![]() Despite their name, they come in a variety of colors, and will often display a mix of gray, brown, black, and cinnamon fur. AppearanceĮastern gray squirrels can grow 9 to 12 inches in length and reach two pounds upon sexual maturity. Today they can be found in parks throughout the five boroughs. By the mid-1880s, there were an estimated 1,500 squirrels in Central Park. Still, squirrels managed to find a foothold in the city. And in the 1870s people began trying to remove them from parks again, believing that squirrels were harming local bird populations. City-managed culls periodically thinned squirrel numbers through the years. These efforts were ultimately successful, though there were challenges along the way. ![]() However, in the late 1800s, squirrels were reintroduced to American cities in an attempt to bring more “nature” into urban parks and natural areas. And by the mid-1800s, spotting a squirrel in New York City was such a rare occurrence that crowds would sometimes form if one was seen on a city street. But over time, deforestation and hunting greatly reduced their numbers. People would occasionally report seeing large groups of squirrels traveling across the countryside, eating everything in sight. Some areas of New York had so many squirrels during that time that farmers even considered them pests. The variety of hardwood trees in the region made it an ideal habitat for them. Squirrels will often build their nests, which are called "dreys," in tree cavities like the one shown here General Information Backgroundĭuring the colonial era, eastern gray squirrels were found throughout New York State in large numbers.
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