Squirrels are quite rare in France. I don't know why -- they would certainly be quite as well fed by park visitors as the ones in the U.S. if they were present. French visitors to the U.S. are enthralled by the squirrels.

That's very interesting! I might have to do some more research on this.

kerouac, you don't see them(rarely) in Paris but I have seen them throughout France. My French friends taught me the word for them ecureuil but the ones in France are ecureuil roux
red squirrels and they are smaller than our grey ones.
When I first spotted one I thought in was a chipmonk and my friends corrected me.

Loved the report because you took me there. It sure shows you are a writer/editor :-). By the way Happy Anniversary

Yes, I have seen red squirrels out in the wild in France, but it does seem strange that they would not adapt to urban parks.

>>it does seem strange that they would not adapt to urban parks<<

I seem to remember (from some TV programme, so it may be wildly wrong) that red squirrels prefer to live in and travel through treetops, and are essentially woodland creatures. If so, they'd find it hard to get into a Paris park in the first place, let alone establish resident communities.

Grey squirrels, on the other hand, were presumably not imported into France they way they were in the UK.

Patrick, I think you've explained the mystery. Grey squirrels are a serious threat to red squirrels in the UK, are they not? I'm glad our cute grey squirrels never made it to France :)

Lindain, thanks for the compliment and the anniversary wishes. Much appreciated!