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Message: <blockquote data-quote="locustella" data-source="post: 3163496" data-attributes="member: 26257">According to Collins Field Guide (Mammals) melanism is rarer in Britain than in other parts of Europe. There are only black Sciurus vulagaris squirrels in some islands, for example Funen Island in Danemark.In Poland darker Sciurus vulagaris squirrels are more common than ginger in mountains. However both variations can be found in one litter. In the past darker squirrels were considered as separate species, what was not justified. There are also banded squirrels (ginger/dark in one). (Pucek guide)Does occuring of these variations have something to do with dividing Europe by the glacier in two parts ? Like perhaps in case of two very similar species of hedgehogs, European green woodpecker and grey-headed woodpecker, Eurasian treecreeper and Short-toed treecreeper (I am not sure of that). Recently someone wrote in Wikipedia, that the same happened to green frogs.What color of red squirrel is native for Britain - ginger or black ? If black, perhaps squirrels occurring in Britain would be not well accommodated to the environment and additionally weaker in comparison to introduced North American grey squirrels. Ginger red squirrels are native or were introduced in the past ? Most likely native but I am asking just in case.This is strange that black red squirrels are so rare in Britain. Genetic drift, natural selection or introducion of ginger red squirrels ? But this would mean that ginger red squirrels are stronger than black red squirrels. So black red squirrels would be defeated by North American gray squirrels even easier ...But (re?)introduction of black red squirrel could make larger perturbation among squirrels.This just came. One more factor. But introduced trees are probably absent in forests. So they sould not affect relations between squirrels.<a href="http://www.topix.net/science/ecology/2015/02/1502048OFVIJ?fromrss=1" target="_blank">http://www.topix.net/science/ecology/2015/02/1502048OFVIJ?fromrss=1</a>Ecological effects of introduced tree species in BritainCiteULike</blockquote>

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