ABSTRACT
Time-area counts have been used primarily with gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) and fox squirrels (S. niger), but the technique should be applicable to other diurnal, arboreal species as well. This method is a relative count rather than a population estimate. The method is suitable for extensive coverage over large areas. The relative count cannot be directly converted into a population estimate, since it is a measure of the number of squirrels active during the observation period rather than the total population. For intensive research on smaller areas or actual population estimates, some other technique, perhaps a mark-recapture technique, will be more suitable.
