Douglas Squirrel - Sierra Club BC
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Douglas Squirrel

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Douglas Squirrel

Tamiasciurus douglasii 

Appearance

Douglas squirrels have grey fur, a dark reddish-brown tail and orange on their belly. They also have orange rings around their eyes, and black tufts on their ears. They grow to about 15 centimetres long. 

Range & Habitat

These squirrels are found all along the coast from California to southern B.C. They mostly like damp forests, but will sometimes come into areas where people live. In B.C., this animal is found in the Georgia Depression and Coast and Mountains ecoprovinces. 

Reciprocal Relationships

Douglas squirrels and red squirrels are the only native squirrel species in B.C. Douglas squirrels love to eat conifer cones, which they bite off from the tree, let fall to the ground, and then collect later. They nest in old hollow trees, but will sometimes build a den in an old bird’s nest. They store all the cones under tree stumps or fallen logs. They also eat acorns, fruits and mushrooms.  

Sometimes squirrels forget where they leave their sneaky stash of seeds. Because of this, they contribute to ecosystem restoration. As the seeds are forgotten on the ground, they become planted and sprout up into new trees. Squirrel droppings can also help to fertilize these trees! 

Squirrels are incredibly talented beings with a myriad of gifts. Their impressive running skills are coupled with their ability to rotate their feet 180 degrees. They may seem noisy, but their different noises are various communication signals. They can chatter, squeak, scold and make a sound almost like a dog barking. They use these noises to signal danger, defend territory, or find a mate!  

Status

COSEWIC: Not Reported 
CDC: Yellow 

More Information

If you belong to a First Nation with a story or piece of information not represented here and you would like to share more about this species, please email us at education@sierraclub.bc.ca

Photo Credit

Canva

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