A Hungry Squirrel Eating From A Tree Trunk

Squirrels are a creature that nearly everyone is familiar with. With the notable exception of Australia, there are over 200 squirrel species found all over the world. Squirrels are tiny animals with bushy tails that can be seen all over the globe. Prairie dogs, chipmunks, and marmots are also members of the Sciuridae family.Show more

According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), there are more than 200 species of squirrels, which are classified into three groups: tree squirrels, field squirrels, and flying squirrels. Squirrel types include Albino, Pygmy, Antelope, Spotted, Mountain Tree, Grey, American Red, Douglas, Fox, Northern Flying, Southern, Arizona Gray, Idaho, Arctic Ground, Albert's, Franklin,White, Richardson, Rock, and Black squirrels.

Squirrels come in a wide variety of sizes due to the large number of species.The African pygmy squirrel is the smallest of squirrels. It reaches a length of 2.8 to 5 inches (7 to 13 centimeters) and weights just 0.35 ounces (10 grams). The world's biggest squirrel is the Indian giant squirrel.It can reach a length of 36 inches (1 meter) and weigh up to 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms).

Grey squirrels are medium-sized squirrels that are common in North America.They attain a length of 15 to 20 inches (38.1 to 50.8 cm), with their tails adding another 6 to 9.5 inches (15.24 to 24.13 cm). They typically weigh between 1 and 1.5 pounds (0.45 to 0.68 kg).

A group of squirrels is referred to as a scurry or dray. They are zealous defenders of their territory and will fight to the death to protect it. When it comes to protecting their young, mother squirrels are the most ruthless. Some squirrels have nocturnal habits.This means they only come out at dawn and dusk.

According to the BBC, squirrels can be found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica.

Tree squirrels like to live in trees, so they like to congregate in wooded areas. Ground squirrels live up to their names. They dwell in burrows, which are underground cave structures.Over the winter, certain squirrels hibernate in burrows to stay warm.

Tree holes or nests built into the crooks of trees are where flying squirrels build their homes.Flying squirrels stretch the muscle membrane between their legs and bodies and glide through the air to get from tree to tree or from a tree to the ground. They can glide up to 160 feet (48 meters), giving the impression of being able to fly.

Squirrels bury their food to prepare for the winter. They have a stockpile of food that they can eat during the winter months where supplies are scarce. The gestation period of a female squirrel varies from 29 to 65 days, depending on the species; smaller squirrels have shorter gestation periods.

At any given time, a mother will have two to eight kids. Young squirrels are born blind and are known as kits or kittens. For around two to three months, they are fully dependent on their mothers. The young are weaned after seven or eight weeks. When the kits leave the nest, they don't fly more than 2 miles.
Some squirrel species have new litters every few months or even twice a year.

Squirrels have four front teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives. This stops their teeth from being nubs as a result of gnawing on nuts and other things.

The bodies of these rodents are amazing. A squirrel, for example, has padding feet that cushion jumps of up to 20 feet (6 meters). They have high-set eyes on either side of their face, allowing them to see a substantial portion of their surroundings without having to turn their heads. They're also excellent runners. Squirrels have a top speed of 20 mph (32 kph).

Sciurus carolinensis, the gray squirrel, isn't just gray. It exists in a number of colors, including gray, brown, white and black.
These tiny squirrels have a knack for planting trees. They bury their acorns but don't remember where they buried them. Acorns that have been forgotten grow into oak trees.