squirrel

 

name for small or medium-sized rodents of the family Sciuridae, found throughout the world except in Australia, Madagascar, and the polar regions; it is applied especially to the tree-living species. Tree squirrels range from the size of a mouse to the size of a house cat and vary greatly in color; some Asian tree squirrels are brilliantly patterned. In addition to the tree squirrels, the family includes the ground squirrel, chipmunk, marmot, woodchuck, prairie dog, and flying squirrel.

Tree Squirrel Characteristics and Behavior

The so-called typical tree squirrels are members of the genus Sciurus, with about 40 species distributed throughout forested regions of Eurasia and the Americas. These are day-active animals with slender bodies, sleek, thick fur, and bushy tails. Their coats are black, gray, brown, or reddish above and light-colored below. Light, swift, and agile, tree squirrels leap from branch to branch and scurry up and down trees using their sharp claws to dig into the trunk; they always descend head first. The tail is used as a rudder when the animal leaps and as a parachute when it drops. They have excellent sight, including good color vision. The handlike forepaws are used for holding food. Tree squirrels make nests in holes in trees or on branches. They spend much time on the ground, foraging for fruit, nuts, and insects; they also sometimes eat eggs, young birds, and smaller mammals. Members of many species store food for the winter in holes or buried in the ground; they locate these stores by means of smell. They do not hibernate.

Types of Tree Squirrels

Sciurus species include the Eurasian red squirrel, S. vulgaris, and the North American gray squirrels, fox squirrel, and tufted-eared squirrels. Gray squirrels have tails about as long as the combined head and body length. The eastern gray squirrel, S. carolinensis, common in the eastern half of the United States and extreme southern Canada, is up to 20 in. (51 cm) in total length, 5 in. (13 cm) high at the shoulder, and weighs 1 to 1¹/₂ lb (450–700 grams). It has been introduced in Europe. The western gray squirrel, S. griseus, of the U.S. West Coast, is slightly larger. The fox squirrel, S. niger, is the largest North American squirrel, reaching 29 in. (74 cm) in total length; its head is somewhat square. It displays great variation in its fur color but is commonly light brown. It is found in the eastern half of the United States, excluding the extreme northeast. Although its numbers have been greatly diminished by hunting and clearing, it is still common in some areas. It has also been introduced in city parks in western states. The tufted-eared squirrels, also called tassel-eared, or Abert, squirrels, are very distinctive, with tall plumes of hair on their ears. They inhabit yellow pine forests of the Colorado Plateau. One variety, the Kaibab squirrel, is found only on the northern rim of the Grand Canyon. North American red squirrels, also known as pine squirrels and chickarees, are species of the genus Tamiasciurus. They are small and noisy, about 12 in. (30 cm) long and 3¹/₂ in. (9 cm) high, weighing 5 to 10 oz (140–280 grams). They are found in the pine forests of Alaska, Canada, and the N and W United States. Other genera of arboreal squirrels are found mostly in Africa, S and SE Asia, and Central and South America.

Classification

Squirrels are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Rodentia, family Sciuridae.

Bibliography

See D. MacClintock, Squirrels of North America (1970).

Squirrel
Eastern Gray Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae
Genera
Many, see the article Sciuridae.

A squirrel is a small or medium-sized rodent of the family Sciuridae. In the English-speaking world, it commonly refers to members of this family's genera Sciurus and Tamiasciurus, which are tree squirrels that have large bushy tails, and are indigenous to Europe (but not Ireland), Asia and the Americas. Similar genera are found in Africa. The Sciuridae family also include flying squirrels, as well as ground squirrels such as the chipmunks, prairie dogs, and woodchucks. Members of the family Anomaluridae are sometimes misleadingly referred to as "scaly-tailed flying squirrels" although they are not closely related to the true squirrels.

