You’ll find squirrels almost everywhere except Antarctica and Australia. They stick around wherever trees, shrubs, or even open ground give them food and a place to hide.
Squirrels live across most of the world—in forests, parks, cities, and grasslands—wherever nuts, seeds, and safe nesting spots exist.
Take a walk outside and chances are, you’ll spot a squirrel—maybe in a park, your backyard, or darting across a city street.
Let’s dig into where different squirrel types live around the globe and how their habits shape where you see them.
Where Are Squirrels Found Around the World?
Squirrels have made themselves at home in all sorts of places. Depending on the species, you might find them in chilly mountains or busy city parks.
Some squirrels stick to the trees, while others spend their lives on the ground.
Continents and Geographic Range
You’ll spot squirrels on most continents: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Tree squirrels like the eastern gray hang out in U.S. forests and suburbs. Red squirrels dart through European conifer woods, and the red-tailed squirrel lives in Amazon and Andean forests.
Ground squirrels, like the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, dig burrows in open prairies and grasslands. They use those tunnels for shelter.
Flying squirrels glide between trees at night in dense forests across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Each region has its own unique squirrel species within the Sciuridae family. Some live at sea level, others way up in the Rockies or Himalayas.
If you check out a squirrel population map, you’ll notice they haven’t naturally reached places like Australia or Antarctica.
Urban and Rural Adaptations
Squirrels don’t mind city life—or country life, for that matter. In towns, eastern gray and fox squirrels run along rooflines, raid bird feeders, and nest in tree cavities or build dreys in branches.
In rural areas, ground squirrels dig burrows in grasslands. Their digging can affect crops and sometimes frustrate farmers.
Some squirrels thrive on human food and might even nest in attics, which can be a headache if you have to call wildlife control.
Others prefer to stay wild, deep in the woods, away from people.
Knowing which species live nearby helps you deal with conflicts and look out for local squirrel habitats.
Habitat Types and Living Arrangements
Squirrels can live up in trees, underground, or even glide through the air from trunk to trunk.
You’ll notice each type has its own shelter style, nesting materials, and social quirks.
Tree Squirrels and Their Forest Homes
Tree squirrels—like the eastern gray and Eurasian red—mostly stick to the treetops. You’ll spot their nests, called dreys, made from twigs, leaves, and moss tucked into forked branches.
Some, like the Douglas squirrel and American red squirrel, actually prefer tree cavities over dreys. Cavities offer better protection from rain, cold, and predators. Squirrels often reuse these cozy spots year after year.
You’ll see tree squirrels in all sorts of places: mixed forests, city parks, even backyard woodlots.
They stash food in their nests or hide nuts in bark and soil nearby.
Females raise their babies inside dreys or cavities, and if you watch closely in spring, you might catch some quiet activity as the young stay hidden for weeks.
Big species like the fox squirrel and western gray do well in urban trees. Smaller ones, like the African pygmy squirrel, stick to thick tropical canopies.
Ground Squirrels and Burrowing Behaviors
Ground squirrels—including the California ground squirrel and arctic ground squirrel—dig their own burrows in open spaces.
You might spot their tunnel networks, which have separate rooms for sleeping, storing food, and raising young.
Some relatives, like prairie dogs and marmots (think alpine marmot), build huge colonies where many squirrels keep watch together.
Burrows keep young safe, regulate temperature, and hide squirrels from hawks and foxes.
You’ll see different social habits: rock squirrels dig alone, but species like the Mexican ground squirrel or African ground squirrel (Paraxerus cepapi) live in groups.
Many ground squirrels hibernate or slow down in winter. Arctic ground squirrels, for example, hunker down for long, cold stretches to make it through the tundra.
Flying Squirrels and Gliding Habitats
Flying squirrels, like the northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) and the southern species (Glaucomys volans), use a skin membrane called the patagium to glide. You’ll spot them in mature forests where tall trees and tight canopy gaps make gliding from trunk to trunk possible.
Larger gliders—think the red giant flying squirrel (Petaurista petaurista)—stick to tropical and montane forests. These places have plenty of tall trees, which honestly seems perfect for their lifestyle.
You probably won’t catch flying squirrels out during the day. They’re mostly nocturnal and nest in tree cavities or sometimes move into abandoned dreys.
They carry food back to their nests. It’s common for them to raise several young in each litter.
Species like the Japanese dwarf flying squirrel and Indian giant flying squirrel pick den sites high off the ground. It’s a smart move to avoid predators.
The patagium lets them travel quietly and escape quickly. These squirrels use scattered tree cavities and thick branches as safe landing spots.
