Toronto’s Squirrels

En allant à NY j’était heureuse de voir autant d’écureuils, mais Toronto c’est une toute autre histoire!
Si vous avez une cacahuète dans la main ce n’est pas 1 mais 10 écureuils qui viennent pour sentir la nourriture! Et ils sont loins d’être farouches, tellement habitués à l’humain, et surtout à ce qu’on les nourissent que vous pouvez les appater meme sans rien, la bebête viendra pour voir votre main, Hop photo et et lui déçu, il fera vite demi tour!
De plus vous aurez l’occasion d’en apercevoir des noirs ou des marrons! les noirs étant mes favoris!
Mais prenez garde, cela reste toujours des animaux sauvages porteurs de la rage, puces et autres cochonneries!!!

I know, I know, these little buggers can be annoying as heck, and they really know how to tease the canines but I can’t hate them cuz they’re just so darn cute! My fave squirrels are the black ones as they remind me of little ninjas. I’ve seen a lot of these little ninjas in my hood (East-​side!!!) with battlescars which really gets me verklempt. Did they get attacked by a cat? zapped by stray powerlines? have a rumble with a raccoon? Brave little guys they are!
Did you know that black squirrels are a rarity (one in 10,0000 in North America) and may have originated here in Ontario? According to Black Squirrel® History promoter Ric Wallace, he believes that the Black Squirrel® originated in Ontario Canada, adapting to more easily survive our cold winters. Being black in color, these squirrels harvest more solar energy for warmth, lowering their need for food consumption for winter survival compared to other colored squirrels. The Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River acted as a natural barrier to contain the Black Squirrel to the southern and eastern regions of Ontario, as well as over the border into parts of Quebec1
In the fall I like to leave a dish of sunflower seeds out for the squirrels and watch as they shove seeds vehemently into their ever swelling cheeks like the nutty little fluffers they are. I do get annoyed when they use our eavestrough for their version of a track and field meet and their shrill warning cries can be extremely irritating but it happens infrequently enough that whenever I see these little bushy tailed rodents it still elicits an «Awww so Kawaiii!!» reaction from me :)
1– info extracted from

The squirrel most common to Toronto is the Eastern Grey Squirrel. It’s a brownish grey creature that also comes in black. They have a long bushy tail that aids in balance, small upturned ears, and big black eyes. They are 20% less cute than chipmunks, but cuter than feral cats or raccoons.
This particular species is a scatter-​hoarder which means they play an important role in dispersing seeds required for Toronto’s vast tree system. Squirrels build a nest called a drey, but I have yet to spot on of their homes. They are pretty skittish, so it’s difficult to get very close, but it is possible.
You will see them in droves at Toronto parks like High Park and Trinity Bellwoods Park. The latter is the home of the infamous White Squirrel (not an albino). If you’re lucky you might spot this variety of squirrel reading an Utne and sipping on a flat white in one of the nearby coffeeshops.
This review is over.
Obligatory Title Pun: They might drive you NUTS.
Menu Readability: They’re squirrels dude, they don’t *have* menus. Are you even paying attention?
Need to mention: These are motherfucking squirrels.
What this place teaches me about myself: I’m willing to review rodents.

These jackasses have an obsession with my balcony that is beyond healthy. Surely being sprayed by whatever spray bottle the crazy human has on hand should be a deterrent of some kind?

I live on the St. George U of T campus, and there are squirrels EVERYWHERE, which makes me very happy as I think they’re adorable: P
To add to susan c.‘s colour list (all specimens were seen at U of T):
— pewter squirrels with grey undercoats
— grey squirrels with rust-​coloured undercoats
Funny Story:
I was barea** naked in my room (had just gotten out of the shower), when I hear this BANG. My head snaps toward the window (I’d left the blinds up as no-​one could see me anyways) and I come face-​to-​junk with this gigantic squirrel of the rust-​undercoat variety who had somehow manged to get under my up-​tilted window and landed spread-​eagle on the mosquito netting. I don’t know who was more startled. It took the squirrel 5 minutes to get out of there, the poor thing.

Ugh. A squirrel died in my roof, and now every squirrel in the fucking city is coming ’round to pay its respects. More squirrels than ever!

Okay, I can’t believe I’m able to review the squirrels of Toronto, because I have a total bone to pick with those little buggers.
Now, I know, I have a husky and they have this insane prey drive, but it would be nice if the squirrels didn’t mercilessly tease the crap out of my youngest. Owen is a fanatic and has ripped jeans right off my body in order to chase a squirrel. If you live on or around Maitland St, there will be mornings that you hear a high pitched cry followed by a «No! Those squirrels are not for you!» That’s me and Owen having a daily lesson of learning manners. But that’s not even the worst of it.
To all the squirrels that frequent Allan Gardens, I have a huge «screw you!» for you. You dance around the trees causing all the dogs to jumps and bark and just go utterly crazy. You go up and down the trees, just daring to be caught by one of the dogs. You run back and forth behind the fence where they can’t get you. You sit on your perch and wiggle those tails in such a teasing manner. Just shoo!
I know cause and effect doesn’t work with you, as I still see the squirrel with half a tail jetting in and out of the park even after having his tail ripped right off by a husky/​beagle mix. These are the daredevils of the squirrel world. And warning: when I see another of you guys get caught and killed (oh yes, I’ve witnessed this too) I will not feel guilty! Sometimes karma is a huge bitch and you’ve earned it!
Until then, please go away for winter. I don’t want to fall on my sweet bottom while Owen pulls me in your direction with out warning. I hear ice is very slippery.

Throughout the continental U.S. and major cities around the world, squirrels come in one shade and one shade only; a rather insipid grayish taupe[1].
In Toronto, however, the color spectrum of squirrels is like a muthaflippin’ rainbow.
So far, I’ve spotted:
— the ubiquitous black squirrels in every neighborhood
— chocolate-​brown squirrels on Ward’s Island (so friendly, they practically climb up your leg)
— black squirrels with caramel-​colored tails in Grange Park (my faves)
I still have yet to catch sight of the elusive white squirrels of Trinity Bellwoods Park. They’re not albino but have some kind of genetic aberration so they have white fur but not those freaky red eyes.[2]
I never really liked squirrels anywhere else but I heart the squirrels of T-​dot! They’re the kind of nut huggers I don’t mind seeing.
=====================
[1] Or «heather sandstone» in a J. Crew catalog
[2]