Ten interesting facts about protein. Squirrel is a fluffy forest game. What type of food does squirrel belong to?

This funny animal often delights us with its appearance in city parks or forests. Sometimes the behavior of the squirrel seems amusing and funny, especially “begging” for something tasty, and sometimes it seems a little impudent. Well, that's her nature.

The squirrel is one of the most common representatives of the squirrel family. Even in ancient times, it was the main object of the fur trade, of course, after the arctic fox. And its skins served as the main small change - the Bela. That's where it went from here modern name this animal.

The common squirrel has about 40 subspecies, the main difference between which is color. This furry animal lives on a vast territory stretching from the Atlantic coast to Kamchatka, Sakhalin Island and the Japanese island of Hokkaido. You can meet him in any mixed forests.

Habitat of the common squirrel

A squirrel's life is fraught with a lot interesting facts, which we are not even aware of. And here are some of them.

1. Squirrel fur

For us, the most familiar image is the red squirrel. But these are not all of its color options. The color depends on the time of year. In summer they are mostly red or brown, and in winter they are gray or dark brown. But the abdomen remains light regardless of the season.

But among them there are also pure black, piebald (with light spots) and even albino squirrels. One pattern is observed in their coloring - the closer to the center of their habitat, the lighter the fur.

Twice a year the squirrel changes its coat. First in the spring - in April-May, and then in the autumn - from September to November. Spring molting begins from the head and body, and autumn molting begins from the tail. How quickly it will pass, and how beautiful the new fur will be, will depend on the amount of food supplies and weather conditions.

Black squirrel

2. Lifestyle

Alfred Bram nicknamed the squirrel the “northern monkey” for its agility and dexterity. She easily jumps from tree to tree. A distance of 3-4 meters is not a serious obstacle for her. On the ground they move in small leaps. If the squirrel senses danger, it immediately climbs the nearest tree.

Movement on the ground
During the jump

3. Squirrel nests

The squirrel and the forest are two inseparable things. It spends most of its life in trees, with the exception of migration and the breeding season. Here the animal makes spherical nests from twigs, which are called gayna. Or, thanks to his fighting and cocky character, he wins some hollow or nest, or takes an empty one.

Squirrel's nest - Gaina

The inside of the nest is insulated with leaves, moss, dry grass or woody lichen. If necessary, correct where necessary, patch it up and add a roof. In winter, from 3 to 6 squirrels can sleep in one nest, warming each other and plugging the entrance with moss. Therefore, during winter frosts, the temperature in the nest reaches 15-20 degrees. In severe cold, squirrels do not crawl out of their “bedroom”.

In the hollow
Female with baby squirrel

The squirrel's nest has 2 exits: the main one and a spare one, which is directed towards the trunk, so that in case of danger you can quickly slip out and run away from the enemy.

3. Squirrel migration

At the end of summer - beginning of autumn, squirrels begin their migration period. At this time, the proteins do not form large clusters, but travel alone. The most common causes of this phenomenon are lack of food, forest fires or drought.

Squirrels can migrate both short (to the nearest forest) and long distances (up to 100-300 km). At this time, the animals are ready to do anything, even swim across small rivers and bays. Sometimes their path passes through populated areas. Unfortunately, many animals during migrations die from hunger, cold, attacks by predators, or simply drown.

4. Food

The main food for squirrels are seeds of coniferous trees: pine, larch, spruce, fir and others. The squirrel guts their cones professionally. In 3 minutes it will leave only a pile of scales from a small pine cone. At this rate, 1 small squirrel can empty 15 spruce trees and about 100 pine cones per day.

Pickled pine cone

In addition to them, the squirrel enjoys eating hazelnuts, acorns, berries, shoots and buds of trees, mushrooms, rhizomes, tubers, and lichens. In times of hunger or during breeding periods, it will not disdain insects and their larvae, as well as chicks, eggs and small vertebrates. In general, squirrels are omnivores.

5. Inventories

They store small excess food in reserve for the winter. Squirrels build warehouses in hollows or bury food in the ground between roots, after which they calmly forget about it and can no longer remember it. This is the nature of their memory. She finds them by accident, which makes her very happy.

The squirrel's short memory is happily used by other animals - birds and small rodents, and the squirrel itself sometimes eats the reserves of mice and chipmunks, which it easily finds even under a thick layer of snow.

6. Reproduction

During the breeding season, males become quite aggressive towards each other and often start fights. Up to 6 males can chase one female at a time.

After mating, the squirrel goes to build a brood nest. One litter contains from 3 to 10 cubs, of which only 1-4 survive. They are born weighing only 8 grams, completely naked and blind. After 2 weeks they begin to become covered with hair, after 1 month they begin to see clearly and are already getting out of the nest. Up to 1.5 months, the mother feeds them with milk. After 8-10 weeks they already leave their parental home. The interval between litters is about 13 weeks.

Two week old baby squirrel

7. Enemies of squirrels

IN natural environment In their habitat, squirrels live no more than 4 years, while in zoos they live up to 10-12 years. What are the reasons for such a large age difference? Firstly, the forest expanses are home to many wild animals who will happily feast on these beautiful creatures.

The most dangerous enemy for a squirrel is the pine marten, and not the eagle owl or owl. You can still escape from the bird if you notice its approach in time. Moreover, the rescue tactics are quite unusual: in the event of an attack, the squirrel begins to run down the tree in a spiral, periodically hiding from the bird’s eyes behind the trunk. As a result, the eagle owl must fly around the tree, thereby losing valuable time.

Images of squirrels can be seen both on the coats of arms of Zelenograd, Yakutsk and the German city of Eckernförde, and on the Belarusian currency - a 1992 50-kopeck banknote. I won’t say anything about the numerous stamps with her image.

Caucasian squirrel

It has a great resemblance to the common squirrel. The only difference between them is short ears without tassels at the tips, which the first species has. If we compare their fur, then the Caucasian squirrel’s fur coat is shorter and coarser, making the body of this animal seem more slender.

The size of the Caucasian squirrel does not exceed 26 centimeters, and the length of the tail is between 17-19 centimeters.

This type of squirrel has a stable fur color that does not change either in summer or in winter. winter time. The back of the animal is brownish-gray, and the belly of the Caucasian squirrel is yellowish-orange. The front of her head up to eye level is reddish-brown or reddish in color, but the back of her head is several tones darker.

The sides of this squirrel's face, as well as the sides of the neck and cheeks, have a light reddish tint. The Caucasian squirrel's throat is different in color from its neck; it is lighter. The tail of the animal is dark red on the sides and top, but the bottom and middle part of the tail is yellowish-gray. The tip of the tail is decorated with long blackish-brown hair.

Lives this type squirrels in the forest zones of Transcaucasia. The same subspecies and those close to it are found in Syria, Asia Minor and some regions of Iran.

For living, she prefers beech forests and tries to avoid coniferous plantations. Just like an ordinary squirrel, the Caucasian squirrel leads a diurnal lifestyle. This is a fairly lively animal that is capable of moving along tree trunks or jumping from branch to branch throughout the day.

The diet of this animal consists of nuts, seeds and seeds of various bush and tree fruits, but beech nuts became the basis of the Caucasian squirrel's diet. Fleshy fruits, such as ripe apricots and many others of this type, are not attractive to the squirrel; tearing off the pulp, the animal deftly extracts only the contents of the pit. In addition, the Caucasian squirrel can feast on chicks and bird eggs, as well as insects.

The Caucasian squirrel, like many other species, makes provisions for the winter. She stocks up on nuts and seeds. This animal does not build external nests, but prefers to be content with the hollows of deciduous trees (chestnut, walnut, linden, elm, maple, etc.).

Caucasian squirrels live in pairs. Mating of these animals occurs at the end of the last month of winter and at the beginning of spring. In the month of April, the female already bears offspring in the amount of 3-7 cubs

Baby squirrel (lat. Sciurillus pusillus)

It is a South American species of squirrel, the only representative of the genus Sciurillus, the squirrel family.

Description.

