populations can thrive over the long term, according to the agency.
