It's not a separate species, just a separate color phase within the species.

Moose and black bears both have been reported in a variety of color phases.

It's rare here. I'm not sure to what extent it occurs. I've seen pictures of black squirrels and albino squirrels in the state, but those were from around the Fairbanks area. I can't swear to it, but this may be the first black squirrel on the peninsula.

It will probably lead a basic squirrel life, but it may have a slight advantage at concealment by being able to blend into shadows and shady areas.

Even in making objects, as soon as you start to get the feeling that some form of craft is coming into place, you realize that everything is wrong. Because craft is really just a fetish. It is wasted energy. It's about the object, some space which has nothing to do with the human.

My characters aren't chess pieces. I don't move them around some big board. I actually care about these fictitious people.