The baby squirrel is the smallest species of squirrel, its body length including head is only 10 cm, and its tail reaches 11 cm in length. An adult weighs from 30 to 50 g. The coat has a grayish-gray color throughout the body; on the belly the color is paler, but not contrasting. The head is slightly reddish, with distinct white markings behind the ears, which are more rounded in shape than most other members of the squirrel family. The limbs are sharp, the front ones are longer, which allows them to climb tree trunks more dexterously.

Distribution and habitat.

The baby squirrel lives in at least four remote regions located in the northern part of South America, French Guiana, Surenama, central Brazil, northern Peru, southern Colombia. In these regions, they colonized lowland tropical forests.

Behavior.

Little squirrels are diurnal and spend the day in the forest canopy, usually about 9 m above the ground. They make nests in abandoned wood termite nests. They feed on tree bark, mainly from the genus Parkia, nuts and fruits. Their population density is low, not exceeding three individuals per square kilometer, although groups including more than one adult and juveniles have been noted in areas with local concentrations of food.

Baby squirrels move quite quickly through trees, and are very careful; in case of danger, they sound an alarm. Their flight includes one or two young squirrels; they are born in June.

Two-color squirrel (lat. Ratufa bicolor)

It is a representative of the genus of giant squirrels of the squirrel family, living in the forests of Northern Bangladesh, Eastern Nepal, Bhutan, Southern China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Western Indonesia.

Description.

The length of the body and head ranges from 35 to 58 cm, and the tail reaches 60 cm in length. The upper part of the head, ears, back and tail are dark brown to black in color, while the lower part of the body is dark yellowish.

Spreading.

The bicolor squirrel lives in a variety of bioregions, which allows representatives of this species to be found in different forests. It is found at altitudes up to 1400 m above sea level, in rather inaccessible areas. However, in recent decades, the habitat of the two-colored squirrel has been steadily developed by humans, timber harvesting and agriculture, and also under the influence of hunting, the population of this species has decreased by 30% over the past ten years. It is worth noting that in some places this species is protected by laws prohibiting hunting.

In South Asia, bicolor squirrels live in tropical and subtropical coniferous and deciduous forests. In Southeast Asia they live in tropical broadleaf evergreen forests, and are rarely found in coniferous forests. In the tropical forests of the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia, the bicolor squirrel population is not as large as in other regions. This is partly due to quite a lot of competition with other species of arboreal animals (especially primates) for food.

Behavior.

The bicolor squirrel is diurnal and lives in trees, but sometimes comes down to the ground in search of food. She rarely enters agricultural plantations or human settlements, preferring wild forest.

The diet of the bicolor squirrel consists of seeds, pine trees, fruits and leaves. They lead a solitary lifestyle, and have a litter of 1 to 2 young squirrels, which are born in a hollow or nest, often located inside a hollow space in a tree.

Common squirrel

Belongs to the squirrel family, the order of rodents and the genus of squirrels. This species of squirrel belongs to the forest inhabitants; they are perfectly adapted to life in trees in zones with cold and temperate climates.

The body length of the common squirrel ranges from 16 to 28 centimeters, and its weight is no more than one kilogram. The tail of the common squirrel can be called the main attraction - it is unusually light, long and wide. The length of the tail does not exceed thirty centimeters and is almost equal to the body of the squirrel. With the help of its tail, the squirrel is capable of performing incredible jumps that can reach up to 15 meters (from top to bottom diagonally or from tree to tree).

The coat color of this type of squirrel depends entirely on its geographical habitat, as well as the season of the year. In summer and winter, the belly of the common squirrel is white, and in autumn and spring it begins to molt.

Eating common squirrels pine nuts and cone seeds. In addition, squirrels love to feast on various mushrooms and berries, fruits and flower buds. They will not refuse beetles, butterflies and various insects that land on a tree near their home. They may visit bird nests, eat chicks or drink eggs.

IN winter period Over time, squirrels do not have problems with food, since in addition to their own reserves, they are able to find food even deep under the snow, since they have an excellent sense of smell.

The character of the common squirrel is quite cocky; it can easily win a place for itself, for example, take over a magpie’s nest. A real find for squirrels are old crow nests. She will only add to them minor changes, will add a roof and will be able to live in peace. If such an opportunity does not present itself, then the squirrel can independently weave itself an excellent house from twigs in a tree trunk at a height of 5 to 14 meters.

During the cold period, squirrels prefer to hide in hollows that have been hollowed out by woodpeckers.

The common squirrel is familiar to everyone, and when it meets a human squirrel, it can “clack” for a long time and indignantly, but not in winter, because it senses the beginning of the hunting season. During this period of time, she hides among the pine needles and can be seen very rarely.

In summer, the common squirrel is usually red, less often brown or completely black (some areas of Siberia). In winter, the squirrel changes its coat to a lighter one (brown with a grayish-silver tint).

Western gray squirrel (lat. Sciurus griseus)

It is a representative of the genus of squirrels, the squirrel family, living along the west coast of the United States and Canada. In some places this species is also known as the silver-gray squirrel.

Description.

Western gray squirrels are shy, tend to hide in trees, and alert their brethren to danger by making raucous sounds. The weight of an adult varies from 0.4 to 1 kg, and the length including tail from 45 to 60 cm. They are the largest representatives of the squirrel genus in the western United States. The fur on the back is silver-gray and the fur on the belly is white. There may be black spots on the tail. The ears are large, but without tufts. In winter, the back of the ears takes on a reddish-brown hue. The tail is long and fluffy. Western gray squirrels shed completely in the spring, and in the fall the fur does not renew only on the tail.

Behavior and diet.

The western gray squirrel is forest dweller. They mainly prefer to move through trees, although they periodically descend to the ground to search for food. They are diurnal and feed mainly on seeds and nuts, but their diet also includes berries, mushrooms and insects. Pine nuts and acorns play a large role in their nutrition, as they are rich in oils and contain a moderate amount of carbohydrates, which allows them to store fat. As a rule, they feed in the morning and late afternoon. During periods when food is plentiful, western gray squirrels make many food caches. In the winter season, squirrels are less active, but still do not hibernate. The western gray squirrel is threatened by predators such as bobcats, hawks, eagles, mountain lions, coyotes, cats, and humans.

Western gray squirrels construct their nests in trees using sticks and leaves wrapped in long, straight grass. These nests come in two types. The first, large, round, covered nests, intended for wintering, birth and raising of young animals. The second is intended for seasonal or temporary use; they are simpler and not so spacious. The nest size varies from 43 to 91 cm in diameter and is usually located in the upper third of the tree. Young or traveling squirrels sleep on tree branches, weather permitting.

Indian giant squirrel (lat. Ratufa indica)

It is a large tree squirrel from the genus of giant squirrels of the squirrel family, native to India.

Description.

The Indian giant squirrel has two colors. The upper body is dark brown and the belly and front legs are beige, tan or cream, the head may be brown or beige, and there is a distinctive white patch between the ears. The length of the body together with the head of an adult reaches 36 cm, the length of the tail is about 60 cm, and the weight is about 2 kg.

Behavior.

The Indian giant squirrel spends most of its time in trees, rarely descending to the ground. To improve their nests, they require abundantly branched wood. Moving from tree to tree, they jump over a distance of up to 6 m. When danger arises, the Indian giant squirrel often prefers to hide, clinging to a tree trunk, rather than fleeing. They represent the main threat of the day birds of prey and leopards. Indian giant squirrels are mainly active during the hours of dawn and dusk, resting during the day. They are shy, wary animals that can be quite difficult to spot. Indian giant squirrels live alone or in pairs. They build large, ball-shaped nests from twigs and leaves, placing them on thin branches where large predators cannot reach them. These nests become visible in deciduous forests after leaf fall.

Spreading.

This species is endemic to deciduous, mixed broadleaf and moist evergreen forests of the Indian subcontinent. Indian giant squirrels live in separate territories that are far from each other, thereby creating favorable conditions for speciation. Squirrels found in each individual area have their own distinctive coloring, which makes it easy to determine in which area a given squirrel lives.

