Fox squirrels

[Spikebuck]

I've seen one solid black squirrel. It was in a location, where I've seen several fox squirrels, so must have been some type of fox squirrel.

In my home area, while not common, it is also not a surprise to see a Black Gray squirrel.

The eastern gray squirrel has predominantly gray fur, but it can have a brownish color. It has a usual white underside as compared to the typical brownish-orange underside of the fox squirrel.[11] It has a large bushy tail. Particularly in urban situations where the risk of predation is reduced, both white[12] ”“ and black-colored individuals are quite often found. The melanistic form, which is almost entirely black, is predominant in certain populations and in certain geographic areas, such as in large parts of southeastern Canada. Melanistic squirrels appear to exhibit a higher cold tolerance than the common grey morph; when exposed to -10°C, black squirrels showed an 18% reduction in heat loss, a 20% reduction in basal metabolic rate, and an 11% increase to non-shivering thermogenesis capacity when compared to the common gray morph.[13] Genetic variations within these include individuals with black tails and black-colored squirrels with white tails.