The Delmarva Fox Squirrel: Blackwater's Quiet Comeback Story
Among all the birds and turtles people come to the Eastern Shore to see, one of the most special residents is a squirrel — and not just any squirrel. The Delmarva fox squirrel is a big, silvery, almost cat-sized animal found nowhere on Earth but this peninsula, and its story is one of the great quiet wins in American conservation. Here's how to spot one near Hooper's Island.
Not your backyard squirrel
The first thing people notice is the size. A Delmarva fox squirrel can measure up to about 28 inches long (tail included) and weigh up to roughly three pounds — noticeably bigger than the common gray squirrel, with a full, fluffy tail, a silvery slate-grey coat, and a white belly. They're also calmer and quieter than gray squirrels, and they spend a lot of time foraging on the ground in open, park-like forest, which makes them easier to watch when you find one.
Found only on Delmarva
This is a true local: the Delmarva fox squirrel is a subspecies found only on the Delmarva Peninsula. It favors mature forest with a high mix of hardwoods and pines and an open understory — exactly the kind of loblolly-pine woods you'll find at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, near Cambridge and an easy drive from Hooper's Island. The refuge is one of the best places anywhere to see one; Chincoteague in Virginia and Prime Hook in Delaware are the other strongholds.
A genuine comeback
The Delmarva fox squirrel was one of the very first animals listed when the U.S. began protecting endangered species — listed as endangered in 1967, when it had vanished from much of its historic range. Decades of work followed: protecting large blocks of mature forest, closing the targeted hunting season, and translocating squirrels to start new populations. It worked. In 2015 the species was removed from the endangered list, recovered, with an estimated 17,000–20,000 squirrels now living across the peninsula and its range still expanding. Seeing one today is, in a small way, seeing a success.
Wildlife is the local entertainment
The Bayside Escape sits minutes from the marshes and a short drive from Blackwater refuge on the Chesapeake Bay in Fishing Creek, MD. Create a free account and get $100 toward your first direct booking.
Tips for spotting one
- Go to the right habitat. Drive Blackwater's Wildlife Drive and watch the edges of mature pine-and-hardwood stands.
- Look on the ground. Unlike gray squirrels, they often forage out in the open beneath the trees.
- Go early or late. Morning and late afternoon are the most active times.
- Move slowly and quietly, and bring binoculars — you'll spot far more wildlife at a calm pace.
- Watch, don't feed. Keep wildlife wild; never feed or approach them.
Quick answers
What is a Delmarva fox squirrel?
It's a large subspecies of fox squirrel found only on the Delmarva Peninsula — a slate-grey, silvery tree squirrel with a full, fluffy tail and white belly, measuring up to about 28 inches long (including tail) and weighing up to roughly three pounds. It's noticeably bigger and quieter than the common gray squirrel.
Where can I see a Delmarva fox squirrel?
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge near Cambridge — an easy drive from Hooper's Island — is one of the best places to look. They favor mature, park-like pine and hardwood forest and often forage on the ground. Chincoteague (VA) and Prime Hook (DE) refuges are other strongholds.
Is the Delmarva fox squirrel still endangered?
No — it was listed as endangered in 1967 and, after decades of recovery work, was removed from the endangered species list in 2015. It's considered a conservation success story, with an estimated 17,000–20,000 squirrels across the peninsula.