Cape ground squirrel (lat. Xerus inauris)

It is one of the representatives of the genus of African ground squirrels of the squirrel family. They live in southern Africa in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.

Description.

The Kama ground squirrel has black skin covered with short, stiff hair without undercoat. The fur on the back is brown, and on the face, underbelly, neck and ventral side of the limbs it is white. White stripes stretched along the sides from shoulder to hip. The eyes are quite large and have white lines around them. The tail is flat, covered with mixed white and black hair. Males are usually 8-12% heavier than females. Males weigh from 420 to 650 grams, and females from 400 to 600. The total length varies from 42 to 48 cm. Molting occurs from August to September and from March to April.

Distribution.

Cape ground squirrels are common in southern Africa: South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. They are found throughout most of Namibia, but are not found in coastal areas and the north-west. In Botswana they are found in the central and southwestern parts of the Kalahari. In South Africa, Cape ground squirrels are common in the central and northern regions.

Lifestyle.

Cape ground squirrels primarily live in arid or semi-arid areas. They prefer to live on the Weld plateau and grasslands with hard ground. Cape ground squirrels are generally active during the day and do not hibernate. They live in burrows that occupy an average of about 700 square meters. m, and can have up to 100 inputs. Burrows serve as shelter from the scorching sun and predators. However, they spend most of the day on the surface in search of food.

Cape ground squirrels feed on bulbs, fruits, grasses, insects and shrubs. They do not store food, since food can be found throughout the year. Cape ground squirrels do not have an urgent need for a source of water, since they only need the water contained in their food.

Carolina squirrel (lat. Sciurus carolinensis) or gray squirrel

It is a representative of the genus squirrel, the squirrel family.

Description.

The Carolina squirrel has mostly gray fur, but it can have a brownish tint, and the fur on the belly is white. The tail is large and fluffy. In places where the danger from predators is not great, you can often find Carolina squirrels almost completely black in color. They are most common in southeastern Canada.

An adult Carolina squirrel has a body length with head from 23 to 30 cm, tail length from 19 to 25 cm, weight ranges from 0.4 to 0.6 kg. Like all squirrels, the Carolina squirrel has four toes on its front feet and five on its back feet.

Distribution.

The Carolina squirrel lives in the eastern and midwestern United States, as well as southeastern Canada. Its habitat overlaps with that of the fox squirrel; quite often these two species are confused. The Carolina squirrel's fecundity and adaptability have allowed it to colonize areas of the western United States. They were also introduced into Great Britain, where they spread throughout the territory.

The Carolina squirrel feeds on a range of foods, such as tree bark, buds, berries, seeds and acorns, walnuts and other nuts, as well as some types of mushrooms that grow in forests, including fly agarics. They are cold towards all types of feeders filled with seeds of millet, corn, sunflower, etc. In very rare cases, when the main food is not enough, Carolina squirrels will hunt insects, frogs, small rodents, including other squirrels, small birds, and also eat eggs and chicks.

Red squirrel (lat. Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)

It is one of the representatives of tree squirrels belonging to the genus of red squirrels of the squirrel family. They are often called pine squirrels.

Description.

Red squirrels are easily recognized from other North American tree squirrels by their small size, territorial behavior, reddish fur on their backs and white fur on their bellies. The Douglas squirrel is morphologically similar to the red squirrel, but its belly fur is reddish in color and the distribution ranges of the two species do not overlap.

Spreading.

Red squirrels are widespread throughout almost all of North America. They live in Canada and the United States located east of the Rocky Mountains. The population of red squirrels is large enough and does not cause concern about the safety of the species in any area. However, an isolated population of red squirrels in Arizona is experiencing a significant decline in population size.

Red squirrels are primarily seed eaters, but can include other foods in their diet if necessary. Observations of red squirrels suggest that white spruce seeds make up more than 50% of the diet, with the remainder of the diet including spruce buds and needles, mushrooms, willow buds, poplar catkins, bearberry flowers and berries, as well as bird eggs and even the young of other small rodents . White spruce cones ripen at the end of July, and in August and September red squirrels stock them for the winter and spring breeding season. Red squirrels also store various types of mushrooms, including those that are fatal to humans, by hanging them on tree branches and drying them in the sun.

Cream squirrel (lat. Ratufa affinis)

It is a representative of the genus of giant squirrels of the squirrel family, living in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The species is likely extinct in Singapore as recent sightings have not recorded cream squirrels in their natural habitat. Also, the presence of this species in Vietnam is considered doubtful.

Description.

The large size and colorful coloring of the cream squirrel makes this species quite conspicuous in the wild. The color of the back and head varies from dark brown to gray, and the belly from dark yellow to white. The ears are short and large. The head and body of an adult specimen reach a length of 32-35 cm, the tail is 37-44 cm, and the weight ranges from 0.9 to 1.5 kg.

Habitat.

This species is the only member of the giant squirrel genus in Borneo (in other regions the species shares habitat with the bicolored squirrel). This is one of the mammal species that lives in the vast forested part of the Belum-Temengor Nature Reserve, located on the Malay Peninsula.

The cream squirrel lives in low-mountain and secondary forests. They rarely visit agricultural plantations and settlements, preferring wild forest. Although this species spends most of its time in the upper canopy of the forest, it occasionally descends to the ground to hunt smaller rodents or to move to an adjacent tree stand.

Behavior.

The cream squirrel is most active in the morning and evening. They live in pairs or alone. In moments of anxiety, they make a loud sound that can be heard from afar.

Although cream squirrels often make a hollow in a tree for shelter during the breeding season, they still primarily live in large spherical nests nested in the branches of trees.

Their diet mainly consists of seeds, leaves, fruits, nuts, bark, insects and eggs. Proteins have a very short thumb, which he holds and controls his food while feeding.

Common flying squirrel

This is a small rodent that belongs to the squirrel family and is the only representative of the flying squirrel subfamily. This animal lives in Russia.

An ordinary flying squirrel has a body length of no more than 20 centimeters, and the tail of this animal does not exceed 18 cm. This animal differs from squirrels in that it has lateral skin folds between the hind and front legs, as well as the color of the fur - as a rule, flying squirrels are gray in color. The back of these animals ranges from gray-yellow to light gray, and the tail is gray in most cases. These animals are characterized by small ears without tassels and black big eyes.

The common flying squirrel is found in the coniferous forests of Eurasia from Mongolia to Finland. It is worth noting that this animal easily takes root in forests various types, but most often lives where there are birch, pine and larches.

The flying squirrel is active at night and at dusk. When choosing housing for itself, the animal looks closely at the hollows of old trees and chooses the appropriate option for itself. Leads wood image life and does not fall into hibernation.

The common flying squirrel is quite agile and jumping (the jump can reach a length of up to 50 m). It is worth noting that this animal is capable of changing the direction of its flight while jumping.

In food, this animal gives preference to plant foods - buds, catkins of aspen, willow, birch, and also eats leaves. The flying squirrel will not refuse berries, especially red currants and rowan, and loves pine nuts and mushrooms. In rare cases, it eats chicks and eggs, insects and even birds.

This animal does not make any special efforts when building its own nest and does not build a solid frame, but only forms a “house” of moss and lichen. As mentioned earlier, this animal can settle in a hollow and form a spherical soft nest there. Bird feathers are often used as construction material. The flying squirrel can also settle in the nests of common squirrels.

At the end of February - beginning of March, this animal begins its rut. During this time period, flying squirrels descend onto snowy areas and trample down entire paths. According to many sources, the flying squirrel has one litter in one year, while others claim that the animal can give birth to up to four cubs twice a year.

Fox squirrel (lat. Sciurus niger)

This is the largest species of the squirrel family living in North America. Despite their differences in size and color, they are often confused with the red or eastern gray squirrel in areas where they live nearby.

Description.

