Abstract: In this paper, we examine human encounters with eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in Toronto, Canada. Squirrels, like the subject of our ongoing work on raccoons, are both appreciated by many urban residents and frequently regarded as nuisance animals due to their propensity to build nests in people’s roofs and attics or disturb garden beds. In addition, they comprise the most commonly mentioned mammal species in hotline calls to The Toronto Wildlife Centre, an animal hospital and rehabilitation centre. We examine two types of encounters: those with sick, injured and orphaned animals, and encounters with animals who take up residence in people’s homes. We do so using data from the Toronto Wildlife Centre and AAA Gates Wildlife Control, a humane animal control company, for the years 2000 to 2013. The aim of this research is to understand when, where, and why humans and squirrels encounter each other by looking at the months, seasons, places and circumstances of encounters, as well as the age and sex of animals, when available. In addition, we test encounters for spatial clustering using Ripley’s K function and local indicators of spatial association, as well as test for spatial association with landscape variables including housing density and percentage tree cover. Finally, encounter patterns are related to eastern gray squirrels’ life history, ecological, and behavioural characteristics, as well as human activity and housing patterns. This analysis provides us with an increased understanding of how people and synanthropic wildlife species such as eastern gray squirrels interact with each other. These findings will assist in developing recommendations to support human-wildlife coexistence in urban areas.
(Conference website:http://www.urban-wildlife.org/)