While we are used to the 'cookie-cutter' appearance of the grey (and sometimes a bit reddish-grey) eastern gray squirrels, the species can show a wide array of pelages. One of the best places to see "Black Squirrels" is to go to Stanley Park in Vancouver - when-and-if the US ever gets control of the COVID so that we can visit Canada again - where the Eastern Gray population consists of mostly black individuals.

Their Parks and Recreation board website notes that "The abundance of invasive eastern gray squirrels are said to have originated from breeding pairs given as a gift from the Mayor of New York in 1909 and released in Stanley Park. The eastern gray squirrel varies widely in colour from black and brown to gray."
https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/wildlife-.aspx

Best,
- Jon. Anderson
OlyWA
From: hank.heiberg AT yahoo.com


I would appreciate it if someone could ID the dark squirrel in the following photo.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/... https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/50764919236/in/dateposted/

It hangs around a yard in Carnation that has bird feeders.
Thank you.
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