A bushy-tailed squirrel of forests in Europe and northern Asia.
The head and back vary from reddish to blackish. In winter the ear tufts lengthen and the body coat thickens.
At Hokkaido’s Nopporo Forest Park, researchers surveyed 401 squares (200 m per side), recording squirrels, dreys, feeding signs and footprints. In summer, squirrels used 45 squares (11.2%). Use differed by forest type: signs appeared in 28.2% of evergreen-conifer squares, 5.2% of mixed forest and 3.9% of deciduous broadleaf squares. The authors suggested conifers offered food and drey sites.
A winter-habitat study sampled sixty 30 × 30 m plots in mature Norway spruce stands in southwest Poland in March–April 2017. Counts of squirrel-stripped spruce cones were predicted by canopy closure, distance to the forest edge and estimated cone biomass; the model explained 52% of count variation. Together, the studies link forest structure and seed resources to feeding-site use.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species · Least Concern (LC) · Global
The 2023 global IUCN assessment lists the Eurasian red squirrel as Least Concern, citing its wide range, large population and presence in many protected areas. It also records significant declines in Britain and Italy following habitat loss and competition. The global population trend is unknown, and the assessment recommends monitoring populations and threats. A winter field study in Poland found that cone biomass, canopy cover and distance to the forest edge predicted feeding signs. Recording seed-bearing stands and forest structure can help managers locate potential feeding refuges.