The Kaibab squirrel (Sciurus aberti kaibabensis) is an elusive isolated tassel-eared squirrel that lives in the Kaibab Plateau. It is now considered a subspecies of the Abert's squirrel (Sciurus aberti). This squirrel is not found anywhere else in the world. In 1965, 200,000 acres (810 km2) of Kaibab squirrel habitat within Grand Canyon National Park and Kaibab National Forest were declared the Kaibab Squirrel National Natural Landmark.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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GranivoreSeed predation, often referred to as granivory, is a type of plant-animal interaction in which granivores (seed predators) feed on the seeds of pla...
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LignivoreMy
MycophageMycophagy is the process of organisms consuming fungi. Many different organisms gain their energy from consuming fungi; these include birds, mammal...
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FrugivoreA frugivore is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts, and seeds. Approx...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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ScansorialScansorial animals are those that are adapted to or specialized for climbing. Many animals climb not only in tress but also in other habitats, such...
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ZoochoryZoochory animals are those that can disperse plant seeds in several ways. Seeds can be transported on the outside of vertebrate animals (mostly mam...
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SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withKaibab squirrels usually have a black belly (which is sometimes gray), striking white tail, tufted ears, and chestnut brown back. The tufts on the ears grow longer with age and may extend 2.5 to 5.1 cm (1 to 2 inches) above the ears in the winter, and may not be visible in the summer.
These squirrels live in the Kaibab Plateau in the Southwest United States, in an area of 32 by 64 km (20 by 40 miles). They inhabit entirely the ponderosa pine forests of the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park and the northern section of Kaibab National Forest around the town of Jacob Lake, Arizona.
Kaibab squirrels are solitary for much of the year but in winter they may sometimes share nests with their conspecifics. They are usually silent and are active during the day. They spend their time moving among tree branches and on the ground searching for food. They don't hibernate and don't store food. They usually return to their nests before the sunset.
Kaibab squirrels are herbivores (granivores, lignivores, mycophages, frugivores). They eat mainly the seeds found within ponderosa pine cones and supplement their diet with acorns, fruit, and fungi (especially an underground truffle), as well as the seeds, bark, and twigs of the trees.
Kaibab squirrels build their nests in trees out of twigs and pine needles, usually on a large limb against the bole, or in the forks of smaller branches. Nests are roughly spherical and a small platform often extends beyond the bowl edge on one side. Young squirrels are born between April and August. They are born naked, with ears and eyes closed.
Kaibab squirrels are not considered threatened at present.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Kaibab squirrel total population size.
Kaibab squirrels, ponderosa pines, and the fungi that grow in the vicinity of the ponderosas exist in a symbiotic relationship. The squirrels depend on the trees for nests which they use as night shelters and for rarering their young. They also help to disperse the seeds of ponderosa pine cones.