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Sciurus carolinensis
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Florida native
Florida's most common squirrel is typically found in hardwood and mixed woods, parks and towns, especially in and around oak and hickory trees throughout much of Florida. The range extends from Texas to North Dakota and all states eastward and into the southern parts of the adjoining Canadian provinces.
Eastern grey squirrels are grey above and white below, in the summer the head, legs and sides are tawny brown. The eye rings and edges of snout are yellowish to light brown. The long bushy tail is mostly grizzled black and white.
Populations of Sciurus carolinensis that are nearly all white can be found in and around Ochlockonee River State Park, Alligator Point, the Tallahassee Museum and recently in central Florida. These are not albinos, but simply color variants with white fur over most of the body and tail, often with light gray on top of the head, neck and back.
There are numerous folk tales about the orgin of the white squirrels in the panhandle, including one that says they were brought from Brevard North Carolina where a population exists and one of the tales there is that their white squirrels came from Florida.
Sciurus carolinensis is a member of the Sciuridae - Squirrels family.
Other species of the Sciurus genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Sciurus niger var. shermani - SHERMAN'S FOX SQUIRREL
For more information on this species, visit the following link:
The White Squirrel Research Institute
Date record last modified: Feb 02, 2009
