Is it genetically possible for a red and grey squirrel to reproduce?

Yes it is...donkeys and horses , tigers and lions, African and Indian elephants can reproduce to give hybrids (sterile) even though they are not the same species.Red and grey squirrels are closely enough related but it would not happen naturally in the wild.Is it genetically possible for a red and grey squirrel to reproduce?
No it's not. They are separate species Sciurus vulgaris (red squirrel) and Sciurus carolinensis (grey squirrel) and are therefore unable to reproduce (think along the lines of humans and chimps- definitely no breeding there!)


Additionally the grey squirrel is much larger than the red and in competitive interactions between the 2 species the red squirrel will usually come off worse!


Yes hybrids are possible in the animal kingdom but not amongst these two particular species.Is it genetically possible for a red and grey squirrel to reproduce?
Shame on someone who calls themselves a biologist to say that hybrids are impossible, just because they are separate species. There are plenty of examples of 'good' species producing hybrids when there is no other choice e.g. lion x tiger, horse x donkey etc. Normally, in nature these would never exist, but are still genetically possible because of their shared evolutionary history and reproductive behaviour.








As both belong to the same genus (Sciurus) it is not beyond the bounds of probability that hybrids could exist.





Only genetic investigation could reveal whether they are completely reproductively isolated from one another. I don't believe that information exists or is truly accessible, so can't give a definitive answer, but know that taxonomy alone won't tell you.
You would think its possible... There must be some obstacles to overcome because greys dont breed with reds in the wild..they force them out of their habitates.. but that's another story....


And we dont know if it is possible to make a human chimpaneeze hybrid actually. No one has done the experiment..(you can only imagine the storm that would cause) its entirely possible for a hydrid to 'shed' the extra chromosomes