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Squirrel to Black
Though Bobo Fulford didn’t appreciate our coverage of the raccoon issue a while back, we think discussions of Toronto’s wildlife are an essential part of the website. So essential that today we move to the subject of squirrels, black squirrels.
The black squirrel is actually a variety of the eastern grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis. By way of our artist friend Alice, we learn that black squirrels do not exist in other Canadian metropolis’s, like Montreal. In fact, the dark-coloured rodents are unique to Toronto, parts of Ontario and eastern Quebec, and have been exported to the United States for their rareness. Alice lured one Scarborough black squirrel (pictured) on camera with an Oreo. Watch the footage here.
White squirrels are also not uncommon in Ontario, though we’ve never seen one. It should be noted though, an albino squirrel is extra rare – a white squirrel with black eyes does not an albino make.