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Squirrel Contraceptive Research Under Way at Clemson

Last Updated: March 11, 2008 | Related resource areas: Wildlife Damage Management

The study is being conducted to reduce the damage the rodents cause to trees and shrubs.

Released March 10, 2008

CLEMSON, S.C. — A gray squirrel contraceptive research project is under way on the Clemson University campus in conjunction with the USDA National Wildlife Research Center. The study is being conducted to reduce the damage the rodents cause to trees and shrubs.

Gray squirrel With few predators in urban environments, squirrel numbers increase so that their gnawing and stripping the bark can kill even mature trees. Clemson campus landscape crews have documented more than 100 mature trees killed by squirrels, with an additional 100 trees severely damaged.

“Most people don’t realize the extent of damage gray squirrels can cause,” said Greg Yarrow, a Clemson wildlife ecology professor. “This study will evaluate the effectiveness of two different types of contraceptives in preventing reproduction in gray squirrels.”

GonaCon is injected and renders both male and female squirrels infertile with just one treatment.

Graduate students will trap, tag, inject the treatment and then release about 40 squirrels. Another 40 squirrels will be trapped, tagged and released as a control group. The students will note the general health, sex and age range (juvenile, sub-adult or adult) of all the captured squirrels and will monitor their reproduction rate this spring.

The students, Murali Pai and Cady Etheredge, are Ph.D. candidates in wildlife and fisheries biology and are conducting the study under Yarrow’s supervision. They are working in conjunction with scientists at the USDA National Wildlife Research Center in Fort Collins, Colo., the South Carolina USDA Wildlife Services and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.

They also will test a second contraceptive in the Clemson Experimental Forest. Called DiazaCon, it is administered through treated feed over a 10-day period and lasts approximately four months. It will be delivered through feeding stations mounted in trees out of reach of other animals. The feeding stations will be capped at dusk to prevent nocturnal flying squirrels from eating the bait.

More information on the research is on the Clemson Forestry and Natural Resources Web site: http://www.clemson.edu/forestres/temp_wordfiles/Eastern_gray_squirrel.pdf.

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http://www.clemson.edu/newsroom/articles/2008/march/Squirrel_research.php5

Contacts: Greg Yarrow, (864) 656-7370, gyarrow@clemson.edu

Debbie Dalhouse, (864) 656-6737, ddalhou@clemson.edu

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