Thursday, May 26, 2005

Black Squirrels - Have You Seen One?

Have you heard about the black squirrels in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area? The Washington Post quoted scientists stating that, "they were multiplying because their dark coats allowed them to retain heat from sunlight, leaving them less desperate for warmth than their lighter-colored cousins...If you can do it with solar heat, you don't need quite as much metabolic heat, and therefore, need less food."

Unfortunately, these solar powered brother squirrels did not get the memo and have been migrating faster into Northwest Washington and out to Gaithersburg and Rockville in Montgomery County. According to the Post, "Some residents have called to complain that the new squirrels are aggressive, driving out the friendly gray squirrels." Although the county parks department has assured residents that, "It's the same squirrel, just a different color," I am sure arrangements will be made to redirect these squirrels to Prince George's County.

Black Squirrel Website
White Squirrel Website

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