# Douglas's Squirrel

*Tamiasciurus douglasii*

This squirrel creates massive piles of cone scales called 'middens' that can be used by successive generations for decades.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Rodentia › Sciuridae › Tamiasciurus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Coniferous and mixed-evergreen forests, particularly those with mature Douglas-fir and Sitka spruce.
- **Diet:** Primarily conifer seeds, but also consumes fungi, cambium, berries, and occasionally bird eggs.
- **Range:** Pacific Northwest of North America, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Cascade Range, Coastal British Columbia
- **Size:** 27-35 cm in length; 150-300 grams
- **Lifespan:** 3-7 years in the wild
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat fragmentation and competition for resources with the invasive Eastern Gray Squirrel.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless but highly territorial. Observe from a distance as they may 'scold' you with loud vocalizations or drop pine cones if they feel their midden is threatened. Do not attempt to handle or feed; if bitten, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and consult a professional regarding infection risks.

## About

The Douglas squirrel ( Tamiasciurus douglasii ) is a pine squirrel found in the Pacific coastal states of the United States as well as the southwestern coast of British Columbia in Canada. It is sometimes known as the chickaree or pine squirrel , although these names are also used for the American red squirrel. Variant spellings of the common name are Douglas' squirrel and Douglas's squirrel . The Native Americans of Kings River called it the "Pillillooeet", in imitation of...

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/94aaf82d-5bdb-457f-adb2-199adfb6552b
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/46259
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamiasciurus douglasii
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/24705589/medium.jpg (Ken McMillan, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.