WA Fish And Wildlife Asking For Public Help On Squirrel Status

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is asking the public to help develop status reports about ground squirrels in the state. 

The agency is currently looking for information about Washington and Townsend’s ground squirrels.  

WDFW is specifically looking to find out more about the squirrels’ current habitat conditions, threats and trends to populations, and existing conservation measures that have benefitted them. 

A formal status report will help Fish and Wildlife determine if the squirrels' population count is low or in need of protection. 

"We are interested in hearing from members of the public, including non-governmental organizations, universities, private researchers, and naturalists, who might have relevant information about these ground squirrel species," said Taylor Cotten, WDFW conservation assessment section manager. "You could have valuable data, such as annual population counts or privately developed habitat management plans, that can help us better understand the conservation status of these ground squirrels in Washington." 

The public may submit written comments through email or by mailing Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife ATTN: Taylor Cotten, P.O. Box 43141, Olympia, WA 98504. Further public comment opportunities will be available during the development of each individual status report. 

All members of the public are invited to share their perspectives and participate in WDFW public feedback opportunities. 

The current comment opportunity is part of a process to assess the conservation status of both squirrels and develop a plan for further recovery and conservation actions.  

After developing each status report, Department staff will brief the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission on each squirrel’s status and the Department’s classification recommendation.  

Any changes to a species’ classification are subject to the public rule-making process.