Sciurus carolinensis

Most of us are familiar with gray squirrels, those critters that make "kuk, kuk, kuk" sounds and flick their tails around our back yards. Like all rodents, gray squirrels have two pairs of chisel-shaped incisors. Squirrels' incisors grow five to six inches each year. Gnawing wears them down to "normal" length. The animals rely on nuts for food in cold weather, storing their snacks underground and in tree cavities. Squirrels have an amazing ability to locate buried nuts using their sense of smell, retrieving at least 85% of their underground eats.

Cool Links:

Eastern Gray Squirrel - natural history, ecological relationships and a good assortment of photos. Part of the Study of Northern Virginia Ecology site.

Sciurus carolinensis - page includes species description, phylogeny, skull illustrations, geographic distribution with range maps of North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, habitat, and conservation biology. Part of the Discover Life Web site.

The Eastern Gray Squirrel is also one of North Carolina's State Symbols.

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Right photo: Hoss Firooznia
Squirrel recording © copyright Lang Elliott