Where does the squirrel originate from?

Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa, and were introduced by humans to Australia. The earliest known fossilized squirrels date from the Eocene epoch, and among other living rodent families, the squirrels are most closely related to the mountain beaver and to the dormice.

1. What is the ancestor of squirrels?
2. How did squirrels get to America?
3. Are squirrels indigenous to the United States?

What is the ancestor of squirrels?

The likely common ancestors of squirrels and the mountain beaver are known as ischyromyids³⁵. They diversified during the early Eocene greenhouse climate (ca. 56–48 million years ago) and were likely fossorial to scansorial^36,37, but then declined and went extinct by the end of the Oligocene (23 million years ago)³⁸.

How did squirrels get to America?

In researching the history of squirrels in American cities, Benson found the first documented introduction occurred in Philadelphia's Franklin Square in 1847. ... The presence of squirrels in cities at this time "started getting tied up with the parks movement led by Frederick Law Olmstead," Benson said.

Are squirrels indigenous to the United States?

Both northern and southern flying squirrels are native to North America – in fact, they are the only two native flying squirrel species to call the US home. They can be found in deciduous and coniferous forests and woodlands across the eastern United States.