Maybe you picture forests packed with twitchy tails, but—believe it or not—the United States has the most squirrels. The U.S. probably holds the world record for squirrel numbers, mostly because it’s got loads of squirrel-friendly spots, plenty of species, and those sprawling city parks where squirrels just thrive.
Let’s dig into which countries really stand out, what makes certain places so squirrel-packed, and how all these different squirrel species ended up scattered around the globe.
You might even come across some surprising facts about where squirrels do best—and why.
As you keep reading, you’ll see how things like habitat, species variety, and even city life shape squirrel populations.
Some countries just have the right mix to help them stand out.
Countries With the Highest Squirrel Populations
Squirrels turn up all over, but a handful of countries really take the cake for numbers or species.
Climate, forest size, and how people use the land all play a part in where squirrels do well.
United States: Squirrel Capital of the World
The U.S. easily leads in both squirrel species and total numbers. You’ll spot eastern gray and fox squirrels in forests and cities across the east. Out west, the western gray squirrel pops up, and you’ll stumble across tree, ground, and flying squirrels pretty much everywhere.
Urban parks and suburban yards create perfect squirrel hangouts because folks feed birds and let old trees stand. Forest-heavy states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Oregon seem to have squirrels everywhere you look.
Every late summer and fall, you’ll notice the action ramp up—juveniles strike out on their own and adults stash food for winter.
Key facts:
- Lots of species: eastern gray, western gray, fox, and even red squirrels in northern spots.
- Habitat variety: forests, suburbs, and cities all boost the numbers.
- People matter: feeding and breaking up forests can help or hurt local squirrel groups.
Other Leading Countries for Squirrels
Canada has tons of squirrels in its temperate and boreal forests—especially red and gray types down south. The United Kingdom? It’s full of gray squirrels, brought over from North America, and now they outnumber native reds in most of England and Wales.
Scotland still holds onto some red squirrel strongholds.
Across Asia, countries like India and China host a wild mix of squirrel species, including tree and flying squirrels, thanks to their diverse forests. Italy and a few other European countries have seen gray squirrels spread where people introduced them.
If you want to see country-by-country stats, check out the World Population Review squirrel rankings.
Highlights by country:
- Canada: big numbers in mixed forests.
- UK: gray squirrels take over; reds hang on in parts.
- India/China: tons of species, flying squirrels included.
Factors Influencing Squirrel Numbers by Country
You’ll want to think about forest area, forest type, and what people do when you look at squirrel numbers. Countries with big forests and mild weather tend to have more—and more kinds of—squirrels.
When cities and suburbs cut up forests, some squirrels adapt and even thrive, while others drop off.
Introduced species, like gray squirrels in the UK and Italy, can shake things up by outcompeting native reds and spreading disease.
Disease, predators, and food (nuts, seeds, or whatever people leave out) all make squirrel numbers swing from year to year.
Some squirrel species, like certain flying squirrels, face local threats, but gray squirrels seem to do just fine in most human-shaped places.
Squirrel Diversity and Species Distribution Worldwide
Squirrels show up on most continents, and they really vary in size, habits, and where they live.
You’ll see tree climbers, burrowing ground squirrels, and even gliders that use skin flaps to float from tree to tree.
Types of Squirrels: Tree, Ground, and Flying
Tree squirrels are the ones you spot most often in parks and backyards. They’ve got bushy tails, sharp claws, and strong legs for jumping through branches.
The eastern gray squirrel and Eurasian red squirrel are classic examples. These guys eat nuts, seeds, and sometimes even bird eggs.
Ground squirrels mostly stick to burrows. Think prairie dogs, marmots, and other “ground squirrels” that hibernate or live in colonies.
Ground types are usually stockier and a bit more social. You’ll find them across North America, Eurasia, and some parts of Africa.
Flying squirrels don’t actually fly—they glide with a stretchy skin membrane, the patagium. They’re mostly active at night.
Flying squirrels range from tiny southern species to bigger ones in Asia. Their diet? Nuts, fruits, insects, and sometimes sap.
Major Squirrel Species by Continent
North America boasts loads of tree squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs, and marmots. Eastern gray and fox squirrels turn up everywhere from cities to woods.
Eurasia has the Eurasian red squirrel and several flying squirrels, especially in Japan and China.
South and Southeast Asia bring an incredible variety of tree squirrels, like the Himalayan red-bellied squirrel up in the mountains.
Africa’s got both tree squirrels and some giants. The African giant squirrel and tiny pygmy species live in forests from West to Central Africa.
South America features unique tree and ground squirrels that fit into tropical forests. Many are small and kind of secretive.
Australia and Antarctica? No native squirrels at all.
Fascinating Squirrel Subfamilies
The squirrel family, Sciuridae, splits into subfamilies with their own quirks. Callosciurinae covers lots of colorful Asian tree squirrels and has a high species count.
You’ll spot them in tropical forests and even gardens.
Ratufinae includes large, mostly Asian tree squirrels that look pretty robust. Sciurinae brings together many familiar tree and flying squirrels, including those in North America and Eurasia.
Sciurillinae is home to tiny South American species like the pygmy squirrel.
Xerinae groups the ground squirrels, marmots, and prairie dogs—these are the burrowers and hibernators.
These subfamilies give you a better sense of where squirrels came from and why they act so differently.
Unique and Giant Squirrel Species Around the Globe
Giant squirrels, like the African giant squirrel and a few massive Asian species, really stand out. With their tails, some of them stretch over half a meter—pretty impressive if you ask me.
These squirrels hang out in tall forests. They munch on fruits, seeds, and every now and then, insects.
On the other end of the scale, pygmy and dwarf squirrels are just tiny. The African pygmy squirrel and some South American ones barely weigh a few dozen grams.
You’ll spot them darting around on twigs, snacking on insects and small seeds.
There are some real oddballs out there too. The Himalayan red-bellied squirrel pops up in mountain forests, and then there are those wild flying squirrels that glide around caves and ancient trees in Southeast Asia.
Curious about how many species are out there or where they live? Check out this global overview of squirrel species distribution and diversity.
