Black Squirrel!

Yehuda (who is currently in Canada) included this picture on a recent blog post... this is precisely what I've been looking for all around the world, although alas not yet successfully. It's a grey squirrel, but with black fur. There are populations in several places (including Canada), but I have not been lucky enough to find one yet. I must find an excuse to visit Ontario again... If anyone else has black squirrels in their part of the world, please let me know!

Comments

[Foster Nichols]

There are quite a few black squirrels in Middletown, CT, USA. I like to think that they expand their population by grabbing other squirrels and turning them black. There are more and more of them every day! O_O

Are black squirrels particularly rare? What makes them special?

[Penguin On The Run]

Hi, sorry for suddently dropping by; I found this entry via a search about black squirrels. I didn't know these were actually gray squirrels with black fur! :) Anyway, since, I'm here, I just wanted to say that there are lots of them in Québec City, and some in Montréal as well.
(Incidentally, I have some pictures and videos over at my blog if you're interested, and some more on my computer I can share if you're hunting for specific pictures!)

[Corvus]

I used to see a black squirrel on my way home from work, so I know SW Pennsylvania has them as well.

[Chris]

Such swift comments! Squirrels apparently much more popular than philosophy or games. :)

Foster: black squirrels are grey squirrels whose fur happens to be completely black. Like albinism, which I have seen in grey squirrels in London, the condition is caused by a genetic variation, in this case leading to a condition called melanism.

There is a gene which controls the banding of fur, and one variation of this gene results in all-black fur. The rate of incidence of this sort of condition is very low (about the same as albinism), but whereas the gene for albinism tends to be recessive, the gene for melanism can be dominant, that is, black squirrels can give birth to more black squirrels.

This means that if the squirrels in a particularly area like the "black" grey squirrel (and grey squirrels seem quite unprejudiced in such matters) you can get a population of black squirrels - which I had already learned about in Canada, but which I didn't see while I was squirrel-watching in Montreal.

I hypothesise that in urban populations of grey squirrels, the black fur is no worse a camouflage than grey fur, and thus we may well see cities where the "black" grey squirrels are more numerous than greys, or replace them entirely, although I don't think the black fur will provide so much of an advantage that the blacks will eventually replace the greys.

Thanks for the info!

PotR: you were lucky to find that with a websearch as I had only just posted it. Perhaps this is your lucky month. ;)

Corvus: either your sighting was a one-off incidence of melanism, or the black-furred squirrels are invading from Canada! Montreal... Toronto... Middletown... Philadelphia - next they march on Washington. :)

[Andy]

I'm a resident of London, Ontario (Canada), and we have a park (Victoria) here that's notoriously full of black squirrels. In fact, for a long time I had no idea that they were so rare outside of Ontario. You can usually see a number of them during lunch hour on a cool day, especially if you bring some bread or nuts -- they'll generally take them from your hand if you offer.

Also of note are the White Squirrels of Exeter (also Ontario). I think they're not true albinos, as they still have pigment in their eyes -- http://www.whitesquirrels.ca/ (awful site, but it has pictures)

[Chris]

Andy: thanks so much for this! I greatly appreciate knowing precisely where I can find these squirrel oddities in Canada. It sounds as if there can also be albinism on a dominant gene, which is exciting news to me!

Thanks again!

[Adam Dray]

Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, has a black squirrel population. Aggressive buggers.

Local folklore is that they were lab animals that someone released, and they took over the squirrel population in the area.

[Chris]

Thanks for the info, Adam! Once again, black squirrels sighted just across the border from Canada - the squirrels are most definitely invading the United States! :)

[greglas]

In the Western suburbs of Philadelphia, we've got them. I've got 2 in my backyard. Imho, they're quite cute (for squirrels).

[Aaron]

Like Andy, I had no idea that black squirrels were so uncommon elsewhere. As I recall, they were by far the most common kind in Ottawa; the area of Toronto where I now reside seems to have a more balanced mix of greys and blacks.

[Andy]

Hi again,

I went to Victoria Park earlier today, and got some pictures of some of the black squirrels there:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/berdandy/tags/blacksquirrel/

I figured you'd like the shots. They're so familiar with people that they frequently got too close to me for my zoom lens to work. In fact, I had a hard time getting the shot of the one on the bench because he kept jumping down to beg food from me.

[Chris]

Thanks for the link to the photos, Andy! Urban greys get quite bold about asking for food, since so many people come and feed them so often - I'm sure the blacks inherit much of that bold temperament.

Thanks again!

[M.Nicolai]

I just found this blog and have beenworking my way back. Just wanted to say that the Bronx Zoo in New York is covered with Black Squirels. Me and my girlfriend went a few months ago and we saw dozens of them.

[Chris]

Thanks for the report, M. Nicolai! It definitely seems the black squirrel population in North America originated in Canada and has been spreading south ever since.

[L. Shropshire]

I saw my first black squirrel at my daughter's house on Christmas Day in Ellington, CT. I never knew they existed! Have never seen one before.

[Tammy]

I live in eastern North Carolina. We definately have them. Not in abundance but I've lieved here for 13 years and always have seen them in Southport but have recently seen them in Carolina Beach and just today saw a large one in Wilmington North Carolina near the Cape Fear River. He was large and beautiful and caught my eye immediately.

[Chris]

Tammy & L: thanks for reporting! I might look into setting up a map where people can contribute their black squirrel sightings... don't know how easy this would be. :)

North Carolina is the report from furthest south so far... The Black Squirrel invasion is well underway! :D

[justice]

I live in tennessee and have 3 black squirrels in my back yard. I have pictures too.

[Chris]

Justice: black squirrels in Tennessee? This would be the furthest south of any sightings! Can you provide me a link to your photos, and the name of your town? Very interested in seeing this!

[Judy Armitage]

I have had a black squirrel in my backyard for about three weeks now. We don't see it everyday but have sighted it four or five times. We live in Massachusetts about 30 miles south of Boston.

[Chris]

Thanks Judy! All information about the black squirrel distribution is appreciated. I will try and find a map tool to track this at some point - if anyone has a suggestion, let me know - thanks in advance!

[Judy Armitage]

Sorry, I mis-spoke. We are 30 miles NORTH of Boston, near Salem Mass on Route 95 headed toward NH.

Judy

[carran2]

Cool, you learn something new every day, (black) grey squirrels. I live in Ontario and have several black as well as grey squirrels that visit my yard every day to feed on the seeds and peanuts that I put out for the birds. I even took a video of one taking a rain shower on my back deck, you should check it out at http://carran2c.blogspot.com it's really cute.

[Chris]

carran2: thanks for the comment - the video of the black squirrel in the rain is charmingly cute. :)

[Brad Holweger]

I too saw my lst Black squirel in Wilmington,NC in woods along the Cape Fear River.. I turned around and drove up to it carefully, camera in hand hoping to capture this rare beast when he turned and scurried up a tree, as most squirels do, to my dismay, but I did notice that his ears were gray and stood out from the rest of his body...Both body and tail were black.. I will try to photograph it and will check from time to time....