# Does anyone know what has happened to the gray squirrel population? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 24, 2009, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424 "2009-09-24T22:08:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/1 "2009-09-24T22:08:26Z")
The parking lot at work is lined with big old oak trees, and this time of year they are dumping thousands of acorns. In fact, every time there’s the least breeze you hear so many falling it might as well be a hail storm. (This is in the Boston area, btw.) Normally the neighborhood squirrels do their best and pretty much keep up with the bounty. In fact, if you sit quietly in your car, you are likely to see at least a dozen squirrels at a time frisking about the lot. This year – well, the paved area is almost solidly covered in acorns. It’s at the point where it is dangerous to walk if you have any heels at all, and even in flats your foot tends to slide a bit before your weight starts smashing the acorns. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Since I noticed the acorns accumulating a few weeks back I’ve kept a special look out, and I have not seen a single squirrel! Not in that lot, not in my own yard, not _anywhere._ People I’ve mentioned the dearth of squirrels to tend to think a moment, then say they can’t remember when they last saw a squirrel. Where have all the squirrels gone? There are a few coyotes known to live in the town, and a couple of fisher cats have been spotted. Could a handful of predators account for such a change? (Or maybe aliens have moved on from abducting humans?) There are tons of chipmunks about, many more than usual. Is that related? Though if it’s predation, wouldn’t coyotes etc. be just as happy to munch on Chip and Dale? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/2 "2009-09-24T22:24:56Z")
Apparently to my yard. I have tons of the tree rats running around. I’m in Central PA, just north of the MD border. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/3 "2009-09-24T22:49:07Z")
Populations of many species are often cyclic, with periods of boom and periods of bust. Squirrels are susceptible to a number of diseases such as Squirrel Pox and Squirrel Fibroma. Both of these have significant morbidity and mortality, are contagious by contact, and therefore tend to run swiftly through localized high density populations. After an outbreak the local population will be reduced in numbers, sometimes substantially reduced. Lower population numbers mean lessened contact between individuals, mitigating further spread of the disease. Resistant (or just plain lucky) survivors will rebuild the population over the next year or several, making use of the additional resources now available because of lessened exploitation. After some (usually variable) period, numbers will once again become high. High population density means that any new disease outbreak will be rapidly transmitted throughout the population. Lather, rinse, repeat. Cyclic population dynamics 101. ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/4 "2009-09-24T23:52:52Z")
(For any of you who, like me, were stuck at “fisher cats” near Boston - I guess they call Fishers, a weasel, Fisher Cats out that way.) There could always be a fruitcake out there poisoning them, too - some people hate 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/5 "2009-09-25T00:26:08Z")
They’re certainly here in South Carolina. Yet another year where I didn’t get to eat a single pecan. (The first year I moved into this house we had a hawk and no squirrels. The hawk moved out and the squirrels moved in, so no pecan crop. Maybe you have a hawk.) ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/6 "2009-09-25T01:34:49Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > They’re certainly here in South Carolina. Yet another year where I didn’t get to eat a single pecan. (The first year I moved into this house we had a hawk and no squirrels. The hawk moved out and the squirrels moved in, so no pecan crop. Maybe you have a hawk.) Yeah, I had a hawk come for a few days last year and the tree rats disappeared for the duration. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/7 "2009-09-25T03:18:25Z")
Judging by the number of baby squirrels that have fallen out of trees that people bring to us, they are doing quite well. I don’t know how the next generation will fare, though. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/8 "2009-09-25T03:27:39Z")
There are plenty of gray squirrels around here in Connecticut, but there were [reports](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/29/AR2008112902045.html) last year of limited acorn production in some areas. Fewer acorns last year, fewer squirrels to eat acorns this year. I had the impression that the acorn drought was limited to points south, though, and we had plenty around here. ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/9 "2009-09-25T03:39:29Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > There are plenty of gray squirrels around here in Connecticut, but there were [reports](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/29/AR2008112902045.html) last year of limited acorn production in some areas. Fewer acorns last year, fewer squirrels to eat acorns this year. I had the impression that the acorn drought was limited to points south, though, and we had plenty around here. I too am in CT. I noticed a couple of squirrels in my backyard the other day. One weird thing I noticed this year the acorns falling from my trees are tiny, really tiny about 1/2 the size of previous years. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/10 "2009-09-25T19:02:49Z")
our reds and grays are fine. but we’re real low on rabbits compared to 2+ years ago. but this spring we had bumper crop of baby bunnies. and so it goes. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/11 "2009-09-25T19:53:53Z")
I live about 15 miles north of Boston. Plenty of squirrels in my backyard. Saw two just this morning. ---
**Author:** ![nofloyd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nofloyd/32/2870_2.png) [@nofloyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nofloyd)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/12 "2009-09-25T20:51:15Z")
NJ resident here: I believe that last year there was an acorn crash in the eastern US, oaks over large areas have been known to have cyclical ‘low acorn production years’. Last fall/winter everyone here was talking about the starving squirrels. [http://www.stoweboyd.com/ground/2008/11/acorn-crop-cras.html](http://www.stoweboyd.com/ground/2008/11/acorn-crop-cras.html) In a biology class some years ago I remember learning that it could possibly be a tree response to predation, a low year kills many squirrels, leaving many nuts around the next season. Don’t have any kind of cite for that, though. I also have not seen the usual number of squirrels this summer, and last fall we had very desperate squirrels in our yard eating all of the pumpkins out as decorations. Hadn’t seen that before. ---
**Author:** ![Belledog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9f8e36/32.png) [@Belledog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belledog)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/13 "2013-07-26T04:26:31Z")
I haven’t seen more than a few squirrels for over a month ---
**Author:** ![Belledog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9f8e36/32.png) [@Belledog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belledog)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/14 "2013-07-26T04:29:16Z")
I’m in l. A. Plenty of food . I walk my dog. Lot used to see them all the time. Would sit up and tease my dog. Thank u for noticing ---
**Author:** ![Belledog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9f8e36/32.png) [@Belledog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belledog)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/15 "2013-07-26T04:32:13Z")
Ooh just realized question was from 2009. Still though I rarely see them. I’m wondering if cats got them all. But I haven’t even seen dead ones??? ---
**Author:** ![eastcheap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@eastcheap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eastcheap)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/16 "2013-07-26T06:29:12Z")
I used to keep (“own” isn’t the right word) a cat with a penchant for squirrels. All I ever found were tails. It’s amazing how thorough a hungry cat can be. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/17 "2013-07-26T06:53:05Z")
I attribute it to the resurgence of the falcon population in NJ. My yard used to be lousy with them. Then several years ago I was looking out my kitchen window and actually saw a falcon swoop down and snatch one right off the ground. It carried it to a log in a more deserted part toward the back of the yard and proceeded to chow down. I don’t think I had really noticed prior to that but afterwards I notice that there didn’t seem to be nearly as many squirrels around. Now, on any given day when I look out my window, I almost never see one when maybe 5 years or so ago that would have been unthinkable. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/18 "2013-07-26T07:47:16Z")
I only read this because of this thread O.O [Los Angeles-Area Campgrounds Closed after Squirrel Found with Plague | Scientific American](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=los-angeles-area-campgrounds-closed) > [@](#): > > Authorities have evacuated and shut down a section of a national forest outside Los Angeles for at least a week after a ground squirrel was found there infected with the plague, county public health officials said on Thursday. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/19 "2013-07-27T00:56:53Z")
I guess I’m the only one who keeps misreading the title as “gay”? ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424/20 "2013-07-27T08:50:48Z")
Grey Squirrel [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-what-has-happened-to-the-gray-squirrel-population/511424.md?page=2)