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Home/Species/ Abert's Squirrel

Sciurus aberti

Woodhouse, 1853

Abert's Squirrel

G5Secure Found in 58 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103540
Element CodeAMAFB07030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderRodentia
FamilySciuridae
GenusSciurus
Other Common Names
Abert's squirrel (EN) Una Ardilla (ES)
Concept Reference
Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Taxonomic Comments
Under a proposed taxonomic arrangement for Sciurini (de Abreu-Jr et al. 2020a, de Abreu-Jr et al. 2020b), Sciurus aberti (along with S. griseus) would be moved to the genus Hesperosciurus; pending further investigation, this arrangement is tentatively not accepted following the American Society of Mammalogists (2024).

Subspecies kaibabensis formerly was regarded as a distinct species.
Conservation Status
Review Date1996-11-06
Change Date1996-11-06
Range Extent Comments
Southwestern U.S. (southern Wyoming, southeastern Utah, central Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona) and northern Mexico. S. A. KAIBABENSIS is found only in the Kaibab Plateau of north-central Arizona. Many populations are relatively isolated. See Davis and Brown (1988) for records of introductions in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. See Davis and Bissell (1989) for distribution in Colorado. See Davis and Brown (1989) for discussion of factors involved in explaining modern distribution.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Mainly ponderosa pine forests at elevations of 1800-3000 m. On Kaibab Plateau, optimum habitat consists of relatively open stands of pure pine where trees larger than 15 cm DBH predominate (Hall 1981). May also extend into mixed conifer and upper pinyon-juniper woodland. When active, spends more time on ground than in trees (Arizona, Hall 1981). Builds bulky nests high in pines (nests infrequently in cavities in oak or cottonwood tree. Appears to use several alternate nests (Hall 1981). Nests usually are close to the trunk and more than 10 m above ground (Hall 1981). In northern Arizona, nests were in the crowns of large ponderosa pines, most often on the east to south side of the bole, mostly 10-15 m above ground; tree chemistry appeared to play a role in nest-site selection (Snyder and Linhart 1994).

Ecology

Basically solitary late spring through fall, nonterritorial (Hall 1981). Average home range in Arizona was estimated at 7.3 ha during summer and fall, 2.0 ha in winter; 18-45 ha in uncut forest in another study. Most of time may be spent in limited area of home range (Hall 1981). Populations seem to fluctuate widely over time. In Arizona, density was estimated at 30/sq km, 2.5-5/sq km, and 30-65/sq km. Feeding by squirrels appears to have neglible effect on ponderosa pine growth (Hall 1981).

Reproduction

On Mogollon Plateau, Arizona, breeds mostly late April-May. Young are born in June and early July. Litter size is 2-5. Gestation lasts about 40 days. Young are weaned at about 10 weeks, out and about in August. (Hoffmeister 1986).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - ConiferWoodland - Mixed
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
New MexicoS4Yes
ArizonaS5Yes
UtahS2Yes
Navajo NationS4Yes
WyomingS1Yes
ColoradoS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
5 - Biological resource use——High (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvesting——High (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (58)
Arizona (20)
AreaForestAcres
Barbershop CanyonCoconino National Forest1,311
Big RidgeKaibab National Forest9,087
Burro CanyonKaibab National Forest19,928
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
Campbell BlueApache-Sitgreaves National Forests7,003
Cdo WsaCoronado National Forest1,955
CenterfireApache-Sitgreaves National Forests13,130
Coconino RimKaibab National Forest7,213
East Clear CreekCoconino National Forest1,613
HellsgateTonto National Forest6,171
Hot AirApache-Sitgreaves National Forests31,712
Lower San FranciscoApache-Sitgreaves National Forests59,310
Mitchell PeakApache-Sitgreaves National Forests35,398
NolanApache-Sitgreaves National Forests6,780
Oracle RoadlessCoronado National Forest22,365
Painted BluffsApache-Sitgreaves National Forests43,118
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
Red PointKaibab National Forest7,139
Salt HouseApache-Sitgreaves National Forests21,848
Sierra Ancha Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest7,787
Colorado (3)
AreaForestAcres
Comanche Peak Adjacent AreaArapaho & Roosevelt NFs44,158
HermosaSan Juan NF148,103
Storm PeakSan Juan NF57,617
New Mexico (35)
AreaForestAcres
Alamo CanyonSanta Fe National Forest8,639
Apache Kid ContiguousCibola National Forest67,542
Aspen MountainGila National Forest23,784
Bearhead PeakSanta Fe National Forest8,277
Black CanyonSanta Fe National Forest1,922
Canyon CreekGila National Forest9,824
Columbine - Hondo Wilderness Study AreaCarson National Forest43,739
Comales CanyonCarson National Forest4,389
Contiguous To Black & Aldo Leopold WildernessGila National Forest111,883
Contiguous To Gila Wilderness & Primitive AreaGila National Forest79,049
Devils CreekGila National Forest89,916
Dry CreekGila National Forest26,719
Frisco BoxGila National Forest38,979
GallinasSanta Fe National Forest13,208
Holy GhostSanta Fe National Forest2,352
Jacks CreekSanta Fe National Forest740
Juan de Gabaldon GrantSanta Fe National Forest8,023
Latir PeakCarson National Forest3,573
Little TesuqueSanta Fe National Forest815
McClure ReservoirSanta Fe National Forest375
Meadow CreekGila National Forest34,167
Nichols ReservoirSanta Fe National Forest1,518
NolanGila National Forest13,051
PecosCarson National Forest13,436
Pecos WS RiverSanta Fe National Forest5,396
Poverty CreekGila National Forest8,770
RendijaSanta Fe National Forest2,176
Ryan HillCibola National Forest34,201
San JoseCibola National Forest16,950
Sawyers PeakGila National Forest59,743
The HubGila National Forest7,498
Thompson PeakSanta Fe National Forest33,001
Virgin CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,068
Wahoo MountainGila National Forest23,122
White CapCibola National Forest8,036
References (27)
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