Squirrels are rodents of the family Sciuridae. Many are bushy-tailed tree-dwellers, but some are ground dwellers.
The word "squirrel", first attested in 1327, comes from the Anglo-Norman esquirel derived from the Ancient Greek word skiouros. This Greek word means shadow-tailed, referring to the bushy appendage possessed by many of its members.
Originally squirrels only lived in forests, staying away from people. In the 19th century, Americans filled their parks with squirrels for entertainment purposes, the first being Franklin Square in Philadelphia in 1847.
The American grey squirrel was introduced to Britain in 1876.
By 1940, the American grey squirrel had wiped out red squirrels, Britain's only native species, in London and the Home Counties. Without conservation it is estimated the species could be completely extirpated from Britain by 2030.
During the Second World War, the UK Ministry For Food released a recipe for squirrel tail soup.
Tommy Tucker was a male grey squirrel who became famous in the 1940s. He toured the United States wearing women's apparel during the Second World War entertaining children, visiting hospitals and supporting the war effort by selling war bonds.
The Iranian army arrested 14 squirrels for spying near a nuclear enrichment plant in 2007. Officials said they succeeded in apprehending the animals "before they were able to take any action."
A bridge built in 2012 especially for squirrels to be able to cross a busy motorway in the Netherlands cost €150,000 (£120,000) to construct. It was used just five times in the first two years following its construction.
Until a decision in March 2014 to remove the law from the statute book, it was a criminal offence in the UK not to report grey squirrels spotted on your land.
Squirrels are generally small animals. However, the red-and-white giant flying squirrel of China can grow up to three feet long.
Flying squirrels cannot really fly but can spread flaps of skin between their limbs to become effective gliders over distances up to 300 feet.
The African pygmy squirrel is the smallest squirrel at 7–10 cm (2.8–3.9 in) in length and just 10 g (0.35 oz) in weight.
The four front teeth of a squirrel grow continuously at a rate of about six inches a year.
Red squirrels have double-jointed ankles to help them climb.
Squirrels' brains grow in size during the fall to help them remember where they bury their nuts. Their brains are smaller the rest of the year.
Squirrels don't see in color.
Grey squirrels aren't as aggressive to reds - but they do out-compete them for food.
Squirrels behave kindly and would adopt orphans if they notice that a relative does not come back to them.
Research in 2007 showed that the personalities of mother squirrels can affect survival rates of their offspring.
Squirrels can purr.
Squirrels are one of very few mammals that can descend a tree head-first.
Grey squirrels bury about 3,000 nuts each winter. They do not recover all of the nuts that they buried, finding only 26% of them.
Grey squirrels dig "false" holes and "pretend" to put nuts in them, to deceive a potential thief.
A study in 2010 showed that some squirrels protect themselves from rattlesnakes by spreading chewed-up rattlesnake skin on their fur.
There are more than 250 species of squirrels worldwide which are native to every continent except Antarctica and Australia.
The American Grey Squirrel was introduced to Australia in 1788 and the Northern Palm Squirrel in 1905.
Red squirrels live as far east as China and up to the Arctic Circle.
Squirrels live in dreys.
Squirrels live to be about nine years old.
The "vampire squirrel" (pictured) of Borneo, which is reputed to eat the livers and hearts of chickens and deer, has the largest-known tail-to-body-size ratio of any mammal.
The English word ‘squirrel' is particularly difficult for Germans to pronounce.
Instead of using computer animated graphics, director Tim Burton had 40 squirrels trained to crack nuts for the 2005 movie Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. Some of them were hand-reared and required bottled milk on set.
A group of squirrels is a “scurry” or “dray.”
The American naturalist John Hoke (1925-2011) once designed an electric generator powered by squirrels on treadmills.
Source Daily Express
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| Pixiebay |
SQUIRRELS IN HISTORY
The word "squirrel", first attested in 1327, comes from the Anglo-Norman esquirel derived from the Ancient Greek word skiouros. This Greek word means shadow-tailed, referring to the bushy appendage possessed by many of its members.
Originally squirrels only lived in forests, staying away from people. In the 19th century, Americans filled their parks with squirrels for entertainment purposes, the first being Franklin Square in Philadelphia in 1847.
The American grey squirrel was introduced to Britain in 1876.
By 1940, the American grey squirrel had wiped out red squirrels, Britain's only native species, in London and the Home Counties. Without conservation it is estimated the species could be completely extirpated from Britain by 2030.
During the Second World War, the UK Ministry For Food released a recipe for squirrel tail soup.
Tommy Tucker was a male grey squirrel who became famous in the 1940s. He toured the United States wearing women's apparel during the Second World War entertaining children, visiting hospitals and supporting the war effort by selling war bonds.
 |
| Tommy Tucker |
The Iranian army arrested 14 squirrels for spying near a nuclear enrichment plant in 2007. Officials said they succeeded in apprehending the animals "before they were able to take any action."
A bridge built in 2012 especially for squirrels to be able to cross a busy motorway in the Netherlands cost €150,000 (£120,000) to construct. It was used just five times in the first two years following its construction.
Until a decision in March 2014 to remove the law from the statute book, it was a criminal offence in the UK not to report grey squirrels spotted on your land.
ANATOMY
Squirrels are generally small animals. However, the red-and-white giant flying squirrel of China can grow up to three feet long.
Flying squirrels cannot really fly but can spread flaps of skin between their limbs to become effective gliders over distances up to 300 feet.
 |
| A flying squirrel gliding. By Angie spuc |
The African pygmy squirrel is the smallest squirrel at 7–10 cm (2.8–3.9 in) in length and just 10 g (0.35 oz) in weight.
The four front teeth of a squirrel grow continuously at a rate of about six inches a year.
Red squirrels have double-jointed ankles to help them climb.
Squirrels' brains grow in size during the fall to help them remember where they bury their nuts. Their brains are smaller the rest of the year.
Squirrels don't see in color.
BEHAVIOR
Grey squirrels aren't as aggressive to reds - but they do out-compete them for food.
Squirrels behave kindly and would adopt orphans if they notice that a relative does not come back to them.
Research in 2007 showed that the personalities of mother squirrels can affect survival rates of their offspring.
Squirrels can purr.
Squirrels are one of very few mammals that can descend a tree head-first.
Grey squirrels bury about 3,000 nuts each winter. They do not recover all of the nuts that they buried, finding only 26% of them.
 |
| Pixiebay |
Grey squirrels dig "false" holes and "pretend" to put nuts in them, to deceive a potential thief.
A study in 2010 showed that some squirrels protect themselves from rattlesnakes by spreading chewed-up rattlesnake skin on their fur.
HABITAT
There are more than 250 species of squirrels worldwide which are native to every continent except Antarctica and Australia.
The American Grey Squirrel was introduced to Australia in 1788 and the Northern Palm Squirrel in 1905.
Red squirrels live as far east as China and up to the Arctic Circle.
Squirrels live in dreys.
Squirrels live to be about nine years old.
FUN SQUIRREL FACTS
The "vampire squirrel" (pictured) of Borneo, which is reputed to eat the livers and hearts of chickens and deer, has the largest-known tail-to-body-size ratio of any mammal.
The English word ‘squirrel' is particularly difficult for Germans to pronounce.
Instead of using computer animated graphics, director Tim Burton had 40 squirrels trained to crack nuts for the 2005 movie Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. Some of them were hand-reared and required bottled milk on set.
A group of squirrels is a “scurry” or “dray.”
The American naturalist John Hoke (1925-2011) once designed an electric generator powered by squirrels on treadmills.
Source Daily Express
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