Endangered red squirrel population down to 35 after Mount Graham fire, authorities say
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The endangered Mount Graham red squirrel's population is down to an estimated 35 due to a 48,000-acre fire that burned the mountain from top to bottom over the summer, authorities say.
A census of the squirrels showed a significant decrease from the 252 squirrels that were estimated to live on the mountain in 2016, said a news release from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The squirrel census, conducted in mid-September, found evidence of fire activity in 95 percent of the surveyed locations, with 80 percent of the locations showing at least some habitat loss.