### Identification The Abert’s Squirrel (*Sciurus aberti*) is the most dapper denizen of the American Southwest. This medium-sized squirrel (18–22 inches) is instantly recognizable by its spectacular ear tufts, or tassels, which can grow up to an inch long. Its coat is a sophisticated grizzled steel-gray, often featuring a subtle reddish-brown "racing stripe" down the spine and a crisp white underbelly. The tail is magnificent—bushy, gray on top, and strikingly white underneath. To distinguish it from the closely related Kaibab Squirrel, look at the tail: the Kaibab’s is almost entirely white, whereas the Abert’s retains its gray upper surface.
### Habitat & Range This species is a "Ponderosa obligate," meaning its life is inextricably tied to the Ponderosa Pine. You’ll find them in the high-altitude needle forests (6,000–9,000 ft) of the Rocky Mountains, stretching from Wyoming down through Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and into the Sierra Madre of Mexico. If there are no Ponderosas, you won't find an Abert’s.
### Behaviour Active exclusively during the day, these squirrels are agile climbers but surprisingly comfortable on the forest floor. They are solitary and do not hibernate; even in mid-winter, you might spot one leaping through snow-dusted branches. Listen for their raspy, barking alarm calls. An observer should look for "twig-clipping": the squirrel snips a branch, peels the outer bark, eats the inner layer, and drops the rest, leaving a telltale carpet of debris on the forest floor.
### Diet The Abert’s is a specialist. While they enjoy pine seeds from cones, their primary winter staple is the inner bark (phloem) of Ponderosa twigs. They also forage for terminal buds and staminate flowers. In summer, they pivot to a gourmet diet of hypogeous (underground) fungi.
### Fascinating Fact The Abert’s Squirrel is a secret gardener! By eating underground truffles and then defecating near Ponderosa roots, they spread mycorrhizal fungi spores. These fungi are essential for the trees to absorb water and nutrients. Without the squirrel’s "delivery service," the very forests they depend on would struggle to survive.