Pine squirrel

Pine squirrels are squirrels of the genus Tamiasciurus, in the Sciurini tribe, of the large family Sciuridae.

Species

This genus includes three species:

All three species are native to North America. Pine squirrels can be found in the northern and western United States, most of Canada, Alaska, and northwestern Mexico.

Description

Pine squirrels, Tamiasciurus species, are small tree squirrels with bushy tails. Along with members of the genus Sciurus, they are members of the Sciurini tribe.

The name Tamiasciurus comes from the Greek "Ταμίας" "Σκίουρος" for "hoarder squirrel".

The American red squirrel should not be confused with the Eurasian red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris — both are usually just referred to as the "red squirrel" in their home continents.

The Mount Graham pine squirrel is a relict population of American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) in southeastern Arizona. It is considered sufficiently distinct to be awarded sub-species status, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus ssp. grahamenis. Its population is reduced to a few hundred members on the Madrean Sky Islands in conifer forests at higher, cooler altitudes. They are the southernmost of the entire species, left stranded when desertification reduced the area of conifer forest that existed in glacial times. Some authors treat the Mount Graham pine squirrel as a distinct species, Tamiasciurus grahamensis.