DNA fingerprinting analysis of subpopulations of the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris, L. 1758)

The relationships within two squirrel groups of 7 and 10 individuals living in small isolated forest areas (»20 ha) were studied by DNA fingerprinting. The study area was located in northwestern Germany, close to the town of Osnabrück. The degrees of relationship determined by the multi locus probes 33.15 and MZ1.3 were >20–40% higher in the two subpopulations compared with a group of unrelated squirrels. The band-sharing rates in the latter group varied between 6 and 57% (33.15) and 17 and 63% (MZ1.3), whereas the squirrels living in the two forest islands had band-sharing rates between 13 and 80%, depending on the probe used. Although the forest islands were isolated by fields and roads, there seemed to be a small genetic exchange between the squirrels of the forest islands and those of the next adjacent larger woodland area.