Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
By Jasper Tapen Nov/13/2014
Introduction
Many of the different names are given to the eastern grey squirrel, such as Bannertail and Silvertail grey squirrel depending on region, Latin name Sciurus carolinensis comes from two Greek words, skia, meaning shadow, and oura, meaning tail.
Description
The head and body length is from 23 to 30 cm (9.1 to 11.8 in), the tail from 19 to 25 cm (7.5 to 9.8 in) and the adult weight varies between 400 and 600 g (14 and 21 oz.). Eastern gray squirrel commonly occurs in two colors, grey and black Gray individuals are predominantly gray, but it can have a brownish color with white underside. Black individuals are generally a glossy uniform black. Genetic variations within grey squirrels include individuals with black tails and black-colored squirrels with white tails, or reddish color phase and some animals may also have a combination of colors for example a black body with a red tail. Albino eastern grey squirrels also occur and also completely white populations are found.
The most prominent physical feature of the eastern grey squirrel is its large bushy tail which it uses for balance, as a warm covering during the winter months and perhaps as a sunshade in summer. Tail can be used to distract pursuing predators. It acts as a shock absorber when the animal jumps from high places.
Distribution
Sciurus carolinensis is native to the eastern and Midwestern United States, and portions of the eastern Canada. The eastern gray squirrel in Canada is found from New Brunswick to Manitoba, in USA from East Texas to Florida,
In Europe is a concern because they have displaced some of the native squirrels prolific and adaptable species, they out-compete the native reds for food, feeding more at ground level and being able to digest acorns, which the reds can’t. European Union has expressed concern it will similarly displace the red squirrel from parts of the European continent.
The eastern gray squirrel has been introduced to Ireland, Italy, South Africa and Australia.
Diet
Eastern gray squirrels eat a wide range of foods, such as tree bark, tree buds, berries, many types of seeds and nuts (acorns, hickory nuts, walnuts, beechnuts and pecans), some types of fungi found in the forests, including fly agaric mushrooms (Amanita muscaria). They can cause damage by tearing the tree bark and eating the soft cambial tissue underneath. In Europe, sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) L. and beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) suffer the greatest damage.
Eastern gray squirrels have a high enough tolerance for humans to inhabit residential neighborhoods and will raid bird feeders for millet, corn, and sunflower seeds. They will also raid gardens for tomatoes, corn, strawberries, and other garden crops. On very rare occasions, when their usual food sources are scarce, eastern gray squirrels will also prey upon insects (adults and larvae), frogs, small rodents including other squirrels, and small birds, their eggs and young. They will also gnaw on bones, antlers, and turtle shells – likely as a source of minerals sparse in their normal diet.
Behavior
Squirrels are tree-dwelling rodents they are agile climbers and jumpers with keen senses of sight, smell, and hearing and are alert, nervous and wary, especially on the ground. They live in urban areas and in woodland areas. Eastern gray squirrels prefer constructing their dens upon large tree branches and within the hollow trunks of trees. They also have been known to take shelter within abandoned bird nests in urban areas squirrels build a type of nest, known as a “drey”, in the forks of trees, consisting mainly of dry leaves and twigs. Males and females may share the same nest for short times during the breeding season and during cold winter spells squirrels may share a drey to stay warm. They may also nest in the attic or exterior walls of a house.
Grey Squirrel is mostly active during daylight, although it can sometimes be seen feeding by the light of a full moon. In summer, activity is greatest early in the morning and in mid-afternoon. Unlike a lot of other squirrels, eastern grey squirrels do not hibernate and in winter are most active around midday taking advantage of the warmest temperatures.
Reproduction:
Eastern gray squirrels can breed twice a year, but younger and less experienced mothers will normally have a single litter per year in the spring. Depending on abundance of food, older and more experienced females may breed again in summer. In a year of abundant mast crop 36% of females will bear two litters, but none will do so in a year of poor mast crop. Their breeding seasons are December to February and May to June, though this is slightly delayed in more northern latitudes. The first litter is born in February or March, the second in June or July. Birthing may be advanced or delayed by a few weeks depending on climate, temperature and forage availability. In any given breeding season an average of 61 – 66% of females will bear young. If a female fails to conceive or loses her young to unusually cold weather or predation, she will re-enter estrus and have a later litter. Normally, one to four young are born in each litter, but the largest possible litter size is eight. The gestation period is about 44 days. The young are weaned at around 10 weeks, though some may wean up to six weeks later in the wild. They begin to leave the nest after 12 weeks, with autumn born young often wintering with their mother. Only one in four squirrel kits will survive to one year of age, with mortality of around 55% for the following year. Mortality rates then decrease to around 30% for following years until they increase sharply at eight years of age.
A litter of gray squirrels may contain both black and grey individuals and all shades between black, grey and red.
Eastern gray females can rarely enter estrus as early as five and a half months old, but females are not normally fertile before at least one year of age. Male Eastern Greys are sexually mature between one and two years of age. These squirrels can live to be 20 years old in captivity, but in the wild live much shorter lives due to predation pollution and the challenges of their habitat.
Predation
Predators include humans, hawks, weasels, raccoons, foxes, domestic and feral cats, snakes, owls, coyotes, wolves and dogs. In its introduced range in South Africa it has been preyed on by African harrier-hawks.
Gray squirrels were eaten in earlier times by Native Americans and their meat is still popular with hunters across most of their range in North America. Today, it is still available for human consumption and is occasionally sold in the United Kingdom
Unique Adaptetions
The eastern gray squirrel is one of very few mammalian species that can descend a tree head-first. It does this by turning its feet so the claws of its hind paws are backward pointing and can grip the tree bark.
Squirrels can lose its tail sheath and some bones to escape a predator’s grasp they can run reaching speeds of up to 25 km per hour on the ground.
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