Etymology

The word squirrel, first attested in 1327, comes from the Old French ésqurial, which itself comes from the Vulgar Latin word scuriolus (squirrel), a variant of the Latin sciurus. Sciurus comes from the Greek word skiouros, a compound of skia (σκιά; "shadow") and oura (ούρά; "tail"). Skiouros might be liberally translated as "That which makes a shade with its tail",^[1] or "That which sits in the shadow of its tail".^[2] The verb form (meaning "to hide or store") is first recorded in 1939.^[1]

Background

Common squirrels include the Fox Squirrel (S. niger); the Western Grey Squirrel (S. griseus); the Douglas Squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii); the American Red Squirrel T. hudsonicus; and the Eastern Grey Squirrel (S. carolinensis), of which the "Black Squirrel" is a variant.

Unlike rabbits or deer, squirrels cannot digest cellulose and must rely on foods rich in protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Early spring is the hardest time of year for squirrels, since buried nuts begin to sprout and are no longer available for the squirrel to eat, as well as new food sources have not become available yet. During these times squirrels rely heavily on the buds of trees, in particular, those of the Silver Maple. Squirrels are omnivores; they eat a wide variety of plant food, including nuts, seeds, conifer cones, fruits, fungi, and green vegetation, and they also eat insects, insect larvae, eggs, and even small birds, smaller mammals, frogs, and carrion. In tropical areas, these foods often replace nuts.

Ground and tree squirrels are typically diurnal, while flying squirrels tend to be nocturnal -- except for lactating flying squirrels and their offspring, who have a period of diurnality during the summer.^[3]

Predatory behavior by various species of ground squirrels, particularly the thirteen-lined ground squirrel,^[4] has been noted. Bailey (1923),^[5] for example, observed a thirteen-lined ground squirrel preying upon a young chicken. Wistrand (1972)^[6] reported seeing this same species eating a freshly-killed snake. Whitaker (1972)^[7] examined the stomachs of 139 thirteen-lined ground squirrels, and found bird flesh in four the specimens and the remains of a short-tailed shrew in one; Bradley (1968), examining white-tailed antelope squirrels' stomachs, found at least 10% of his 609 specimens' stomachs contained some type of vertebrate — mostly lizards and rodents.^[8] Morgart (1985) observed a white-tailed antelope squirrel capturing and eating a silky pocket mouse.^[9]

Relationship with humans

Squirrels are generally clever and persistent animals. In residential neighborhoods they are notorious for eating out of bird feeders, digging in potted plants either to bury or recover seeds, and for inhabiting sheltered areas including attics. While many companies sell bird feeders which are supposedly "squirrel-proof", very few of them really are. Although expert climbers, and primarily arboreal, squirrels also thrive in urban environments that are largely free of trees.

Squirrels are sometimes considered pests because of their propensity to chew on various edible and inedible objects. This characteristic trait aids in maintaining sharp teeth, and because their teeth grow continuously, prevents over-growth. Homeowners in areas with a heavy squirrel population must keep attics and basements carefully sealed to prevent property damage caused by nesting squirrels. (A squirrel nest is known as a "drey", especially in Britain.) Some homeowners resort to more interesting ways of dealing with this problem, such as collecting and planting fur from pets (such as domestic cats and dogs) in attics. This fur will indicate to nesting squirrels that a potential predator roams and will encourage evacuation. Fake owls and scarecrows are generally ignored by the animals, and the best way to prevent chewing on an object is to coat it with something to make it undesirable: for instance a soft cloth or chili pepper paste or powder. Squirrel trapping is also practiced to remove them from residential areas.

Squirrels can be trained to be hand-fed. Because they are able to cache surplus food, they will take as much food as is available. Squirrels living in parks and campuses in cities have learned that humans are typically a ready source of food. Hand feeding is not recommended, however, because squirrels may carry plague or other animal-borne diseases. Even if they do not carry disease, they often have a hard time telling fingertips from food, and bites are painful. Although rare, squirrels are sometimes kept as household pets, provided they are selected young enough and are hand raised in a proper fashion. they can be taught to do tricks, and are said to be as intelligent as do squirrel healthy and happy. As a pet, the owner must be aware of "spring fever" at which time a female pet squirrel will become very defensive of her cage, thinking of it as her "drey" and will become somewhat aggressive to defend the area. Pet squirrels, like other pets of intelligence like cats and dogs, can be trained to recognize words and simple short phrases, such as "treat" and "home" and will even recognize their name readily, given enough reinforcement of it.

