Mexican gray squirrel

Sciurus aureogaster

Also known as: Red-bellied Squirrel, Mexican Grey Squirrel, Bushy-tailed Olingo

LCLeast Concern
Mexican gray squirrel (Sciurus aureogaster)Rodentia - Sciurus aureogaster - 1Mexican gray squirrel (Sciurus aureogaster)Sciurus aureogaster (24414680296)
Photo: Jonathan Curley · CC BY 4.0Mexican gray squirrel (Sciurus aureogaster)Photo: Emőke Dénes · CC BY-SA 4.0Rodentia - Sciurus aureogaster - 1Photo: Tereso Hernández Morales · CC BY 4.0Mexican gray squirrel (Sciurus aureogaster)Photo: Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada · CC BY 2.0Sciurus aureogaster (24414680296)

The Mexican gray squirrel is a large tree squirrel with a variable coat. It occurs across Mexico and Central America. Its habits explain more than a map point: It eats fruits and seeds and spends much of its time in trees. The records shown here document encounters and survey effort, not population size. Together, they show where this mammal has been found and why healthy habitat matters for its future.

US Range

IUCN Red List status

  1. LC
  2. NT
  3. VU
  4. EN
  5. CR
  6. EW
  7. EX

LC – Least Concern

Widespread and abundant; not at risk.

Trophic relationshipsFood web What a Mexican gray squirrel eats, and what eats it.
Eaten by

Few natural predators as an adult

This speciesMexican gray squirrel
Common GuavaPsidium guajavaPeruvian Pepper TreeSchinus molle
Eats2

A sample of documented feeding relationships, filtered to species that also occur in the US. Diet and predators vary by region and season, and this is not a complete list, many animals eat, and are eaten by, more than what has been formally recorded here.

Life history

The Mexican gray squirrel (595 g1.3 lb) is a herbivore that bears about 2 young per litter. Maximum recorded longevity is 11.5 years.

Life cycle

  1. Birthlitter of 2 young
  2. Typical lifespan11.5 years
  3. Maximum recorded longevity11.5 years

Reproduction

Litter size
2youngaverage
Max longevity
11.5years

Diet composition

Herbivore

By foraging composition: 50% seeds & grain, 30% plant material, 20% fruit.

  • Seeds & grain50%
  • Plant material30%
  • Fruit20%

Most active during the day.

Typical values for the species, not local measurements. Maximum longevity is the longest lifespan on record; most individuals live far less.

Commonly confused with

Animals people sometimes mistake for the mexican gray squirrel, and how to tell them apart.

Life in its habitat

It eats fruits and seeds and spends much of its time in trees. It’s tied to places supplying food and shelter. That connection explains much of its range.

What records reveal

Florida records describe an introduced Miami-area group, not native statewide distribution. Survey effort varies, and accessible places receive more attention. A gap can’t prove absence.

Looking ahead

Its spread could affect native wildlife and plants. Conservation works best when it protects connected habitat and reduces avoidable deaths. Surveys can reveal change without confusing records with animal numbers.

Sources

  1. GBIF – Sciurus aureogaster
  2. Wikipedia – Mexican gray squirrel
  3. Wikidata – Mexican gray squirrel
  4. Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI, CC0)

Data & sources

The data and visualizations on this page draw on these open sources: