Mammals
Abert's Squirrel
Sciurus aberti · also called Aberts squirrel, tassel-eared squirrel
High in the canopy of a ponderosa pine forest, an Abert’s squirrel strips bark from a favourite tree it has returned to countless times before, its distinctive ear tufts catching the light, a species whose entire way of life is built around this single kind of pine.
Overview
Abert’s squirrel, Sciurus aberti, is a distinctively tufted-eared tree squirrel native to ponderosa pine forest habitat across a range of the southwestern United States, particularly Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. Its close, near-total dependence on ponderosa pine, striking ear tufts, and important role in dispersing beneficial forest fungi make it one of the more ecologically specialised tree squirrels found in North America.
A squirrel built around a single tree
Few tree squirrels commit as completely to one species of tree as Abert’s squirrel, whose diet, shelter, and even individual feeding habits revolve almost entirely around the ponderosa pine forest it calls home.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and stable across suitable ponderosa pine forest habitat throughout the southwestern United States, though sensitive to large-scale changes affecting that specific forest type.
Abert's Squirrel: common questions
Why is Abert's squirrel also called the tassel-eared squirrel?
This species displays long, distinctive tufts of fur on its ears, especially prominent during winter, a striking feature that gives rise to its alternate common name, the tassel-eared squirrel, and helps distinguish it visually from most other North American tree squirrels.
Why does Abert's squirrel depend so heavily on one type of tree?
This species relies on ponderosa pine forest for the vast majority of its diet, including seeds, inner bark, and buds, as well as for shelter, a level of dependence on a single tree species that is unusual among North American tree squirrels and makes the squirrel sensitive to changes affecting ponderosa pine forest specifically.
How does Abert's squirrel help ponderosa pine trees?
This species feeds on underground fungi associated with ponderosa pine roots, and by dispersing fungal spores through its droppings across the forest floor, it helps support the same beneficial fungal relationships that ponderosa pine trees depend on for healthy growth.
Does Abert's squirrel always look the same colour?
No, this species displays coat colour that can range from grey to a considerably darker, almost black colouration, with this variation sometimes occurring even among individuals within the same general population and forest area.