Sherman's fox squirrel (Sciurus niger shermani ) is a subspecies of the fox squirrel. It lives in the US states of Florida and Georgia in fire-prone areas of longleaf pine and wiregrass, especially around sandhills. A tree squirrel, the Sherman's fox species has lost much of its habitat to farming and development. This type of squirrel nests in oak trees using leaves and Spanish moss.
In comparison to other fox squirrels, this subspecies is large (23 - 28 in. = 600 – 700 mm) with highly variable dorsal fur color ranging from nearly all black (uncommon) to silver, with variations of black over silver and silver over black. The underside is tan, while the head is generally black; ears and muzzle are often white. The tail is long, nearly the length of the head and torso. Nests are usually in oak trees and are constructed of oak leaves and Spanish moss.
The Sherman's fox squirrel was once designated as a species of special concern in Florida but due to their resiliency "to habitat modification" and their wider distribution as part of fox squirrels, the status was dropped.
