Little Critters

I remember, when I was little, wondering why squirrels in animated movies were red. Ones that I saw around were gray.

Squirrels were red in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Squirrels were red in Sleeping Beauty.

It turns out squirrels are usually red in Europe, where the old fairy tales take place. It's logical that the squirrels in Disney movies would be red. I took this picture of one of our backyard residents today. These squirrels are a bit smaller and more skittish than American squirrels.

But, squirrels were red in Over the Hedge.

Squirrels were red in Looney Tunes cartoons.

Even Sandy Cheeks is a red squirrel.

I always just figured animators were keeping with the tradition of squirrels being red, in spite of the fact that American squirrels were always gray. Or so I thought.

It turns out there is an American Red Squirrel, found in Canada and the northern U.S.

And guess what color the squirrels are in Disney's upcoming film Rapunzel?