The total body length of the fox squirrel varies from 45 to 70 cm, the tail length from 20 to 35 cm, and the weight varies from 500 to 1000 grams. They have no sexual dimorphism in size or appearance. In the west, representatives of fox squirrels are, as a rule, smaller than their relatives living in other areas. There are three types of color depending on geographical location habitat. In most areas, the fox squirrel's coloration is as follows: The upper body ranges from brownish-gray to brownish-yellow, with a typically brownish-orange belly. In eastern regions such as the Appalachians, the fox squirrel is dark brown and black in color with white stripes on the face and tail. In the south live fox squirrels with a completely black color. For more dexterous movement through trees, they have sharp claws, and they also have well-developed muscles in the forearms and abdomen. They have well-developed vision, hearing and smell.

Distribution.

The natural range of the fox squirrel occupies the eastern United States, southern Canada, as well as central US states such as the Dakotas, Colorado, and Texas. Fox squirrels are quite versatile in their choice of habitat, and they are most often found in forest areas of about 40 hectares. They prefer forests dominated by trees such as oak, hickory, walnut and pine, the fruits of which are suitable for consumption even in winter.

The diet of fox squirrels depends quite strongly on their geographic location. In general, their diet includes foods such as tree buds, various nuts, acorns, insects, tubers, roots, bulbs, bird eggs, pine and fruit tree seeds, mushrooms, as well as agricultural crops such as corn, soybeans, oats, wheat, as well as various fruits.

Maghreb squirrel (lat. Atlantoxerus getulus)

It is the only representative of the Magrube squirrel genus of the squirrel family. It is endemic to the western part of the Sahara, Algeria and Morocco, and was also introduced to the Canary Islands. The natural habitat of the Maghreb squirrel is subtropical and tropical dry bushes, temperate grasslands and rocky areas, where they live in colonies in burrows. This species was first described by Linnaeus in 1758.

Description.

The Maghreb squirrel is a small species, with a body length ranging from 16 to 22 cm with a bushy tail that is approximately as long as the body. Weight reaches 350 grams. The body is covered with short, coarse hair. The general color is grayish-brown or reddish-brown. Several white stripes stretched along the back along the body. The belly is lighter in color and the tail has mixed long black and gray hair.

Distribution.

The Maghreb squirrel lives on the coast of Western Sahara, in Morocco and Algeria from the coast to the Atlas Mountains, and was also introduced to the island of Fuerteventura by Canary Islands in 1965. This is the only representative of the squirrel family living in Africa north of the Sahara. They live in arid rocky areas, as well as in mountainous areas at altitudes up to 4000 m.

Lifestyle.

Maghreb squirrels form colonies and live in family groups in burrows in dry grasslands, farmland and rocky areas. They require an accessible source of water, but have not been seen in irrigated fields. The feeding period, as a rule, occurs in the early morning and evening, and during the hot day they hide in minks.

Maghreb squirrel consists of plant foods, which are dominated by the fruits and seeds of the argan tree. If a colony experiences a lack of food, it may migrate. Maghreb squirrels breed twice a year, giving birth to up to four young.

Mexican prairie dog (lat. Cynomys mexicanus)

It is a diurnal burrowing rodent of the squirrel family native to Mexico. Due to pest control efforts, the Mexican prairie dog population has declined dramatically and has reached a critically endangered level. They have a lot in common with squirrels, chipmunks and marmots.

Description.

Mexican prairie dogs in mature age weigh about 1 kg and have a body length of 14 to 17 cm, with males larger than females. They are yellowish in color, with dark ears and a lighter belly.

Habitat and diet.

Mexican prairie dogs prefer the rocky soil of the plains at altitudes of 1600-2200 meters above sea level. They live in the southern part of the state of Coahuila and the northern part of the state of San Luis Potosi. The diet of Mexican prairie dogs mainly consists of grasses that grow on the plains where they live. Their diet also includes insects and, quite rarely, can eat each other. Predators that pose a threat to Mexican prairie dogs include weasels, badgers, snakes, bobcats, coyotes, eagles and hawks.

Life cycle.

Mexican prairie dogs have a mating season between January and April. After a pregnancy lasting about a month, the female gives birth to an average of 4 cubs. Females bear one litter per year. Cubs are born blind and move by touch for 40 days until their eyes open. Weaning occurs between late May and June, when the young of the year can leave the burrow. Puppies leave their mothers in early autumn. They reach sexual maturity at the age of one year. The life expectancy of Mexican prairie dogs reaches 3-5 years.

Palm squirrel (Funambulus palmarum)

It is one of the species of rodents of the squirrel family, living in India and Sri Lanka. At the end of the 19th century, the palm squirrel was introduced to Western Australia, where the population reached endangering levels. agriculture size, due to the lack of natural predators.

Description.

The palm squirrel is about the same size as a large chipmunk, with a bushy tail that is slightly shorter than its body. The back color is gray or gray-brown with three white stripes that stretch from the head to the tail. Her belly and tail are creamy white. The tail also has long hairs mixed with black and white. The ears are small and triangular in shape. Young squirrels are much lighter in color, which becomes darker over time.

Diet and behavior.

The palm squirrel mainly feeds on nuts and fruits. They feel quite good in an urban environment, are easily tamed and can be trained. Palm squirrels are quite active in defending their food sources from birds and other squirrel species. They are especially active during the mating season.

Reproduction.

The mating season takes place during autumn. The gestation period is about 34 days. The offspring are born in nests made of grass. A litter consists of two or three cubs. For 10 weeks, the female breastfeeds her offspring, and at the age of 9 months they reach sexual maturity

Black-tailed prairie dog

It is a representative of the squirrel family and belongs to the genus of prairie dogs.

In appearance, the prairie dog is similar to yellow or large ground squirrels, which were also previously classified in this genus.

The body of this animal is quite massive with short legs. The tail of the prairie dog is covered with short hair and differs from the rest in its color, which is why it got its name. The color of the fur on the sides and back is pale brown, although quite often they are also found with a rich brown color. The underside of the animal is lighter. Young black-tailed prairie dogs have a lighter color than adult animals.

The prairie dog weighs up to 1.3 kilograms, but females weigh much less than males.

You can meet this animal from southern Arizona to the states of North Dakota and Montana, as well as in Texas and New Mexico.

The animals, as a rule, settle in short-grass prairies and their settlements are not at all difficult to notice, since rather high mounds (height - 60 cm) catch the eye.

IN autumn period Over time, prairie dogs gain a lot of weight, and there is an assumption that they hibernate in winter, but at the same time, in warm winter time their activity can be seen quite often on the surface.

A curious fact that was noticed by researchers. Prairie dogs, in the amount of 32 pieces, can eat the daily ration of a sheep, and 256 pieces of such animals will feed the daily ration of a cow.

Black-tailed prairie dogs mate between February and April and their pregnancy lasts no more than 33 days (but not less than 27). Old females give birth to from 2 to 10 cubs, but young females in the first litter can bring only 2-3.

The cubs are born blind and without hair, but after 26 days, the skin of the animals begins to become covered with hair. Black-tailed prairie dog cubs open their eyes only on the 33rd - 37th day, during the same period they already begin to “bark”. When the cubs reach six weeks of age, they are able to consume green food, but at the same time they do not refuse to eat milk.

The diet of these animals is based on a variety of herbaceous plants, and in rare cases, insects.

Northern flying squirrel (lat. Glaucomys sabrinus)

It is one of two representatives of the genus of American flying squirrels, the squirrel family. Northern and southern flying squirrels are the only flying squirrels found in North America.

Description.

The northern flying squirrel is a nocturnal, arboreal rodent with thick light brown fur on its back, grayish on its sides and whitish on its belly. They have large eyes and a flat tail. They have long whiskers, which are characteristic of nocturnal mammals. An adult northern flying squirrel measures between 25 and 37 cm in length and weighs between 110 and 230 g.

Northern flying squirrels have a patagium, which is a membrane between the limbs and body, thanks to which they can glide from tree to tree. They can begin their planning either with a running start or from a stationary position by grouping and making a jump. After a jump, they open up, spreading their limbs in an "X" shape, allowing them to unfold their membranes and glide at an angle of 30 to 40 degrees. They maneuver quite well among obstacles that appear in their path. When landing, with the help of a flat tail, they sharply change the position of the body, stretching their limbs forward, thereby creating the effect of a parachute, which allows them to soften the landing. Glide distances typically range from 5 to 25 meters, although observations have recorded gliding distances of up to 45 meters. On average, the gliding distance of females is 5 meters less than that of males.

