Francis Quang-Hai Dinh spent his first summer at McGill University exploring Montreal’s parks on his bicycle, on a quest to observe squirrels. Covering nearly 200 green spaces from Mirabel to Saint-Bruno, he meticulously documented over 800 grey and black squirrels. What began as a university assignment evolved into a personal project to investigate how the city’s layout and waterways influence evolution subtly.
Expressing his fascination with squirrels, Dinh shared, “I developed a deep appreciation for them after observing and contemplating their existence. Despite being commonly viewed as pests, squirrels are indeed part of the urban wildlife.” Due to limited public transit options in suburban regions and lacking a car, Dinh relied on his bike to reach distant locations, becoming the sole researcher known to conduct manual squirrel surveys park-by-park across the area.
Dinh’s research revealed that approximately 12% of squirrels in Montreal are black, with higher concentrations observed farther north. In areas just beyond Laval, up to 40% of squirrels exhibited black coloration. The study attributed this color variation to temperature differences, as black fur absorbs heat more effectively, especially in cooler climates. Additionally, the presence of denser forest cover in certain areas provided better camouflage for black squirrels against darker backdrops.
Allison Roth, the study’s senior author and an assistant professor at the University of Missouri, emphasized that the research focuses on urban environments’ impact on evolutionary changes using squirrels as a model. Montreal’s distinct landscape, characterized by the St. Lawrence River and its tributaries, creates unique environmental conditions influencing genetic adaptations within the squirrel population.
The study, titled “Fine-scale spatial variation in eastern grey squirrel melanism across a complex urban landscape,” emphasizes the significance of studying wildlife adaptations on a neighborhood-specific basis rather than comparing cities as a whole to rural areas. Contrary to previous beliefs that human development solely drives these changes, the study highlights that urbanization, local climate variations, and natural barriers like rivers collectively shape wildlife evolution.
Published as part of a special ecological feature by five journals, the research underscores the importance of understanding how urbanization impacts wildlife adaptation. Dinh reflected on his transformed perspective towards wildlife, emphasizing the coexistence of nature and urban environments despite human modifications.