Amazing Information About Squirrel

Squirrels are special animals, for reasons more than plenty. For one, it hasn’t changed much in over 50 million years of its existence; its usual chirpy and hyper-energetic sense still prevails, catching attention of many. Kids just love them! Two, even the greats in human history, like Aristotle, took this bubbly little creature into account and mentioned it as “he who sits in the shadow of his tail.” Skiouros, is the word in Greek from which the phrase was derived and also its present popular name – Squirrel. And three, well it is just so damn cute, trotting playfully alongside us on the streets and parks, isn’t it. That’s not the end of its description though. Other reasons, more interesting facts about squirrel, are to be found in the section below which we have put together for your interest and knowledge. Have a read!

Facts About Squirrel

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Sciuromorpha
Family: Sciuridae
Genera: Sciurus and Tamiasciurus
Species: 365
Size: 5 to 36 inches
Weight: 14 g to 2 kg
Life Span: 2 to 8 years
Diet: Omnivores: birdseed, spring bulbs, tree buds, frogs, small birds, eggs, insects, insect larva, fruits, conifer cones, small children that throw sticks at them, and nuts.
Range: Asia, Europe, America and Africa
Habitat: Woodlands and dense forests
Age of Sexual Maturity: varies in different squirrels
Gestation Period: average 33 days (small)/ average 60 days (big)
Number Of Offspring: 2 to 4

Interesting & Fun Facts About Squirrel

• There are about 365 species of squirrels, divided into 7 families and include squirrel like animals like gopher, groundhog, and prairie dog.
• Squirrel has long muscular hind legs and short front legs, which work together and help a squirrel jump a great distance (up to 20 feet) for its size.
• Squirrels have double joint hind legs which helps them to run quickly up and down the trees.
• The mating season for squirrels begins in winter season. At this time, they are most active. During this season, the male squirrels chase off other males and follow the females. A fascinating act to see!
• Squirrels have highly developed sense of smell. A male squirrel can smell a female squirrel from a mile of distance.
• Squirrels can fall from up to 100 feet and still not injure themselves. It’s because they have padded feet and sometimes use their fluffy tail as a parachute to balance themselves.
• A squirrel baby weighs only an ounce at the time of birth, and is only one inch long. At the time of their birth they do not have hair or teeth.
• The squirrels are born blind and cannot see for six to eight weeks. Till then they are fully dependant on their mother.
• Some squirrels have a wider area of vision as compared to some other rodents. It’s because their eyes are located high on each side of their heads.
• The male grey squirrel takes twice the time for grooming when compared to female squirrel. It is therefore the cleanest animal in the rodent family.
• The majority of squirrels mate twice a year and the female squirrel never mates with the same male again.
• A squirrel will stand on its hind legs when it senses danger.
• For their size, squirrels are very fast; they can run up to 20 miles per hour. Some bulkier species of squirrels are not that fast though.
• Squirrels communicate through their distinctive chirps.
• The tiniest squirrel, aptly named African pygmy squirrel, is only 2.5 inches long from nose to tail.
• As is the case with other rodents; the growth of a squirrel’s four front teeth never stops. As a result, its teeth don’t wear down from constant gnawing.
• A squirrel eats almost the size of its own body in a week’s time.
• A squirrel stores food in the ground for winters and looks for them when it needs it the most. Its memory increases by 15 percent during the fall.
• There are different colours of squirrels – black, red, white, grey and brown. Black and grey are the friendliest squirrels to the humans.
• Black squirrels stay warmer when compared to other coloured squirrels as the black colour absorbs more radiation from the sun.
• The flying squirrel does not literally fly, but it can glide from one tree to another with its flapped wings up to 90 metres. Its night vision is also well adjusted to see in the dark.
• A fossil record from North America takes the existence of gray squirrel back by 50 million years. The species are often called “living fossils” for they have not changed much since then.
• An adult squirrel would live alone except in severe cold, when it has to share a nest with other squirrels. Their collective body heat is what keeps them alive till the end of winters.