Spreading.

Northern flying squirrels live in coniferous and mixed forests throughout upper North America, from Alaska to Nova Scotia, south to the mountains of North Carolina and west to California.

The main source of food for northern flying squirrels is mushrooms (truffles) of various types, although they also feed on lichens, seeds and tree sap, insects, carrion, bird eggs and their chicks, buds and flowers. Northern flying squirrels find truffles thanks to a good sense of smell, as well as a good memory, remembering the places in which mushrooms have already been found. Northern flying squirrels, like other squirrels, stock up on food for the winter; make hiding places in tree cavities, as well as in their nest.

Behavior.

Northern flying squirrels usually nest in tree hollows, preferring large-diameter trunks and dead trees, although they can also make nests among tree branches from dry twigs and leaves. In winter, northern flying squirrels often form joint nests in which from 4 to 10 individuals can live. This kind of association allows them to warm each other during especially cold periods of winter.

Southern flying squirrel (lat. Glaucomys volans)

It is one of two representatives of the genus of American flying squirrels, the squirrel family. Southern and northern flying squirrels are the only flying squirrels found in North America.

Description.

Southern flying squirrels have gray-brown fur on their backs with darker shades on their sides and cream on their bellies and chests. They have large dark eyes and a flat tail. Between the body and the front and hind legs is a fur-covered membrane called the patagium, which allows southern flying squirrels to glide.

Spreading.

Southern flying squirrels live in deciduous and mixed forests of eastern North America, from southeastern Canada to Florida, USA. Isolated populations of southern flying squirrels are also found in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras.

The most preferred habitat for southern flying squirrels is forests dominated by hickory, beech and oak trees, as well as maple and poplar trees. Their habitat depends on the abundance of food, and can vary from 2.5 to 16 hectares for males and from 2 to 7 hectares for females.

Southern flying squirrels feed on fruits and nuts from trees such as red and white oak, hickory, beech, etc. They stock up on food for the winter, a significant portion of these stocks being acorns. Their diet also includes insects, buds, mushrooms, mycorrhizae, carrion, bird eggs and chicks. Predators that pose a danger to southern flying squirrels are snakes, owls, hawks, raccoons, etc.

Reproduction.

Southern flying squirrels can produce offspring twice a year (from 2 to 7 young per litter). The gestation period is about 40 days. The young are born completely naked and helpless. Their ears open on days 2-6, and fur begins to grow on day 7. Their eyes open only on days 24-30. Parents begin to leave their cubs unattended at 65 days, and at the age of 120 days they become completely independent.

Japanese flying squirrel (lat. Pteromys momonga)

It is one of the representatives of the genus of Eurasian flying squirrels of the squirrel family.

Description. The body length of an adult representative of Japanese flying squirrels varies from 14 to 20 cm, and the length of the tail from 10 to 14 cm, weighs from 150 to 220 g. Its back is covered with gray-chestnut hair, and its belly is white. He has large eyes and a flat tail.

Spreading.

Japanese flying squirrel live in subalpine forests Japan.

Lifestyle.

This species is nocturnal and during the day it hides in holes in trees. Japanese flying squirrels, like other species of flying squirrels, can glide from tree to tree thanks to a membrane called the patagium. They make their nests in the cavities of tree trunks, with greater preference given to coniferous trees rather than deciduous ones.

Nutrition.

Japanese flying squirrels feed on seeds, fruits, leaves, buds and tree bark. In order to get to food growing on a thin branch, Japanese flying squirrels stretch along it and slowly crawl towards their cherished goal. This allows them to distribute the weight so the branch doesn't bend. Having reached the food, they pick it off with their front paws and return to the thicker part of the branch.

And you can read a lot more interesting things about animals here://tambov-zoo.ru/alfaident/

Sciurus vulgaris

3,000 - 15,000 rub.

Common squirrel, or veksha (Sciurus vulgaris)

Type - chordates
Class - mammals
Squad - rodents
Family - squirrels

Genus - squirrels

In colloquial speech and fiction often referred to as "red squirrel", which leads to confusion, since in the USA and Canada the same term refers to the red squirrel, a representative of the genus Tamiasciurus.

The following subspecies of the common squirrel are common in Russia:

Northern European squirrel, S.v. varius Brisson, 1899. In winter, a light bluish-gray color with a brown tail is common. There are many red-tailed (up to 30%) and red-eared specimens. Distribution: Kola Peninsula, Karelia.

Squirrel Formozova, S.v. formosovi Ognev, 1935. Winter fur is pure gray, back with dark gray ripples. Browntails are common. Distribution: northeast of the European part of Russia south to Novgorod and Perm, basins of the Northern Dvina and Pechora.

Central Russian squirrel, (Veksha) S.v. ognevi Migulin, 1928. The color of the winter fur is gray with an admixture of fawn tones ( fir trees) to ash gray ( Sosnovki); summer - from brown-brown to ocher-rusty. Redtail at least 25-30%. Distribution: in the north - to Novgorod, in the west - to Pskov, Velikiye Luki, Torzhok, Vyazma and Kaluga, to the south - to Tula, Penza, Syzran, Elabuga, in the east - along the river. Kama to Perm.

Belka Fedyushina, S.v. fedjuschini Ognev, 1935. The fur is coarser than that of the Central Russian squirrel, the winter color is darker and more dirty, brown in tone. Distribution: northern Belarus and western regions of Russia, north to Velikiye Luki, east to the line between Smolensk, Vyazma and Roslavl.

Ukrainian squirrel, S.v. ukrainicus Migulin, 1928. Differs from the Central Russian squirrel in its larger size and the predominance of brown-rusty tones in the winter fur. Redtail up to 70%. Distribution: northern Ukraine (Poltava and Kharkov regions) and adjacent regions of Russia (Smolensk and Voronezh regions).

Bashkir squirrel, S.v. bashkiricus Ognev, 1935. Winter fur is light, from fawn-gray to bluish-gray with gray ripples; summer - ocher-reddish-gray. Distribution: Orenburg region, Bashkiria, Middle and partly Northern Urals.

teleut squirrel, S.v. exalbidus Pallas, 1778. The largest subspecies with very thick fur. Winter fur is a very light, silver-gray tone with grayish ripples; the tail is pale gray mixed with blackish and yellowish-rusty tones. Greytails predominate, browntails are absent. Distribution: ribbon pine forests along the Irtysh and Ob rivers north to Novosibirsk. Acclimatized in Crimea and in the island forests of Northern Kazakhstan; repeatedly published in pine forests Central Russia and Lithuania.

West Siberian squirrel, S.v. martensi Matschie, 1901. Winter fur is light, fawn with faint grayish ripples. Browntails and blacktails predominate; redtail about 3%. Distribution: Central Siberia - from the lower and middle Ob region east to the Yenisei, south to Tomsk and Novosibirsk.

Yenisei squirrel, S.v. jenissejensis Ognev, 1935. Color is very variable. In winter, the predominant color is bluish-ash-gray with small dark gray ripples, the tail is reddish-rusty, mixed with black tones. Summer fur is reddish-ocher to black-brown. Distribution: left bank of the Yenisei, approximately from the Krasnoyarsk - Irkutsk line north to the watershed of the Yenisei and Lena.

Yakut squirrel, S.v. jacutensis Ognev, 1929. Winter fur is colored in intense gray tones. Distribution: mountain areas between the upper reaches of the Lena, Vitim and Aldan, the middle part of Yakutia, the basin of the upper and middle Anadyr. Apparently, this subspecies inhabited Kamchatka.

Anadyr squirrel, S.v. anadyrensis Ognev, 1929. Differs from the Yakut squirrel by a greater admixture of dull, brown-gray tint in the winter fur. Distribution: Anadyr Peninsula.

Altai squirrel, S.v. altaicus Serebrennikov, 1928. Similar to the Yenisei squirrel, but brighter in color. In summer, black and black-brown individuals predominate. Distribution: mountains and foothills of Altai, Sayan and Tarbagatai. Acclimatized in the Caucasus.

