Image courtesy of Doug Wechsler / naturepl.com.
Joel Kontinen
Can squirrels evolve? Now a study in the USA says that
black squirrels are going to be extinct and that grey squirrels are less likely
to become roadkill as they are more visibly than black squirrels.
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, also black forms.
Source:
Chris Simms 2025 Black squirrels may be evolving due to roadkill in cities | New Scientist 25 February
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