Squirrels are often the cause of electricity outages. The animals will enter transformers or capacitors looking for food. The squirrels are then electrocuted and cause a short circuit that shuts down equipment. Squirrels have brought down the high-tech NASDAQ stock market twice and were responsible for a spate of power outages at the University of Alabama [1]. They will often chew on tree branches to sharpen their teeth but cannot tell the difference between a tree branch and a live power line. Rubber plates (squirrel guards) are sometimes used to prevent access to these facilities.

Squirrels were responsible for 177 power outages in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1980, which represented 24% of all outages. Estimated annual costs were $23,364 for repairs, public relations, and lost revenue. In Omaha, in 1985, squirrels caused 332 outages costing at least $47,144. After squirrel guards were installed over pole-mounted transformers in Lincoln in 1985, annual costs were reduced 78% to $5,148. [2]

Urban squirrels have learned to get a great deal of food from over-generous humans. One of the more common and inexpensive foods fed to squirrels is peanuts. Recent studies however have shown that raw peanuts contain a trypsin inhibitor that prevents the absorption of protein in the intestine. Dr. James K. Kieswetter of Eastern Washington University suggests using roasted peanuts instead.[3] However, wildlife rehabilitators in the field have noted that neither raw and roasted peanuts or sunflower seeds are good for squirrels, since they are deficient in several nutrients needed. This type of deficiency has been found to cause Metabolic Bone Disease, a somewhat common ailment found in malnourished squirrels.[4] [5]

Popular culture

Despite periodic complaints about the animal as a pest, general public opinion towards the animal is favorable, thanks to its agreeable appearance, intelligence and its eating styles and habits. Squirrels are arguably the most successful wild urban animal species. Squirrels are popular characters in cartoons and children's books, such as the works of Beatrix Potter, Redwall, the squirrel Pattertwig in C.S. Lewis's book Prince Caspian, the Starwife and her subjects from Robin Jarvis's Deptford novels, Scrat from Ice Age, Slappy Squirrel of Animaniacs, Sandy Cheeks from Spongebob Squarepants, Hammy from Over The Hedge, Benny in The Wild, Rodney from Squirrel Boy, and Rocky, Bullwinkle's partner in adventures.

Albino squirrels are thought by some to be a source of good luck. The Albino Squirrel Preservation Society was founded at the University of Texas at Austin in 2001, and its sister chapter at University of North Texas petitioned for an election to name their albino squirrel as the university's secondary mascot (the election narrowly failed).^[10].

Olney, Illinois, is home of the world's largest known albino-squirrel colony. Kenton, Tennessee, is home to about 200 albino squirrels. Brevard, North Carolina and Marionville, Missouri have a substantial population of white (not albino) squirrels. Western Kentucky University has a locally famous population of white squirrels. Exeter, Ontario in Canada is known for having non-albino white squirrels, believed to be the result of a genetic mutation in the early 20th century. White squirrels are also commonly seen in Dayton, Ohio and at the main campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

An electric type Pokémon called Pachirisu was also made, being based on a squirrel.

See also

• Squirrel fishing
• Twiggy the Water-Skiing Squirrel

References

External links

• Big Collection of The Squirrels Photo. Many photos of squirrels different kinds
• The Lucky White Squirrels of Exter, Ontario
• The Lucky White Squirrel Coin
• The Friendly Black Squirrels of London, Ontario Canada
• The Scholarly Squirrel
• Squirrel in Nature
• Russian squirrel pack 'kills dog' - BBC Newsnrm:Jaqùet

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