Hey guys, so today I wanted to do an informational post. There’s just so many things in the world to learn about! I mean sometimes you just don’t know something until you leave your bubble and see or learn about something new. For instance, before coming to Ball State, I had no idea black squirrels existed! These little guys are so adorable! So far, the only place I have ever seen them is on campus, more specifically in West Quad. So, I figured I’d do a post all about them. Spoiler! Black squirrels aren’t just Indiana residents, but they can also be found in other Midwestern states and some Northeastern states. Not only are they found in the U.S., but these guys live in Canada and the United Kingdom too.
First off, what causes the black fur? Well, turns out the hue of their coat is caused by a genetic variation in Grey and Fox squirrels. If you think I’m a weirdo for being so interested in these furry little guys, think again! There was actually a study published just this year studying these squirrels and melanism. Melanism is a word for the unusual darkening of body tissues caused by excessive production of melanin (which is basically a fancy term for pigment). It’s thought that the gene that flips the switch for the different colors is missing in black squirrels, so they can only grow black fur. See, I’m not the only one interested….
And if anyone out there is also interested in this, check out the study by clicking here!
This mutation has to be inherited by both parents, but since female squirrels seem to get around a lot (they mate with multiple males), grey and black squirrels can be born in the same litter. Talk about being the black sheep of the family… come on, that was funny.
Just look at those cute little squirrel babies ^^
Turns out that color isn’t the only difference! It’s been determined that black squirrels are able to withstand colder weather than their grey brethren. They’re able to generate more body heat as well as lose that heat less rapidly. This is guessed to be the reason that black squirrels are beginning to be more prominent in northern regions. Unfortunately for these little dudes, the black fur means they are more easily spotted by predators and that has been theorized as the reason for them only making up about a fourth of the squirrel population.
Turns out that the black squirrel didn’t originally hail from the United States Of America, in fact they were originally a gift from Canada all the way back in 1902. They were gifted to a zoo in DC, and then were released into the wild. Obviously they did alright, as they’re still around and have migrated to different areas. Though, according to my brief research, not every population of black squirrels is natural. I guess there are places that artificially introduced them to the area. For example, Michigan State campus and Kent State campus artificially introduced these little guys to the area, and they’ve actually become Kent State’s unofficial mascot!
So now is the time to talk about the conspiracy against these cute, innocent little dudes (innocent I tell you!). I guess there are some people in the world who think black squirrels are more aggressive than they’re grey bros, simply because of the genetic mutation that causes the black pigment of their fur. They say they have more testosterone, which makes them more aggressive and mean. People even call them evil! I mean how rude is that? There hasn’t been a scientific declaration that the temperaments of black squirrels are any different than grey squirrels. So just lay off them will you?
A cool fact I found while researching for this post was about the United Kingdom’s relationship with our beloved squirrels. Turns out the Grey squirrel didn’t start off naturally in the UK either, but was introduced in the 1870s. That’s where the trouble began. The Grey squirrel quickly killed off the native Red squirrel due to a virus called Squirrel Poxs, which the Red squirrel isn’t immune to. In addition to killing off their red buddies, the Grey squirrel poses threats to the woodlands of the area. They just seem to be a menace over there. You could even say that they were driving them nuts! And due to this crazy theory that black squirrels are more aggressive, there’s a big tadoo about the new “evil black squirrel”. Who knew there was so much to learn about squirrels? I think it’s just so cool!
If you guys have any pictures of squirrels doing squirrely things, share them with me. I’d love to see them. Like this one; It cracks me up every time!
Until next time,
~~Cheyenne~~
The Great Outdoors 