Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

Fox squirrels are an emerging urban, suburban, and agricultural vertebrate pest in California. They cause a diversity of damage to vegetation and property. Multiple introductions of fox squirrels into California have led to a rapid expansion of their range in the state. Fox squirrels at the University of California, Davis increased from none to an estimated 1,609 between 2001 and 2009. Damage due to the dense population of fox squirrels is increasing. There are several population control options available, but social considerations may limit the viable options to non-lethal methods. This paper provides an overview of the impacts of the introduced fox squirrel in California and on the University of California, Davis campus.