Photographer's comments: 

Shot in Lafontaine Park, in Montreal

The oldest squirrel fossil in the world was found in North America and is thought to be 34 million years old. These animals have not changed much over the millions of years. Protosciurus was found to have a very primitive dentition and jaw muscles but the same unique ear structure of the modern squirrel.

The word squirrel comes from the Greek word “Skiouros”. “Skia” means shade and “oura” means tail. Thus “skiouros” means “he who sits in the shadow of his own tail”. Centuries later the French developed the noun “esquirrel” from which the English “squirrel” is derived.