Kalba squirrel, S.v. kalblnensis Selevin, 1934. Similar to the teleduck, but somewhat darker in winter fur. The tail is bright red, less often brown. Distribution: pine forests on the southern slope of the Kalbinsky ridge (Altai).

Transbaikal squirrel, S.v. fusconigricans Dvigubsky, 1804. Winter fur is dark gray in tone, with gray-black ripples; In summer, black-backed or black-brown-backed animals predominate. Distribution: Transbaikalia, Northern Mongolia.

Manchurian squirrel, S.v. mantchuricus Thomas, 1909. Similar in color to the Transbaikal squirrel, but generally lighter. Most squirrels are blacktails and browntails. Distribution: southern Primorye, Khabarovsk Territory, as well as northeastern China; in the north it reaches 48-49° N. w.

Sakhalin squirrel, S.v. rupestris Thomas, 1907. Close to the Manchurian squirrel, but smaller and with more luxuriant fur. Blacktails predominate. Distribution: Sakhalin, Shantar Islands, Amur Region, southern part of Khabarovsk Territory.

Appearance

This is a small animal with a typical squirrel appearance, with an elongated slender body and a fluffy tail with a “comb”. The length of her body is 19.5-28 cm, her tail is 13-19 cm (about 2/3 of the body length); weight 250-340 g. The head is rounded, with large black eyes. The ears are long, with tufts, especially pronounced in winter. Sensitive vibrissae grow on the muzzle, front legs and belly. The hind limbs are noticeably longer than the forelimbs. Fingers with tenacious sharp claws. The hair on the sides of the tail reaches a length of 3-6 cm, which is why the tail has a flattened shape.

The squirrel's winter fur is tall, soft and fluffy, while its summer fur is coarser, sparse, and short. In terms of color variability, the squirrel holds one of the first places among the animals of the Palaearctic. Its color changes seasonally, among subspecies, and even within the same population. In summer, it is dominated by red, brown or dark brown tones; in winter - gray and black, sometimes with a brown tint. The abdomen is light or white. There are melanistic squirrels with completely black fur and albino squirrels, as well as piebald squirrels whose fur is covered with white spots. Based on the winter color of their tail, squirrels are divided into “red-tailed”, “brown-tailed” and “black-tailed”. Gray tail squirrels are found in the steppe forests of Western Siberia.

The size of squirrels decreases from mountainous to lowland regions, the size of the skull decreases from south to north, and the color becomes lighter towards the center of the range. The black and brown tones of winter fur in the Carpathian, Far Eastern and Manchurian subspecies are replaced by bluish and ash-gray, most pronounced in teledut squirrels. At the same time, the area of ​​the white area of ​​the abdomen increases in the same direction and the percentage of “redtail” increases.

In general, in squirrels inhabiting the European part of Russia and Western Siberia, the summer fur is dominated by red color, and in animals from Eastern Siberia and from the Far East - brown or almost black. In winter, the color of the first squirrels is dominated by gray and silver tones with brown tints, and the ridge often remains red (hump-headed). In the latter, dark brown and dark gray tones predominate in winter color.

Habitat

The only representative of the genus of squirrels in the fauna of Russia.

The common squirrel is distributed in the boreal zone of Eurasia from the Atlantic coast to Kamchatka, Sakhalin and Japan (Hokkaido Island). Successfully acclimatized in Crimea, the Caucasus and Tien Shan. More than 40 subspecies of the common squirrel have been described, differing from each other in their coloring features.

In nature

The squirrel is a typical forest inhabitant. Since the basis of its nutrition is the seeds of tree species, it prefers mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, which provide the best feeding conditions. He also loves mature dark coniferous plantations - cedar forests, spruce forests, fir trees; they are followed by larch forests, thickets of dwarf cedar and mixed pine forests. In the north, where mainly pine and larch woodlands grow, its population density is low. In Crimea and the Caucasus she mastered cultural landscapes: gardens and vineyards.

The lifestyle is predominantly arboreal. A squirrel is a living, active animal. She easily jumps from tree to tree (3-4 m in a straight line and 10-15 m in a downward curve), “steering” with her tail. During the snowless period, as well as during the rut, it spends considerable time on the ground, where it moves in leaps up to 1 m long. In winter, it moves mainly “on top.” When there is danger, it hides in trees, usually hiding in the crown. Active in the morning and evening hours, spending 60% to 80% of this time searching for food. In the midst of winter, it leaves the nest only for feeding time, and in severe frosts and bad weather it hides in the nest, falling into a semi-drowsy state. Not territorial; individual areas are weakly expressed and overlap.

Large migrations of squirrels are mentioned in ancient Russian chronicles. Sometimes they are caused by drought and forest fires, but more often there is a failure in the harvest of the main feed - seeds of coniferous trees and nuts. Migration occurs in late summer and early autumn. Most often, squirrels migrate close to another forest area; but sometimes they make long and long migrations - up to 250-300 km. The nomadic squirrel travels in a wide front (sometimes 100-300 km) alone, without forming significant flocks or aggregations, except near natural obstacles. During migrations, it enters the forest-tundra and tundra, appears in steppe regions, swims across rivers and even sea bays, penetrates islands, crosses bare mountain peaks, and even enters populated areas. At the same time, many animals drown, die from hunger, cold and predators.

In addition to mass migrations, the squirrel is characterized by seasonal migrations associated with the successive maturation of food and the transition of young animals to an independent lifestyle. The young settle in August-September and October-November, sometimes moving 70-350 km from the nesting stations. If there is no food, seasonal movements can turn into migrations. In this case, some of the adult individuals remain in place; from their usual food they switch to low-calorie foods with a high fiber content (buds, lichens, pine needles, bark of young shoots). It is due to this group that the local population is then restored.

The squirrel's diet is very diverse and includes more than 130 types of food, the bulk of which are seeds of coniferous trees: spruce, pine, cedar, fir, larch. In the southern regions, where oak forests grow with an undergrowth of hazel, it feeds on acorns and hazelnuts. In addition, the squirrel consumes mushrooms (especially the deer truffle), buds and shoots of trees, berries, tubers and rhizomes, lichens, and herbaceous plants. Their share in the diet increases markedly when the main feed crop fails. Very often, during a food shortage, the squirrel intensively eats the flower buds of spruce trees, causing damage to these plantings. During the breeding season, it does not disdain animal food - insects and their larvae, eggs, chicks, small vertebrates. After wintering, the squirrel willingly gnaws on the bones of dead animals and visits salt licks. The daily amount of food depends on the season: in the spring, during the rut, the squirrel eats up to 80 g per day, in winter - only 35 g.

For the winter, the squirrel makes small reserves of acorns, nuts, and cones, dragging them into hollows or burying them among the roots, and also dries mushrooms by hanging them on branches. True, she quickly forgets about her warehouses and finds them in the winter by accident, which is used by other animals - birds, small rodents, even brown bear. At the same time, the squirrel itself uses the reserves of other animals (chipmunks, nutcrackers, mice), which it easily finds even under a 1.5 m layer of snow.

Reproduction

Squirrels are very prolific. In most of the range they produce 1-2 litters, in the southern regions - up to 3. The Yakut squirrel usually has only 1 litter per year. The breeding season, depending on the latitude of the area, food conditions and population density, begins in late January - early March and ends in July-August. During the rut, 3-6 males stay near the female and demonstrate aggression towards competitors - they purr loudly, hit branches with their paws, and run after each other. After mating with the winner, the female builds a brood nest (sometimes 2-3); it is neater and larger in size.

Pregnancy lasts 35-38 days, in a litter of 3 to 10 cubs; in the second litter less. Newborn squirrels are naked and blind, weighing about 8 g. They develop hair on the 14th day and begin to see only on the 30-32nd day. From this moment they begin to leave the nest. They are fed with milk for up to 40-50 days. At the age of 8-10 weeks they leave the mother. Sexual maturity is reached at 9-12 months. Having raised the first litter, the female fattens up somewhat and mates again. The interval between litters is about 13 weeks. In October-November, the squirrel population consists of 2/3, and sometimes 75-80%, of young-of-the-year squirrels.

