Spring Brings These Rare Creatures Back To New York

Springtime here in New York means more and more creatures are out and about.

Whether they are returning from down South or waking up from hibernation, you will see more wildlife over the next couple of weeks all over the state.

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With that being said, a rare creature is coming back as well. The rare All-Black squirrel.

This morning while on my walk around my neighborhood in Hamburg, I saw something that I haven't seen since last spring. All-black squirrels.

It turns out that black squirrels are a subgroup of Eastern Grey Squirrels and according to Wikipedia, some scientists think that the all-black fur is a genetic advantage allowing the squirrel to absorb more of the sun's heat to stay warmer. It would make sense to see black squirrels here in New York since we are known to get some very cold Springs.

Some people mentioned that black squirrels are pretty common in Lewiston, New York, and in the Niagara Falls state park. Black squirrels are also pretty common in Ontario Canada and can be seen running around Toronto.

According to scientists, on average one out of 10,000 eastern gray squirrels have the all-black gene to make their fur appear all-black.

Now that more and more squirrels are out and about running all over New York, the chances for you to spot the rare all-black squirrel are increasing. Just in case you don't see one, check out some photos I snapped on my walk.