Types of squirrels I learned about recently
All the tree squirrels in urban Los Angeles are fox squirrels. These are apparently the largest tree squirrels in the continental US, and they're native to only the east coast - so they're often called "eastern fox squirrels." They're invasive in LA but completely ubiquitous. They're also extremely cute.
Here's one fox squirrel that people in my local park have clearly been feeding. It approached me directly when I started going "psstpsstpsstpsst" and was highly attentive to me whenever I looked at it. If I looked directly at it, it would cautiously approach to within a few feet, expecting a snack.
I recently learned about a bunch of other squirrels that are much cuter than the eastern fox squirrel.
- Here, for example, is a highly cute subspecies of the fox squirrel, the Delmarva fox squirrel. I think the round little face on the one in this photo is extremely cute.
- I learned that there is such thing as the Mexican gray squirrel, which can have striking red patches! Here is a very pretty one. And here is another.
- There is a central American tree squirrel called the variegated squirrel. I am learning that I really like patchy squirrels. Here is a nice set of pictures. Its various subspecies can look really crazy.
- I have been vaguely aware for a long time that some eurasian squirrels have Fluffy Ears. I understand that these squirrels have inspired numerous Pokemon. I was not aware until recently that there is a type of patchy big eared squirrel... here is the very striking Siberian red squirrel. Damn! In some seasonal coats, it is certainly Pokemon concept artist bait.
- Apparently there is an entire genus of squirrels known as "the beautiful squirrels." One of them is the asian tri-color squirrel, which has tri colors for sure. More Pokemon bait. It is occurring to me that all my favorite squirrels just remind me of the design aesthetics of my favorite childhood animal-collecting IP.
I haven't even gotten into flying or giant squirrels, which are both very cool. I also haven't mentioned ground squirrels. But I gotta link you to the Catalina ground squirrel, a subspecies of the California ground squirrel that got isolated on Catalina Island and underwent the transformation of island gigantism, becoming extremely large and fat. Here is the largest and fattest one I could find.
Thank you for reviewing these squirrels.