Dunno what causes the pigmentation of their fur. Of all my years hunting these rodents, they are rare in most places here. These were taken on White River Refuge
I first began to see them around Wooster OH a few years ago. They are migrating east and I am seeing them closer to the PA border. Now it could be that they are migrating south from Toledo, do not know.
There used to be a bunch of melanistic squirrels living and rummaging around the original Smithsonian "castle" building on the Mall in DC. This was back in the 70's. The last few times I've been there the ones I've seen are just regular. I wouldn't be surprised if the instinct in dominant male squirrels is to eliminate the progeny of 'freaks.' I read once that most male squirrels in the wild are actually eunuchs, as the alpha actively goes around biting nuts off juveniles. I'm not a squirrelologist, so don't know how true that is.
I wished I had not killed the four. The one in the picture I knew was black. It took me 30 minutes to get a gut shot so I could have him mounted. The other three it was barely daylight and all i could really see was a silhouette, enough to know I was going to get a kill but not a head shot.
There used to be a bunch of melanistic squirrels living and rummaging around the original Smithsonian "castle" building on the Mall in DC. This was back in the 70's. The last few times I've been there the ones I've seen are just regular. I wouldn't be surprised if the instinct in dominant male squirrels is to eliminate the progeny of 'freaks.' I read once that most male squirrels in the wild are actually eunuchs, as the alpha actively goes around biting nuts off juveniles. I'm not a squirrelologist, so don't know how true that is.
Interesting, DC was mentioned. I was near the Lincoln Memorial a couple of years ago. I noticed some squirrels playing in the trees. There was a brown one. I don't mean tan. This was an even dark brown and thicker than the fur on the other squirrels. I used to squirrel hunt with my dad as a kid. Actually, he did all the hunting, I just followed along with a shotgun. I've seen all sorts of colors, but never brown. I spent some time at LSU on a research project and saw a single white one.
I was just deer hunting in southern Vermont.... my friend saw a black squirrel, actually maybe a couple. Where I was, I saw red squirrels.
My friend also said there is a "pocket" of white squirrels in my town, near one of the schools. We figure since it is such an active place, predators stay away from the area.
Never saw a black squirrel till I went to MI to see wife's family. They told me they come from the wrong side of the tracks and bite other squirrels nuts. What do I know, I am from TX and don't see color.
We have them in my little town in Illinois as well.
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