Dawn,

I'm sorry to hear about gray squirrels in the Eatonville area. It seems as though they're expanding their range as
fast as opossums did in the late 1980s.

Eastern Gray Squirrels are, on average, smaller than Western Gray Squirrels, with shorter, less bushy tails. Easterns have
brown, tan or reddish brown tones in their fur. Often the tan or brownish fur is most noticeable on the face or the feet
and lower limbs. Western Gray Squirrels are silver gray without any hint of brown tones in the fur.

I'm curious about your reference to squirrels in the park. Are you referring to Mount Rainier National Park. Don't tell me
the Eastern Grays are there as well.....

It's very unfortunate that people trap Eastern Gray Squirrels and move them. They seem to be spreading well enough
on their own but the extra help from humans may make the situation worse, more quickly.

Just about the only remaining Western Gray Squirrels in western Washington are on Fort Lewis. Granted, there may be a small
number in the vicinity of Battleground but there's very little evidence of them anywhere else.

Kelly McAllister
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Olympia, Washington
Reply to: mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov