Aberts squirrel sciurus aberti

High Resolution JPEG Picture of The Abert's Squirrel (Sciurus aberti woodhouse) is commonly found anywhere in the American Southwest where there are enough Ponderosa pine trees to supply the squirrel’s nutritional needs. Identified by their dark gray backs with a red-brown patch, the most distinctive feature of Abert's squirrels are their big tufted ears. Abert's squirrels feed on the cones, buds, and twigs of Ponderosa pine trees as well as fungus and tree sap. They find their food high in the trees by jumping from branch to branch with no apparent fear of heights. The favorite food of the Abert’s squirrel is the cones of the Ponderosa Pine. The relationship between the squirrel and pine tree is very interesting and complex. The tree provides the squirrel with the nutrition it needs while the squirrel helps the tree by spreading ectomycorrhizal fungi spores which are beneficial to the survival of the Ponderosa Pine. This Abert’s Squirrel was feeding on Ponderosa Pine seeds near Walnut Canyon Lakes in Flagstaff, Arizona, USA.