Macroland project – Effect of landscape fragmentation on the red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris

This dataset, collected since 2021 as part of a research project led by CEFE and IMBE, documents the presence of the red squirrel and other small mammals across several study areas, including the Montpellier metropolitan region (France). The project aims to investigate the effects of landscape fragmentation on population connectivity. The objective is to better understand the spatial distribution of individuals and their ability to move between habitat fragments in urban and peri-urban environments. Sampling was conducted using a network of hair traps installed across landscapes exhibiting varying degrees of fragmentation. These devices enable mammal detection through hair collection, which is then used for species identification and individual genotyping. The dataset includes occurrence data of red squirrels and other small mammals by trap and sampling site, derived from hair sampling. Hair samples were subject to genetic analyses for species and individual identification; however, the genetic data are not included in this dataset. Project funded through SCALED ERC STG 949812. Licence: CC BY 4.0