Results of the 2006 Brevard Squirrel Count

     Under the supervision of the Heart of Brevard, community volunteers conducted the 10^th Annual Brevard Squirrel Count this past Fall.   The Count is not meant to be a true census but rather an estimate of the percentage of the white versus the gray variant of the Eastern Gray Squirrel.   This year’s estimate of 32.5% is the highest on record.

     The increase could be the result of changes in procedure designed to encourage participation.  We extended the time interval from October to October through December.  Less activity in December created smaller sample sizes and correspondingly less reliability of estimates made from the samples.  However, all sectors counted this year showed a similar increase.  Perhaps it is real.  Even so, it is not far from the 25.4% ten-year average.

     Whatever the reason, Brevard’s white squirrels would seem doing well as we prepare for the Fourth Annual White Squirrel Festival.  Hot spots include the Brevard College campus and the southeast margins of the study area.  We want to thank the volunteers who conducted the 10^th annual count:  Brevard Middle School 7^th Grade Beta Club, the 21^st Century Community Learning Center, 4H Wildlife Trekkers, Brevard High School 4H, Charlie Almond, Jim and Carolyn Cowart, Bob and Timothy Glesener, Alan Graham, Kathryn and Walter Hill, Jana Jacobs, Kathleen Lavoie, Joan Walinski, and Diana Zerby.

     And don’t forget to mark Memorial Day on your calendar to attend the upcoming festival.