Abert Squirrel

1/640s at f5.6, ISO:1250, Canon Mark III 1Ds w/800mm


Abert squirrels are 46 to 58 cm long with a tail of 19 to 25 cm. The most noticeable characteristic would be their hair ear tufts, which extend up from each ear 2 to 3 cm. They typically have a gray coat with a white underbelly. The Abert squirrel builds its nest in the branches of the ponderosa pine. It does not store its food like other North American squirrels. . The vast majority of the diet consists of parts of the ponderosa pine. Feeding on the seeds and buds in the warmer months, it depends on the inner bark of the tree for nourishment in the wintertime.
Rocky Mountain N.P., Co
 
10/19/2009