Scientific Name: Sciurus carolinensis
Common Name: Eastern Gray Squirrel
| Range Type | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Native Range | Eastern U.S., Southeastern Canada | Original habitat from Ontario/Quebec to Florida |
| Introduced Range | Western U.S., Europe | Introduced by humans; invasive in Britain, Ireland, Italy |
Sciurus carolinensis is native to eastern North America. Its natural range stretches from southern Canada (Ontario, Quebec) south into the eastern United States to Florida and west to about the Mississippi River. In New Jersey, as in West Windsor, the squirrel is native and ubiquitous. It is, "so common in every New Jersey community, rural, suburban and urban, that a lot of people don't give them a second glance". Eastern Gray Squirrels have been introduced by humans to western North America and other continents: e.g., in western U.S. states and provinces, and in Europe (Britain, Ireland, Italy), where they are invasive. In our area (West Windsor and Princeton area), gray squirrels are permanent residents of parks, suburban woodlands, and residential areas. They usually forage in neighborhood backyards and public parklands (e.g. Mercer County Park) under large oaks, maples, and other trees that bear nuts. A local planning study states the occurrence of gray squirrels as among the "suburban-adapted" mammal species that will most probably be encountered over developed areas throughout central New Jersey. In urban areas they eat on streets and in yard trees, and in autumn often nest in attic spaces or leaf-drey nests in tall trees as they inhabit warmer microhabitats.