It will probably lead a basic squirrel life, but it may have a slight advantage at concealment by being able to blend into shadows and shady areas. |
It's not a separate species, just a separate color phase within the species. |
It's rare here. I'm not sure to what extent it occurs. I've seen pictures of black squirrels and albino squirrels in the state, but those were from around the Fairbanks area. I can't swear to it, but this may be the first black squirrel on the peninsula. |
Moose and black bears both have been reported in a variety of color phases. |