The Squirrel Is Hard Working and Organized
Most people are aware of squirrels as they have adapted to urban and suburban areas where they are regarded favorably more or less. Tree squirrels have slender, lanky bodies, long, muscular limbs, and furred feet. The forefeet have four long digits plus a short, stubby thumb, and the five-toed hind feet are narrow or moderately wide. Because the ankle joints are flexible and can be rotated, squirrels can rapidly descend trees headfirst with the hind feet splayed flat against the trunk. Their large, bright eyes convey an alert demeanor, and the broad, short head tapers to a blunt muzzle adorned with long whiskers. The rounded ears are densely covered with short, fine hairs. The tail is about as long as their head and body. Their claws are large, strong, curved, and very sharp, which enables tree squirrels to navigate vertical surfaces and slim branches.
Their color is very variable. Some species are plain, covered in one or two solid shades of brown or gray. A few species are striped along the sides and back; sometimes the head is also striped. Tropical species exhibit combinations of white, gray, yellow, orange, red, maroon, brown, and black, yielding a variety of complex coat patterns. All tree squirrels are diurnal and arboreal, but the range of vertical activity in species differs widely.Most tree squirrels have strong chisel-like incisors and powerful jaws, which are required for gnawing open the hard nuts that, along with fruits, are a primary component of their diet. They also eat seeds, leaves, buds, flowers, fungi, insects, and other arthropods.
Food storage is serious business for squirrels. They don’t bury their nuts randomly. They’re organized and carry out a plan. Although they sometimes abandon or forget their stash, they usually know where they keep their nuts for the winter. Nests are constructed among branches in the forest canopy or at lower levels in tree crowns, vine tangles, tree hollows, or undergrowth near the ground. Some species of tropical tree squirrels produce several litters per year; breeding season in the Northern Hemisphere may extend from December to September and may result in one or two litters that average three to seven young. Since they don’t migrate, squirrels are good examples of how to prepare for winter.
