Red squirrel
Arboreal rodent common across Eurasia with variable coat colors.
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The red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), often called the Eurasian red squirrel, belongs to the tree squirrel genus Sciurus. This rodent lives in trees, eats mostly plants, and is widespread across Eurasia. Its fur color varies widely, and scientists have described many subspecies, though their classification remains debated.
Taxonomy
More than 40 subspecies have been described, but the status of some is unclear. A 1971 study recognized 16 subspecies and became the foundation for later work. While some subspecies are quite distinct, others are uncertain because red squirrels within a single region can vary greatly. Currently, 23 subspecies are accepted.
Several former subspecies have been reclassified as separate species. S. v. meridionalis from southern Italy became the Calabrian black squirrel in 2017; it descends from a single population isolated in central Calabria since the Middle Pleistocene.
The Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) was once considered a subspecies of S. vulgaris, but scientific opinion shifted in the 1960s toward treating it as a distinct species. It likely arose through peripatric speciation when red squirrels colonized the Japanese archipelago during the Pleistocene and became isolated, emerging as a recognizable species by the Middle Pleistocene. Genetic studies suggest that S. v. hoffmanni from Sierra Espuña in southeastern Spain (included below under S. v. alpinus) may also deserve recognition as a separate species.
The recognized subspecies are:
S. v. alpinus (Desmarest, 1822). Synonyms: S. v. baeticus, hoffmanni, infuscatus, italicus, numantius, segurae. Found on the Iberian Peninsula, southern France, and Italy. Fur is intense russet-brown.
S. v. altaicus (Serebrennikov, 1928). Altai region of Russia and Mongolia. Highly variable coloration, including very dark variants.
S. v. anadyrensis (Ognev, 1929). Far north of Russia and Siberia. Winter coat has faint chestnut mixed into the main grey color.
S. v. arcticus (Trouessart, 1906). Synonym: S. v. jacutensis. Boreal Siberia up to the Lena River. Fur is red to bay, with a white belly.
S. v. balcanicus (Heinrich, 1936). Synonyms: S. v. istrandjae, rhodopensis. Eastern Balkan Peninsula. Fur is brown.
S. v. chiliensis (Sowerby III, 1921). Eastern China. Fur is mostly black, with traces of red.
S. v. cinerea (Hermann, 1804).
S. v.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- InfraclassPlacentalia
- OrderRodentia
- FamilySciuridae
- GenusSciurus
- SpeciesSciurus vulgaris
Named by Linnaeus, 1758
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Red squirrel (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Conservation status
Least Concern (LC)
- LC▲ this species
- NT
- VU
- EN
- CR
- EW
- EX
Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category
How big is it?
Largest length in the source, 0.23 m, next to a 1.8 m person.
Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: Wikipedia: Red squirrel
Where the red squirrel has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (964,118 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 381 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lore & Background
The red squirrel is found in coniferous and temperate broadleaf woodlands, with densest populations in large coniferous forests. It occupies boreal woods in northern Europe and Siberia, preferring Scots pine, Norway spruce, and Siberian pine. In western and southern Europe, it inhabits broad-leaved woods.
The species is diurnal, active from sunrise, and spends 60% to 80% of its active period foraging. It does not hibernate but may remain in its nest during severe winter weather. Movement on the ground involves leaps and alert postures; in trees, it is rapid and agile, leaping up to four meters between trees.
Reader's Guide
The red squirrel is a widespread Eurasian rodent with over 40 described subspecies, though only 23 are currently recognized. Its taxonomic history includes several subspecies elevated to species status, such as the Calabrian black squirrel (S. v. meridionalis) in 2017 and the Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis), which was historically classified as a subspecies.
The species shows remarkable coat color polymorphism, ranging from red to black, with melanism common in continental and boreal populations. In Great Britain, Ireland, and Italy, red squirrel populations have declined due to the introduction of the eastern grey squirrel from North America, though conservation efforts in Scotland have stabilized the population. The red squirrel's long tail aids balance and steering during arboreal movement and may provide warmth during sleep.
Did You Know?
- The red squirrel sheds its coat twice a year, switching from a thinner summer coat to a thicker, darker winter coat with larger ear-tufts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the red squirrel?
The red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is a tree-dwelling rodent in the genus Sciurus, found throughout the forests of Eurasia. It is also widely known as the Eurasian red squirrel, though its actual coat color can shift well beyond red depending on region and individual.
How big is a red squirrel?
An adult typically measures 19 to 23 cm from head to body, adds another 15 to 20 cm of tail, and tips the scale at roughly 250 to 340 grams. That places it squarely in the medium-rodent range—bigger than a chipmunk but smaller than a gray squirrel.
What does a red squirrel eat?
Its menu is overwhelmingly plant-based, built around conifer seeds, acorns, and assorted nuts, with fruits, fungi, and lichens filling in the gaps. This flexible foraging diet is what lets it thrive across the very different forest types it occupies.
How many red-squirrel subspecies are recognized?
More than 40 have been described over the years, but a 1971 taxonomic study narrowed the list to 16 and that framework still anchors most modern work. The exact count remains unsettled because some populations are clearly distinct while others blur into their neighbors.
Why is the red squirrel's taxonomy so messy?
Coat color varies enormously within a single region, and some populations that look different turn out to be genetically similar, while others that look alike are actually distinct lineages. As a result, several of the 40-plus proposed subspecies remain in a gray zone, and scientists still argue about which splits are real.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Red squirrel (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List assessment.
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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