Аризонаның Каибаб аңылшығыры

Subspecies of rodent found in Arizona

The Kaibab squirrel (Sciurus aberti kaibabensis) is a tassel eared squirrel that lives in the Kaibab Plateau in the Southwest United States, in an area of The squirrel's habitat is confined entirely to the ponderosa pine forests of the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park and the northern section of Kaibab National Forest around the town of Jacob Lake, Arizona. This squirrel is not found anywhere else in the world. In 1965, of Kaibab squirrel habitat within Grand Canyon National Park and Kaibab National Forest were declared the Kaibab Squirrel National Natural Landmark.

Kaibab squirrels usually have a black belly (which is sometimes gray), white tail, tufted ears and chestnut brown back. where it builds its nest out of twigs and pine needles. Kaibab squirrels, ponderosa pines, and the fungi which grow in the vicinity of the ponderosas exist in a symbiotic relationship. The squirrel eats acorns, fruit, and fungi (especially an underground truffle), Young squirrels are born between April and August. In the past the Kaibab squirrel was given species status (Sciurus kaibabensis), but it is now considered a subspecies of the Abert's squirrel (Sciurus aberti). The Kaibab squirrel is an example of evolution occurring through geographic isolation, but not because of the canyon. As the climate warmed, ponderosa pine stands and the Abert's squirrels living there were limited to areas of high elevation like the Kaibab Plateau. These isolated populations eventually became modern Kaibab squirrels and, as the climate cooled again and ponderosa pines once again grew at lower elevations, other Abert's squirrel subspecies returned to the Grand Canyon area, filling in their former niches on the South Rim.