Abstract
This paper presents data on red squirrel road casualties recorded in the four-year period 1993–1996 within the National Trust reserve and adjacent suburban gardens of Formby, Lancashire, England. A total of 130 adults and six subadults were recorded as road traffic victims. Road casualties accounted for 65% of the recorded adult mortality (26.7% of the reserve total and 88% in the suburban habitat). Adult males were killed more frequently than females during the winter months. Road traffic deaths were highly seasonal with a clear peak in the autumn months (53.7% of all casualties). It is suggested that this may be related to seasonal variation in foraging behavior and to the abundance of natural and supplemental foods.
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Shuttleworth, C.M. Traffic related mortality in a red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) population receiving supplemental feeding. Urban Ecosystems 5, 109–118 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022387620713
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022387620713