Black squirrels may be evolving due to roadkill in cities
Written by Black Hot Fire Network on February 25, 2025
Black squirrels have advantages and disadvantages, depending on where they are
Doug Wechsler / naturepl.com
Road accidents seem to be behind the natural selection of black squirrels in US cities, as they may be easier than grey ones for motorists to spot and swerve to avoid.
Grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), known as eastern gray squirrels in the US, have been introduced in countries throughout the world, but their native range is eastern North America. Despite their name, they have actually evolved a variety of colours. The grey version is the most common, but there are also black forms and…
