If you are a regular jogger or like to visit parks in your leisure time, you are sure to have witnessed the cute little squirrels doing what they do best – squirreling around. But to be true, there is more to these little creatures than just being the inspiration behind the Alvin and the Chipmunks.
There is no denying the fact that squirrels are absolutely adorable. Whether it is a small boy running around in the park or a middle-aged man trying to catch some fresh air, squirrels can grasp the attention of all. What else can explain the popularity of the National Squirrel Appreciation Day (January 21)? Well yes, it is extremely interesting to watch these little creatures don several roles effortlessly. Yes, they can play an acrobat, bandit, gardener and a lot more almost simultaneously. But that is not all; you will be a lot more amazed about squirrels when you know about their natural habitat and their way of life. Whether you are an animal enthusiast or not, these facts about squirrels will surely turn you into an animal lover, well, a squirrel lover, at least!
Facts about Squirrels You Need To Know
As a child, you sure must have enjoyed seeing Chip and Dale scheme up against Donald Duck but your cute little friends (chipmunks) aren’t that small. They belong to a huge family of Sciuridae, and are considered to be associated with the prairie dogs, the woodchucks and the marmots. Here are some interesting facts about squirrels –
Squirrels, squirrels everywhere!
Squirrels are found almost everywhere. There are about 285 species of this little rodent across the globe. From the half ounce pygmy tree squirrels to the 9 kg huge gray marmot of Kazakhstan, squirrels are quite widespread.
Their teeth, oh yes, they don’t stop growing!
The front teeth of the squirrels never stop to grow. This is actually a characteristic that is common with a few other rodents as well. The word, rodent, in fact is derive from the Latin word, rodere, which means to gnaw.
Because their teeth grow continuously, they don’t have to worry about all the wear and tear that result from gnawing on nuts and other objects.
They are born real tiny!
When born, squirrels are just about an inch long. That’s too tiny, it may seem but they tend to grow pretty fast to their actual size.
They don’t just squirrel around, they actually communicate
Squirrels are very social animals. They like to communicate with each other and to do that, they have their own set of rules. They use various vocalizations and scent markings to pass on their messages. They also use their tails as a signaling device, twitching it around to indicate danger.
Squirrels actually have a very unique way to indicate danger. They first remain motionless. They will then run to a nearby tree, if on ground, and climb up to safety. If already on the tree, they circle the trunk and hold it tight. Once they feel, they are safe, they twitch their tail to inform their friends about a potential threat.
They trust you
Squirrels, though they get scared easily, are quite trusting by nature. They are among the very few animals (not counting the domestic, pet animals) that will actually eat from your hand.
They believe in planning ahead of time
Squirrels have a good foresight, as you may want to think of it. They generally stock up on nuts and seeds and other such foods ahead of time. They actually hide their stock at different locations and return to these spots during the winter months when food is scarce.
They can find food literally from anywhere!
Squirrels have an eye for detail. What else will define their ability to find food from even beneath a foot of snow! They can basically catch the smell of food quite easily. During winters, this helps them a lot as they smell food from beneath the snow to and can quickly dig a tunnel under the snow, following their smell to find their food.
They are quite intelligent or rather, manipulative
Squirrels play clever tricks to keep their food safe when storing or hiding it. To avoid other squirrels and other animals from finding their stock, they tend to create some bogus burrows. That way, they divert the attention of the onlookers and then store their stock safely, away from the eyes of their potential thieves.
But, they still end up losing about 25% of it!
Though the squirrels have an intelligent mind to hide their stock of food, they still end up losing about 25% of their reserves mostly to their own species. Sometimes, even birds steal their food.
Squirrels don’t mind some weight gain to keep warm
To beat the chilly winters, squirrels bulk up a little. This strategy helps them stay warm as well as prevents frequent bouts of hunger so they don’t have to move around a lot when it is too cold in search of their food.
Squirrels can contribute to the environment too
Squirrels have several hideouts for their food but they don’t end up opening them all up. This means, several burrows with hidden food result in trees. Now, don’t you want to appreciate this little rodent more?
Did you know there are even the flying varieties of squirrels?
The flying squirrel, as the name suggest can fly. Well, in reality, they glide. They have a membrane that stretches from their wrists to their ankles. This allows them to glide like us humans can by using a parachute.
Squirrels go erratic to escape
Yes, they run in erratic, zigzag patterns when they are being followed by predators. This strategy is particularly helpful to them to escape from hawks.
They are a recognized symbol too
Squirrels are used as a Native American symbol for preparation, trust and thriftiness.
Squirrels are intriguing little creatures. The more you know about them, the more you will find them fascinating. Don’t you want to head out right now to the nearby park and observe a little squirrel gnawing on its treasure? We bet, you do!
