![]() ![]() When they are born, the young have no teeth or fur, and their eyes and ears are tightly shut. Young squirrels are reared in leaf nests, dens and occasionally birdhouses. The male will have no role in rearing the young. Gray squirrels running up and down and around trees is thought to be a part of the courtship ritual. Gray squirrels typically produce 1-2 litters per year. Gestation lasts 44 days and young are born February-March and July-August. ![]() They breed during December-January and May-June. Many gray squirrels have a white trim on the back of their ears and a straw-colored ring around their eyes. Its belly is more of a grayish-white or rusty color. These gray hairs may have orange tips that will give the animal a reddish cast. By 1885, hunting laws were enacted restricting the hunting seasons and bag limits for the gray squirrel.ĭownload Ohio Wildlife Field Guides DescriptionĪs its name indicates, the gray squirrel is gray in color. But, as the human population grew and more land was cleared, elimination practices continued and gray squirrel numbers begin to dwindle. Early historical records speak of gray squirrel populations so dense that ".it took a month for an army of squirrels to pass." In fact, gray squirrels disrupted early agricultural efforts in the state to such an extent that Ohio law required each taxpayer to turn in a quota of squirrel skins along with his tax payment. Gray squirrels had extensive habitat in the state taking advantage of the widespread forest in Ohio. The gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) was one of the most populous species of wildlife in Ohio at the time of settlement. Fall 2022 DNAP eNews - Prairie Restoration. ![]()
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