What Are Some Facts About Black Squirrels?
Black squirrels are related to the Eastern gray squirrel and are common in the Midwestern United States, the Northeastern United States, parts of Canada and Great Britain. Black squirrels can mate with gray squirrels and produce either black or gray offspring.
Black squirrels live in dense forests with a lot of vegetation, which serves as their food source. They are herbivores, and they eat nuts, berries, seeds, acorns, tree buds, tree bark and mushrooms.
Black squirrels are especially common in Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Ontario, Canada. Some groups of black squirrels, such as those in Washington, D.C., Michigan and Ohio, are invader animals. A few black squirrels were released into the wild, and they overtook the native population of squirrels. Large groups of black squirrels thrive in Fort Mitchell, Ky., Westfield, Mass., Marysville, Kan. and California. The black squirrel population has also increased in Great Britain. According to the Daily Mail, scientists believe that the population of black squirrels in East Anglia is approximately 25,000.
Black squirrels have several natural predators, including hawks, weasels, raccoons, snakes, owls, foxes, cats and dogs. Humans are also considered predators since they have taken over their habitat.
