The fox squirrel, also known as the eastern fox squirrel or Bryant's fox squirrel, is the largest species of tree squirrel native to North America. Fox squirrels have excellent vision and well-developed senses of hearing and smell. They use scent marking to communicate with other squirrels. Fox squirrels also have several sets of vibrissae, thick hairs or whiskers that are used as touch receptors to sense the environment. These are found above and below their eyes, on their chin and nose, and on each forearm. The fox squirrel's natural range extends throughout the eastern United States, north into the southern prairie provinces of Canada, and west to the Dacotas, Colorado, and Texas. They have been introduced to both northern and southern California, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and New Mexico. Fox squirrels are very versatile in their habitat choices, but are most often found in forest patches or in urban neighborhoods with trees. They thrive best among oak, hickory, walnut and pines, storing their nuts for winter. Fox squirrels are strictly diurnal, non-territorial, and spend more of their time on the ground than most other tree squirrels. However, they still are agile climbers. They are not particularly gregarious or playful, and are often described as solitary and asocial creatures coming together only in breeding seasons. They have a large vocabulary, consisting most notably of an assortment of clucking and chucking sounds and they warn with distress screams. Fox squirrels are impressive jumpers, easily spanning 15 feet in horizontal leaps and free-falling 20 feet or more to a soft landing on a limb or trunk. Females become sexually mature at 10-11 months of age and normally produce 2 litters a year with the average litter size being around three. Their maximum life expectancy is typically 12.6 years for female and 8.6 years for males in the wild. Because of overhunting and the destruction of mature forests, many subspecies of fox squirrels are endangered. Other major causes of their decline are mange mites and severe winter weather. Relatively few natural predators can regularly capture adult eastern fox squirrels. Of these predators, most only take them opportunistically. Their predators include: bobcats, foxes, red-tailed hawks, red-shouldered hawks, great horned owls, barred owls, and dogs. Nestlings and young eastern fox squirrels are particularly vulnerable to climbing predators such as raccoons, opossums, rat snakes, and pine snakes. Eastern fox squirrels were an important source of meat for European settlers in the 17th and 18th centuries. Currently and sadly, they are typically hunted now for trophy rather than for food. (wikipedia.org)
I saw this adorable little critter at the Huntington Beach Library, in Huntington Beach, California. I do love squirrels and think they are one of God's cutest creatures!
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