In captivity, squirrels live up to 10-12 years, but in nature, a squirrel over 4 years old is already old. The proportion of such animals under the most favorable conditions does not exceed 10%. In areas with intensive squirrel hunting, the population is completely renewed in 3-4 years. The mortality rate of young animals is especially high - 75-85% of baby squirrels do not survive their first winter.

The squirrel's enemies are owls, goshawks, pine martens in the European part of Russia, sables in Asian Russia and harzas in the Far East. On the ground they are caught by foxes and cats. However, predators do not have a significant impact on the state of populations. Lack of food and epizootics have a much stronger impact on the number of squirrels. Epizootics usually occur in late autumn and develop most in the spring. Squirrels die from coccidiosis, tularemia, hemorrhagic septicemia; they usually have worms, ticks and fleas.

The squirrel sheds 2 times a year, with the exception of the tail, which sheds once a year. Spring molting occurs mainly in April-May, and autumn molting occurs from September to November. The timing of molting strongly depends on the food and meteorological conditions of a given year. In good years, molting begins and ends earlier; in bad years, it is greatly delayed and extended. The spring molt goes from the head to the root of the tail; autumn - in reverse order. Adult males begin to molt earlier than females and young of the year. Molting in squirrels, like all other mammals, is caused by a change in length. daylight hours, which affects the activity of the pituitary gland. Thyroid-stimulating hormone secreted by the pituitary gland affects the activity of the thyroid gland, under the influence of which hormone molting occurs.

In captivity

Approximate dimensions: height 60 cm, length and width - 50 each. The frame must be metal, covered on all sides with a metal net with meshes of 10-15 mm2. A gable roof is made of tin over the cage. The place for rest is the attic, where there is a round hole. When cleaning, the hole in the nest is closed with a flap so that the squirrel does not jump out of the cage.

Spacious and other favorable conditions for keeping squirrels are a guarantee that they will willingly breed in captivity and will be able to bear fully viable offspring up to twice a year.

Squirrels usually have two litters per year.

For mating, you need to choose equally strong individuals that are accustomed to each other. There should only be one pair in the enclosure; it needs to be provided with peace and privacy.

The rutting period falls at the end of February, beginning of March.

The duration of pregnancy is 32-34 days.

Newly born cubs are so small that you will not always be able to detect them yourself - they will give themselves away with weak squeaks and squeals. At this time, it is not recommended to look into the house often so as not to disturb the mother squirrel.

Feeding

The squirrel can safely be classified as an “omnivorous” rodent; the main part of its diet is a nut mixture, which includes: hazelnuts (hazelnuts), pine and walnuts, also small quantity peanut. Sunflower, pumpkin, watermelon and melon seeds are also an integral part of this mixture. All components of the mixture must be not fried, not salted, and the nuts must not be shelled, but with shells.

An exception may be a walnut; it can be slightly broken. If possible, fir and pine cones should be given; in the spring, squirrels happily eat the buds and shoots of deciduous trees.

In nature, the squirrel is by no means a vegetarian; it happily eats animal food: small birds, their eggs, various insects, small invertebrates. In captivity, animal food can be treated more humanely: give the squirrel quail eggs, both raw and cooked. Include mealworms and ant eggs, dry beef and fish bones in your diet - this is a source of calcium and phosphorus.

Squirrels prefer apples, pears and bananas among fruits; they treat vegetables with disdain.

Under no circumstances should you give almonds to squirrels - it acts like a strong poison on them!!!

The squirrel should always have clean water at its disposal.

The drinking bowl must be installed so that the animal does not turn it over while moving around the cage.

REMEMBER!!! Squirrels should not be pampered with food, they must be in constant excitement caused by the search for food, otherwise squirrels often suffer from a cerebral hemorrhage, from which they naturally die

Remember: proteins have a big sweet tooth and you can add various medications to sweet solutions (for example, milk with honey) if the need arises.

During pregnancy, as well as from the moment babies are born, in addition to regular food, milk and cottage cheese are included in the protein diet.

Be sure to monitor the freshness of these products; after eating, excess food must be removed.

As soon as the baby squirrels begin to show interest in the world around them through the hole in the house, and this will happen a month and a half after birth, they can be fed with their own hands. This activity will require a lot of patience from you, but the work will not be in vain, and you will get a perfectly loyal friend who will relentlessly follow his owner wherever he goes.

The best option for feeding young animals is the use of infant formula such as Malysh, etc.

The baby squirrel should be fed milk or formula milk until about 2 months of age, and then it should be methodically switched to real squirrel food.

From this time on, your pet becomes an adult and needs to be fed as an adult animal should.

Fact one. The secret of agility is in her miracle tail

The squirrel uses its tail as a rudder: thanks to it, it can jump from tree to tree 15 meters in a curve and 4 meters in a straight line. At the same time, on the ground the squirrel does not jump so far: only 1 meter in length.

The animal's tail acts as a parachute: even if it falls from a 30-meter height, the squirrel will remain alive and unharmed.

In addition to helping with movement, the tail plays another important role in the life of the animal. A male squirrel will prefer a female with a bushier tail. The ponytail also serves as a warm, cozy blanket to cover yourself with on cold nights. True, this limb can cause the death of the animal: despite the fact that squirrels are excellent swimmers, a wet tail can drag the poor fellow to the bottom like an anchor.

Source: http://vse-krugom.ru

Fact two. The squirrel must chew all the time

The squirrel has four front teeth, and they are constantly growing. If the teeth are too long, the squirrel will not be able to cope with the nuts and cones and will die of hunger. Therefore, the animal constantly gnaws, grinding down the excess length of its teeth and sharpening them.

Photo source: http://life.pravda.com.ua

Fact three. The squirrel has a special technology for cracking nuts

The squirrel cracks nuts in an unusual way: from the side where it has a sharp tip, it gnaws a small hole and inserts two lower incisors there. The squirrel's lower jaw consists of two parts, between which there is an elastic and very strong muscle. When the squirrel pulls the two pieces together, the incisors move apart and the nut cracks.

The animal copes with cones just as quickly and skillfully: it extracts the seeds by touching the scale with its teeth, it bites it off, and the seed slips out. It takes three minutes to make one pine cone. Over the course of a day, a squirrel can obtain seeds from 15 spruce trees and about 100 pine cones.

Source: http://ru.gde-fon.com

Fact four. Cunning squirrels know how to steal

The squirrel is not only a smart, but also a cunning animal. In search of food, she has adapted to life next to humans: squirrels find something nutritious for themselves in bird feeders, know how to ask passers-by for tasty things, and tear out plants planted by people in search of seeds. Nut lovers can sometimes steal something tasty from a field or garden, which they learn from each other. Sometimes, in order to get to work, they specially gather in groups of two to five animals and distribute roles. The task of some is to distract attention, while others, messengers, take away the prey they have their eye on.

Source: http://kotelna.org.ua

Fact five. Squirrel is a champion in diet diversity

Squirrels are omnivores, their diet includes about 150 seeds from various trees. Its main part is the seeds of conifers: spruce, pine, cedar, fir, larch. In oak forests, the squirrel will not disappear either - it will eat acorns and hazelnuts. The squirrel menu also includes mushrooms, berries, herbs, mosses, lichens, tubers and rhizomes. If the nut harvest was not good enough, the squirrels feed on the buds and young shoots of the trees.

Squirrels can be predators. In addition to plant foods, they also like to eat insects, eggs and even small birds, mammals and frogs.

The animal loves to eat: in a week, the squirrel eats an amount of food equal to its weight.

Source: http://topilche.te.ua

Fact six. The name of the animal comes from the word “white”

The etymology of the word squirrel is interesting. It comes from the common Slavic “belъ”, which means white. In the old days, the word “white” meant not only color, but also “ ghostly, invisible". Because of its speed, the squirrel could be called ghostly.

