Black ground squirrel
 

Have seen a few of these in the last week

That’s not black, that is African -American! You should know better!:sHa_sarcasticlol:

I walked into a Wendy's the other day, a place staffed mostly by East Indians, and requested the new white chocolate strawberry Smoothie. Are you still allowed to say that ? I had to ask. :lol:

What the heck!!!

Sundre some years back. I didn't realize the buggars had gotten that far.

https://i.imgur.com/HokJEav.jpg

They are actually Grey Squirrels.

Eastern grey squirrels Sciurus carolinensis commonly occur in two colour phases, grey and black, which leads people to think—mistakenly—that there are two different species. Black is often the dominant colour in Ontario and Quebec, toward the northern limits of the species’ range. Farther south the black phase is less common and is not found at all in the southern United States. This may indicate that the gene responsible for black coloration has some cold-weather adaptation associated with it. Albino eastern grey squirrels also occur and in the United States a few small, completely white populations are found

Its not a black tree squirrel. It’s a ground squirrel. Everyone calls them gophers.

Its not a tree squirrel. It’s a ground squirrel that everyone calls gophers

Isn't that a TAR SANDS GOPHER?

In Toronto where my sister lives that is all they have, those well tanned squirrels and they are huge compared to ours and they look like rats too!

You ordered white chocolate strawberry smooothy? What kind of a guy orders that? Do you also drink Bud Light? I’m just curious….:sHa_sarcasticlol:

I'll try anything, ONCE. :lol:

A number of years ago there was a colony of black Richardson’s Ground Squirrels a little South or South-East of Edmonton. I no longer remember exactly where it was but it made the news. Where did you get this one?

I think red deer is about as far north as they can handle and then out RS takes over

The subject of this thread IS NOT A TREE SQUIRREL. It is a Richardson’s Ground Squirrel or what most people would call a “gopher”. The black (melanistic) color phase is quite unusual.

Possible rug mount? Full body might look good too.

I got this one around Okotoks. I have seen a few of them

Ponoka area

Definitely a unique mount, full body is the way to go. Torrington Gopher Museum might pay a premium price. :lol:

I've got a mounted albino, but have never seen a black one. Neat looking! Thanks!

Seen a couple antelope hunting last year around Youngstown. And had one living behind the house when I lived in Lethbridge 20 years ago. They’re not terribly common but they are around.

Accuse me of derailing the thread, but has anyone seen many of the 13 striped variety ? I can recall very few.

Gophers/ Richardson ground squirrels (commonly known as mountain gophers) the prairie gopher as well as 13 and 7 strip gophers and pocket gophers they all live in burrows underground. The Squirrel in the photograph is a squirrel that lives in trees. So you are right the Richardson is called a squirrel but they do not live in trees, Hench the confusion.

There doesn’t seem to be too many around.
 

I’ve had a thirteen striped ground squirrel in my yard the past couple years.

I have seen three this year

I've seen a few 13 lined ground squirrels in Cypress Hills, Neat looking things, They come into the campsite looking for food.