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Black squirrels may be evolving due to roadkill in cities

Grey squirrels can actually come in black morphs, which are doing well in one US city because they're less likely to become roadkill

By Chris Simms

25 February 2025

Black squirrels have advantages and disadvantages, depending on where they are

Doug Wechsler / naturepl.com

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, they have actually a variety of colours. The grey version is the most common, but there are also black forms and…

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