(paghat) wrote:
-snip-
A good description of these critters is at
http://spot.colorado.edu/~halloran/sq_grey.html


This article states that the grey squirrel is non-territorial. And
I'm 99% sure I have a grey-squirrel issue. My current plan is to
trap and relocate them.

The articlt cited simultaneously states that each Grey squirrel's
territory is 5 hectares (within a 40 hectare forest of overlapping
territories), which is a great deal larger than my memory had recalled.
Five hectares is over ten thousand acres! Pretty damned big piece of
territory to be required by a non-territorial animal.

I don't know whether your hectares or your acres are different-- but
in US measure 1 Hectare=2.47 acres.

According to that page the 40 hectare forest is where they are 'most
often found'. There isn't a 40 hectare forest within 10 miles of
me-- but I'll bet there are thousands of squirrels. In the US
they are becoming as common [and more troublesome] as pigeons and
rats.


An "overpopulation" of grey squirrels would be nine per hectare, still not
a great many squirrels.

-snip-

I don't see that on that page-- but that comes out to less than 3/acre
which I can definitely vouch for being in error. My neighbor & I
share an acre & we often have 3 active *families* living on our
properties. The three trees that they populate form a triangle
with no side longer than 50 feet. [and they are joined by others
whenever my neighbor or I set out feed for the birds]

But beyond that-

Reread the article-- It says;
"Grey squirrels are non-territorial. They have large overlapping home
ranges which average 5 hectares in size. . ."

A 'home range' is not a territory. [this might be our sometimes
uncommon language giving us trouble here]
Territory=cross the line & I attack.
Range='I'll cover 5 hectares to find food. That 5 hectares might
be overlapped by 50 other greys, and that's ok with me as long as we
all have plenty to eat'.

This points out both problems for the original poster.

1. The non-territorial nature of the greys makes his property fair
game for an unlimited number of grey squirrels.
2. Those grey squirrels can be some distance away and still fit his
property into their range.
[The max range mentioned is 20 hectares. 20 hectares is about 50
acres- so all the squirrels in 50 acres could come to his house for
lunch. ]

Squirrel stew & spaghetti sauce is quite tasty.

Jim