Black squirrels spread thoughout Northeast Ohio. Here’s a list showing where: The Readers Write

By any local measure, the black squirrel is having a moment.

Long associated with the city of Kent and celebrated as Kent State University’s unofficial mascot, the black-furred variant of the eastern gray squirrel has quietly but steadily made inroads throughout Northeast Ohio. And thanks to a simple question sent to 3,100 subscribers to our “From the Editor” morning text messages, it’s now clear just how widespread — and beloved — this mutation has become.

The text — asking whether readers have spotted black squirrels where they live — drew more than 630 responses. (Sign up for free at www.joinsubtext.com/chrisquinn)

From Ashtabula to Avon Lake, Rocky River to Solon and Cleveland Heights, readers replied with anecdotes, sightings, and even speculation about why the squirrels seem to be multiplying and spreading.

Some shared nostalgic memories of their first sightings in Kent. Others marveled at how quickly the population seems to have grown in their neighborhoods, edging out the traditional gray or fox squirrels.

“I was a KSU student in 1981 when I first saw a black squirrel,” one person wrote. “Haven’t seen one in Willowick yet.”

In Kent, the black squirrel is a minor celebrity. Kent State even hosts an annual festival and 5K race in its honor. That fandom dates back to a 1960s project dubbed “Operation Black Squirrel,” when a university groundskeeper worked with Canadian and U.S. authorities to import 10 black squirrels from Ontario in an attempt to reestablish them in Northeast Ohio.

It worked.

As one retired Kent State faculty member noted in their reply, “The story that black squirrels began their American habitation in Kent is consistent with what campus lore maintains. Reportedly they were brought to the U.S. from Canada by a biology professor and are enthusiastically celebrated on campus as a mascot.”

The reader added that by about 2020, five years after retirement, black squirrels had reached Pepper Pike and became regulars in the yard. “They appear more athletic and active than gray squirrels and have a more aggressive temperament. I don’t know if they drive out the more placid species, but I never see them co-located.”

That observation came up repeatedly: not only were black squirrels more frequently spotted, but many suggested they appeared to be displacing their brown or gray counterparts.

One reader in Lakewood offered this theory: “There was a transition period of maybe five years, from brown squirrels to wild combinations of brown & black squirrels — all grey, just black tails, etc. The black squirrels eventually replaced the browns. No scientific proof, but it seemed like they were more aggressive or dominant — in mating at least.”

Though black squirrels are not a separate species — they’re a melanistic variant of the eastern gray or fox squirrel — their distinctive color gives them certain advantages. Some research suggests the darker coat retains heat better, which could make them better suited to Ohio’s cold months. Others speculate that their color offers better camouflage in shaded forests, potentially reducing predator attacks.

Readers reported sightings in surprising places: the Edgewater neighborhood of Cleveland, where one respondent even spotted a black squirrel with a red tail; the Brecksville Reservation; Kamm’s Corners; Avon; Moreland Hills; and even the park at Put-in-Bay.

“We have resident black squirrels in Kamm’s Corner,” one person wrote. Another added, “I see black squirrels down in the Rocky River Reservation all the time!”

In some cases, the readers have documented the population changes closely. “We have black squirrels in Lakewood now. It’s been over 10 years,” one person said. “We’ve lost a lot of old trees, so there are fewer squirrels overall, but there was a period of transition — mixed colors, hybrids — and now the black ones dominate.”

A few readers described what appear to be hybrids, or perhaps mutations in the other direction: “I have to assume they’ve been breeding with local squirrels because now we have oddly colored very dark brown squirrels.”

Some were simply delighted at the chance to weigh in on something other than politics or tragedy. “Thanks for writing about different topics. Asking about the black squirrels put a smile on my face,” one reader said. “Something cheerful and fun to talk about.”

Still, some areas remain free of the black-furred visitors — at least for now. “No black squirrels in north Mentor but I’ve seen them in Chardon. They’re coming up Route 44.”

One person noted that Auburn Township in Geauga County has long hosted a mix: “We’ve consistently seen brown, gray and black squirrels every year. My sense is that we’ve seen more black squirrels in the past several years.”

So what accounts for this expansion? There is no conclusive answer. Wildlife experts suggest a combination of genetic mutation and environmental changes. Squirrel migration is minimal, so the increase is more likely due to local mutations gaining dominance.

Others point to habitat. As Ohio’s forests recover and mature, their increasing canopy provides the kind of shade in which the black squirrel’s dark coat offers camouflage.

Even as the true answer remains elusive, it’s clear that Northeast Ohioans have embraced their bushy-tailed neighbors — and many are curious to know just how far they’ll go next.

Here’s the list of cities and townships where people reported seeing black squirrels:

AshlandAuroraAustintownAvon LakeBay VillageBeachwoodBereaBrecksvilleBroadview HeightsBrook ParkBurtonCanal FultonCantonChagrin FallsChardonChesterlandCleveland HeightsConcordCopleyCortlandCuyahoga FallsDaytonEast ClevelandEastlakeFairview ParkGates MillsGreenHighlandHinckleyHudsonHuronIndependenceJeffersonKentKirtlandLakewoodLyndhurstMacedoniaMansfieldMaple HeightsMayfieldMayfield HeightsMayfield VillageMedinaMentorMiddleburg HeightsMoreland HillsNewburyNorth OlmstedNorth RidgevilleNorth RoyaltonNoveltyOberlinOlmsted FallsOrange VillageParmaParma HeightsPeninsulaPepper PikePolandRavennaRichfieldRocky RiverSagamore HillsSeven HillsShaker HeightsSheffield VillageSolonSouth RussellSpringfieldStrongsvilleTwinsburgUniversity CircleValley ViewVermilionWaite HillWestlakeWickliffeWilloughby HillsWooster Chester Township Hambden Township Medina Township Munson Township Newbury Township Parkman Township Perry Township Russell Township

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.