Fox Squirrel Distribution and Habitat Selection in Florida
The eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) occurs across most of eastern North America, with 10 recognized subspecies in the United States. Six of these occur in the southeastern coastal plain and Piedmont regions and are associated with the fire dependent, pine (Pinus sp.) forests that once dominated the landscape. In Florida, over 90% of the longleaf pine (P. palustris) forests have been lost, and the resulting range contraction and population decline in fox squirrels has led to the protection of two subspecies: the Sherman's fox squirrel (S. n. shermani) and big cypress fox squirrel (S...
