Squirrel Facts

Most people are familiar with squirrels. These bushy-tailed acrobats can often be seen right in your own backyard. So you’ll want to know some of these amazing squirrel facts!

The Largest Squirrel Species In The World Is The Malabar Giant Squirrel

This species is also known as the Indian giant squirrel because of its enormous size and the fact that it’s native to India. The head and body of this species typically total around fourteen inches in length while the tail by itself reaches about two feet long. At around three feet in total length, it is one big squirrel.

Tree Squirrels Are A Widespread And Adaptable Bunch

There are actually over one hundred different species of tree squirrels and they live on all continents in the world except for Antarctica. Because they are so adaptable it has allowed them to live and thrive in suburban and even urban areas around the globe.

Squirrels Help Maintain Tree Populations

While squirrels hide their acorns by burying them in the ground they don’t always recover all of them. With so many buried meals, they often forget where each and every acorn is hidden. These unrecovered acorns typically germinate and grow into trees all thanks to the squirrels.

Squirrel Is On The Menu For Many Predators

Both young and adult squirrels are eaten by a range of predators. Coyotes, eagles, hawks, falcons, raccoons, snakes, bobcats, crows, foxes, owls, skunks, and humans along with many other predators, all consume squirrels.

Squirrels Use Their Tail As A Parachute

The bushy tail of a squirrel has many uses. It helps the squirrel to maintain its balance and when wrapped around the body it can protect against the weather. The squirrel tail even functions similar to a parachute. When a squirrel takes a tumble from high up, the tail can help to ease the fall and prevent injury. (Even from heights of up to a hundred feet!)

Squirrels Use Multiple Strategies For Escaping Danger

When running away from predators they will often run in a zigzag pattern making it much harder to grab them. Other times squirrels may simply freeze or escape up a tree. When in a tree they will stick close to the trunk and circle it always keeping part of the tree between them and the threat.

A Healthy Adult Eastern Gray Squirrel Generally Requires Around One Pound Of Food Each Week

While one pound may not sound like a lot, it means they need to eat around the same as their body weight in food per week. That being said it’s no wonder they often decide to fill up on food by stealing from backyard bird feeders.

All Squirrel Species Can Be Categorized Into One Of Three Groups

These categories are tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and flying squirrels. Tree squirrels make their home in trees and include many of the most common squirrel species. Ground squirrels live on or in the ground. And flying squirrels, while they live in trees, have the ability to glide (not fly) using flaps of skin attached to their limbs.  

The Ancestors Of Many Urban Squirrels In The United States Were Released There

In the past squirrels were not common in cities. In the late nineteenth century however eastern gray squirrels, along with birds such as starlings and sparrows were introduced into places such as New York’s Central Park among many others.

Squirrels Are Actually Rodents

This is one of those squirrel facts many people don’t realize. As rodents, squirrels have teeth that never stop growing. Their four front teeth grow at a rate of around six inches per year. While this helps to make sure their teeth don’t get worn down, it also means they constantly have to gnaw on things like acorns to keep them from getting too long.

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