Eastern Gray Squirrels In a Nutshell

Class: Mammalia

Order: Rodentia

Species: S. carolinensis

Also known as: Cat squirrel, migratory squirrel

Average life span: 11 to 12 months

Average litter size: Two to three young

Average litter frequency: Once or twice a year

Average length: 18.6 inches

Average weight: 1.15 pounds

Coat color variations: Black, albino, reddish, silvery

Dubious distinction: Because of its ability to establish itself in new environments and because of the damage it can pose to native squirrel species, the eastern gray squirrel has appeared on a list of "100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species," produced by the World Conservation Union's Invasive Species Specialist Group.