Three years after their habitat was nearly wiped out, an annual survey of the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel indicates a noteworthy increase in their population.
This is the first time the Mount Graham red squirrel population has rebounded to at least 109. The subspecies was significantly diminished after the 2017 Frye Fire in the Pinaleño Mountains in southeastern Arizona.
In 2016, there were an estimated 252 squirrels. After the fire, the population fell to just 33.
Listed as endangered in 1987, Mount Graham red squirrels face threats from wildfires, insect infestations and competition with other squirrel species.
In September, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit, disputing the squirrels’ status and seeking a new habitat.
