Tale of a Mishap/Mishap of a Tail by gardencat

Tale of a Mishap/Mishap of a Tail

The title is misleading as I really don't have the 'tale' of the mishap. This poor guy just showed up in the yard with a significantly shortened tail.
It didn't look to be bothering him too much but I wonder if it will throw his balance off and make those acrobatic feats more difficult.
Oh shame that poor little fellow! I know that zebras bite off the tails of others, hope it is not the same with squirrels. Well spotted and captured.
December 26th, 2021  
@ludwigsdiana You may be on to something there. I often see one squirrel chasing another across the yard and it looks quite aggressive not like just fun frolicking.
December 26th, 2021  
really does make you wonder what happened!
December 26th, 2021  
I think it will affect his balance - I'm alway in awe of squirrels' antics in our tall trees. Is this a usual colour of squirrels where you live?
December 26th, 2021  
@quietpurplehaze Yes it is now, but they are a recent addition. I mean recent as in maybe the last 20 or 30 years. When I was a kid I only remember seeing the grey squirrels ( like the one in your recent shot) but over the years, and since we moved into Ontario from Quebec, I see the black ones more and more frequently ( but still lots of greys too).
December 26th, 2021  
Nice shot. And this certainly makes us wonder.
December 26th, 2021  
Cute
December 26th, 2021  
@gardencat

Interesting. Greys are of course, an American import to UK. We have very small pockets of the native red ones left. I saw a photo of an albino squirrel the other day. No black ones here.
December 27th, 2021  
A shortened tail will definitely affect their balance, but they do, to some extent, learn to compensate!
December 29th, 2021  
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