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• Eastern Fox Squirrel

Scientific Name: Sciurus niger

The incisors (front teeth) of the fox squirrel grow continuously, so they must be ground down regularly by gnawing on wood, pieces of bone, and other hard objects.

STATUS: Not threatened.

HABITAT: Fox squirrels can be found throughout the eastern and central United States, northern Mexico, and parts of southern Canada. In the late 1930s they were introduced into urban areas in western North America, and are now found all over California. They live in all types of trees (including palm trees). They are sometimes found living in people's attics and bird houses. They have no problem living right alongside humans. Their range can be ten to forty acres and often overlap territories of other squirrels. Because of their introduction, they have displaced the native Western gray squirrel in many areas, which is resulting in the gray squirrel becoming rarer to find.

Squirrels sleep in nests called dreys. In warm weather, this nest, or “shade” may be just a few leaves and twigs piled on a branch like a mat. In colder weather, the drey is a large (25-35cm) and more complex structure of tightly-woven twigs, leaves, palm fronds, and other found materials. These elaborate nests are lined with layers of leaves, pressed tightly together to form a soft bed and to keep out wind and rain. Squirrels may also use hollows of trees, called dens, especially for raising young.

DIET: Squirrels will eat a wide variety of foods, including nuts, seeds, grains, leaves, flowers, fruits, vegetables, eggs, insects, fungi, and very small lizards, birds, and mammals. They scatter-hoard or cache seeds and nuts, especially in areas where food is scarce in winter months. Since they rarely retrieve all the nuts and seeds they bury, squirrels are responsible for the growth of many new plants and trees from the seeds they leave behind.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Fox squirrels are the largest tree squirrels in North America (1–3 lb. weight, 18–30 in. length). They have 20 teeth. A fox squirrel’s tail is long and very bushy. It can be used in many ways; it can be wrapped around the squirrel for warmth, used as an aid for balance, as an umbrella, and used in communication, to show playfulness, nervousness, or excitement. Hearing, vision, and sense of smell are all excellent. If they survive their first year, fox squirrels may live 7-8 years in the wild, but the average lifespan may be closer to 3-4 years. They have been known to live up to 18 years in captivity.

Wonderful Whiskers

Fox squirrels have four sets of whiskers (or vibrissae) found above and below the eyes, on the throat, and on the nose. These touch receptors give the squirrel information about its surroundings, and can even serve to measure an opening to let the squirrel know if it can safely fit.