In ancient times, this animal was called “vveritsa”. In the fall, squirrels molt and their fur turns whitish. It was these squirrels that were called “bala vveritsa.” They hunted precisely these animals, with light fur. The name was mentioned often, and over time it was shortened to “bala”, later the suffix -k- was added.

There is also an assumption that in the old days there was a special breed of squirrels with white fur. Hence the name of the animal.

Source: http://kotelna.org.ua

Fact seven. Squirrel's forgetfulness benefits the forest

Like many rodents, the squirrel makes provisions for the winter - they hide nuts, acorns, cones and mushrooms in hollow trees, and some species bury them in the ground. But often the animal forgets where it hid its food. In this case, the poor memory of squirrels serves to benefit the forest - nuts forgotten in the ground germinate and replenish the forest with new trees.

The forgotten supply of squirrels can amount to about three kilograms of selected food. Birds, small rodents, and even a brown bear take advantage of the jumper’s forgetfulness and often feed from the squirrel’s “closets.” However, the squirrel itself often eats up the supplies of mice, chipmunks and other rodents, digging them out even under a one and a half meter layer of snow.

Source: http://probilo4ok.wordpress.com

Fact eight. Squirrels build 15 nests at once

A squirrel’s nest is called a “gayno,” and one animal usually has many, up to 15 such dwellings. Most often, the nest is built in a hollow tree or in a birdhouse, lining everything inside with dry leaves, stems, moss, and feathers. If there is no suitable hollow or birdhouse, the animals build their home between the branches of a tree, at a height of 7-12 meters.

The squirrel is a representative of the class of mammals. Included in the order of rodents. The common Latin name is Sciurus. In addition to this family, which includes the familiar squirrel, there are also many other representatives of squirrels included in other genera - palm squirrel, red squirrel, etc.

Description of the squirrel

The squirrel's body is elongated, ending in a fluffy tail, which is constantly covered with thick fur. In length it sometimes exceeds the size of the body, but most often they coincide: both the tail and the body reach from 20 cm to 31 cm. The animal’s forelimbs are somewhat shorter than the hind limbs, which is very noticeable when the squirrel begins to feed. On both the hind and front paws, the 4th toe is the longest. In size it is a medium and small animal.

The squirrel's ears are large, elongated, sometimes with a tassel at the end. The fur depends on the season: in summer it is short, sparse and rough to the touch, while in winter it is soft, thick and tall. Squirrels molt twice a year – on the body and once on the tail. The common color is darkish brown, with a lighter belly. Sometimes it’s gray, especially in winter. In addition, there may be orange, yellow, yellowish-dirty, white squirrels in the abdominal part and red (all shades), black-brown, gray-brown on the back. The tone, as a rule, depends on the geographical background of color variability.

Types of squirrels

Not only representatives of the squirrel family are called squirrels - in addition to the genus Sciurus, to which they belong, several more are also known (for example, from the genus Tamiasciurus - red squirrels, Funambulus - palm squirrels, etc.). Regarding the genus Sciurus, it is worth noting that it contains about 30 species of squirrels.

The most famous of them are proteins:

• gray;
• Japanese;
• Nayarit;
• gray-yellow;
• Carolina;
• golden-bellied;
• Arizona;
• Persian;
• Brazilian;
• Allen's squirrel;
• Abert's squirrel and others.

There are also other proteins:

• black;
• Kagalymskaya;
• Yucatan;
• motley;
• Veksha squirrel;
• Squirrel Druid;
• Sanborn's squirrel;
• Richmond's squirrel, etc.

Squirrel habits

One of the oldest and most traditional habits of squirrels is their tendency to stock up on winter supplies.(usually a variety of nuts play this role). However, the squirrel is forgetful, since it makes a lot of such “bins” - both in hollows and on the ground. But they do not disappear, sprouting over time. Thus, the habits of squirrels contribute to the preservation of forest plantations.

Also, one of the habits is to stand on its hind limbs when danger is perceived - in this way, the squirrel better covers the territory surrounding it with its gaze. When an enemy is detected, the squirrel often makes shrill sounds, warning its relatives.

Squirrels love to sleep at midday, hiding in a hollow - when the sun's rays begin to get hot. They go for walks in the forest in the evenings or early in the morning. They are afraid of any bad weather - heavy rains, storms, but especially blizzards. Although squirrels swim quite well, they do not go into the water, avoiding sputum.

Squirrels try to prepare thoroughly for the cold weather, making all kinds of food supplies. If autumn is cooler than always, then this is extremely detrimental for squirrels, since they have to eat what was put aside for the winter: in this situation, as a rule, there are no reserves left for that time, and the animals starve.

But when there is plenty of food, squirrels collect them for a rainy day, setting up storerooms in the roots of trees, in stumps, in depressions on the ground, in crevices of trunks, in abandoned nests, between stones and bushes, in hollows and even in burrows they have dug. Squirrels usually hide seeds, grains, nuts and mushrooms, which they can plant on dried branches.

Where does the squirrel live?

The squirrel is found wherever there are forests and groves. The most favorite places for squirrels are among dense and dry forests with tall trees. Equally squirrels cannot tolerate sunlight and dampness. He likes to sit in hollows or right in empty tree trunks, making a nest for himself. Sometimes a squirrel makes a home in the fork of two branches, not far from the main trunk. This usually forms open-type nests, which at the bottom look like traditional bird nests, and at the top are tightly closed with a flat conical roof. It protects the squirrel from rain and snow.

The main exit faces east and is usually located to the side. In the immediate vicinity of the trunk there is another exit - a spare one, in case of an emergency retreat. The outer part of squirrel nests consists of interweavings of thick and thin branches (twigs). Inside, all squirrel nests (both open and closed) are dry, lined with delicate moss, forming a soft bedding. But special attention The squirrels pay attention to the base, making it on the basis of an abandoned crow's dwelling, the bottom of which is well cemented with clay and earth.

What does a squirrel eat?

The basis of the protein diet is a variety of plant foods.: shoots and buds of trees, dried and freshly picked mushrooms, nuts, fruits, berries, pine and spruce seeds. Squirrels do not disdain acorns, cereals, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and bark. But they most readily eat the seeds of coniferous trees, which are hidden in the cones of spruce and pine. Squirrels are also great hunters of bird eggs. Often they do not spare even the chicks.

As you can see, the food of these animals is very rich in fats, carbohydrates and proteins. This is due to the fact that, unlike deer or hares, which also eat vegetation, squirrels cannot digest fiber. The most difficult period for feeding is early spring, when seeds buried in the ground begin to germinate and are therefore not suitable for food, and there is still a long wait until the next harvest. Then the squirrels begin to feed on the buds (most often silver maple). They can also eat frogs, insects, mammals, and small birds, but still give preference to chicks and clutches. In tropical regions, all this replaces traditional nuts for squirrels.

Squirrel habitats

Squirrels are found wherever trees grow, excluding the Australian continent. The squirrel genus unites over 30 species of squirrels, the distribution area of ​​which covers Asian zones with a temperate climate, the North and South American continents, European countries (all), Trans-Urals and Transcaucasia. Squirrels are also found in Northern and Southern Siberia, from where they move to Altai and Indochina.

Reproduction of squirrels

Adult squirrels mate in March, young squirrels mate a little later, closer to summer.. During this period, up to 10 or more males gather around one female, who fiercely fight for the right to primacy and procreation. After a little more than a month, 3-7 cubs appear in the squirrel nest. For childbirth, the squirrel usually chooses hollow trees, in which it forms a cozy and warm nest covered with moss.

At first, the baby squirrels feed only on their mother's milk, but when they stop sucking, the mother or father gets and brings them food for several days, and then leaves them to give birth to another offspring. In summer, the female, as a rule, brings fewer squirrels compared to the spring litter. When the second brood grows up and begins to run on its own, the parents unite it with the first, settling the entire family (from 12 to 16 squirrels) in one part of the forest.

The squirrel is a very popular hunting object because it has valuable fur, in demand in fur harvesting. Squirrel hunting is especially common in taiga regions. However, only winter fur is suitable: squirrels shot between October/November and February/March produce a skin of excellent quality - with hair that is amazingly soft and smooth.

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