beautiful squirrels

[archer wapiti]

Nice! I've been telling the gf that I need to get up into the hills after some Abert's, have you ever gone after the Kaibab color phase/subspecies (I ain't sure which it is)?

I've never been up there and seen that subspecies S. a. kaibabensis. I looked it up on Google and it's a black-bellied form that looks remarkably similar to some we have here in the Sandia and Manzano Mountains in central New Mexico. They vary from black-bellied to white-bellied in these two ranges. Interesting because Abert's squirrels weren't in the Sandias and Manzanos until they were introduced in the 1940s. I'll try to track down what the source population was tomorrow.

 

[1_pointer]

Those are cool looking squirrels. I like the idea of a squirrel slam! I've eaten lots of eastern greys, fox squirrels and western red squirrels in my time. Delicious.

Let's do this! You teach me some camera tricks and we'll have a show and platform in no time. I can hear the sponsors, fans, and groupies already.

FWIW, the list from the F&S article is this:
Western Gray Squirrel
Douglas Squirrel
Arizona Gray Squirrel
Abert's Squirrel
Red Squirrel
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Mexican Fox Squirrel

3 of these can be had here in Indiana. The others can be had in CA and AZ.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Yep only place for Kiabab squirrel is in Az.and I believe the Mount Graham is another species only found here.

 

[schrobbie]

Those are some gorgeous squirrels. Thanks for sharing the photo!