The red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) is the only squirrel native to Vancouver Island. The Latin name “Tamiasciurus” translates as “the steward who sits in the shadow of his tail” in reference to the squirrel’s habit of sitting with its tail curled over its back. Red squirrels are grayish-brown to rusty-red above, and white beneath. The coat is duller in summer, at which time a black stripe is visible along the side. It has a pronounced white eye-ring, actually a narrow crescent above and below its large black eye.

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