Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Gray SquirrelEastern Gray SquirrelEastern Gray SquirrelEastern Gray Squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
40–50% · Likely
overall probability at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
425 Verified records at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), spelled as grey squirrel outside of the United States, is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus. It is native to eastern North America, where it is the most prodigious and ecologically essential natural forest regenerator. Widely introduced to certain places around the world, the eastern gray squirrel in Europe, in particular, is regarded as an invasive species. In Europe, Sciurus carolinensis is included (since 2016) in the list of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern (the Union list). This implies that this species cannot be imported, bred, transported, commercialized, or intentionally released into the environment in the whole of the European Union. Wikipedia →

40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Eastern Gray Squirrel sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 425 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Fox Squirrel
LC

Fox Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Sciurus niger

Insufficient data
American Red Squirrel
LC Endemic

American Red Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

30–40% · Possible
Woodchuck
LC

Woodchuck

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Marmota monax

20–30% · Possible
Eastern Chipmunk
LC

Eastern Chipmunk

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamias striatus

10–20% · With luck
Southern Flying Squirrel
LC

Southern Flying Squirrel

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Glaucomys volans

<5% · Rare
Northern Flying Squirrel
LC

Northern Flying Squirrel

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Glaucomys sabrinus

Insufficient data
American Beaver
LC

American Beaver

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Castor canadensis

10–20% · With luck
Muskrat
LC

Muskrat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ondatra zibethicus

5–10% · With luck
Hispid Cotton Rat
LC

Hispid Cotton Rat

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Sigmodon hispidus

<5% · Rare
White-footed Mouse
LC Endemic

White-footed Mouse

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Peromyscus leucopus

<5% · Rare
Eastern Woodrat
LC Endemic

Eastern Woodrat

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Neotoma floridana

<5% · Rare
Gapperrotelmaus

Gapperrotelmaus

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Myodes gapperi

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

60–70
Jan
50–60
Feb
40–50
Mar
40–50
Apr
20–30
May
30–40
Jun
30–40
Jul
30–40
Aug
20–30
Sep
50–60
Oct
60–70
Nov
70–80
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
2 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
3 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
30–40%
4 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
5 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
6 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
7 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
8 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
9 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
10 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
11 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
12 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Eastern Gray Squirrel in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

About 43% of wildlife watchers report a Eastern Gray Squirrel sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 425 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Eastern Gray Squirrel in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Eastern Gray Squirrel in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in our monthly data.

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