16 Interesting Facts About Red Squirrel

The red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is one of the most beloved and recognizable wild mammals found throughout Eurasia. With their rusty red coats and bushy tails, these agile tree-dwellers captivate nature enthusiasts.

Red squirrels play an important role in their forest ecosystems. As omnivores, they disperse seeds and fungi spores helping regenerate woodlands. Their nests also offer habitat for other species.

Here are 16 fascinating facts about this cute and clever rodent:

1. Two subspecies of red squirrel occur – the Eurasian and British red squirrel. The Eurasian red squirrel has redder fur while the British subspecies tends to be darker with brown flecks.
2. They are extremely agile and fast. Red squirrels can leap distances of over 6 feet between trees and run at speeds exceeding 15 mph. Their hind legs provide powerful propulsion.
3. Excellent climbers and jumpers. A red squirrel’s strong claws give it superb grip and balance for climbing. Its long tail helps it steer midair when jumping.
4. They have good vision with one strange quirk. Red squirrels have sharp eyesight for detecting predators. But they seem to be colorblind, not distinguishing red hues from green/blue shades.
5. Red squirrels are solitary, territorial animals. Each squirrel lives alone and marks out its own woodland territory which it defends vigorously.
6. Making intricate dreys high in the trees. Dreys are nests made of interwoven twigs lined with soft moss and grass. They provide shelter and safety for rearing young.
7. Mating occurs over just a few weeks in early spring. After a gestation period of 38-39 days, a female gives birth to an average litter of 3-4 hairless, blind baby squirrels.
8. Young squirrels develop rapidly, leaving the drey in 8-10 weeks. They are weaned at 10 weeks old but stay with their mother learning survival skills until 12-14 weeks when they disperse to establish their own territory.
9. Hoarding nuts and pine cones to survive winter. Red squirrels have an amazing spatial memory. They cache up to 30,000 nuts and seeds in thousands of hiding places then find 90% to eat over winter.
10. Making a rattling call to warn of threats. The characteristic ‘chuck’ call alerts other red squirrels of danger. It is made by rapidly vibrating tail muscles against the tree bark.
11. Omnivores feed on variety of foods. As well as nuts and seeds, red squirrels eat tree shoots, berries, fungi, and sometimes birds’ eggs and insects for protein.
12. Keeping cool through their large, hairy feet. In hot weather, increased blood flow to the feet releases heat in the same way big ears help elephants stay cool.
13. Performing aerial acrobatics between trees. The amazing agility of red squirrels is shown by their gravity-defying leaps through treetops, aided by their flattened, steering tail.
14. Suffering decline through loss of woodland habitat. The biggest threat to red squirrels is habitat destruction and fragmentation which leaves isolated, vulnerable populations.
15. Being supplanted by introduced grey squirrels. Native Eurasian red squirrels are battling competition from larger, more aggressive grey squirrels introduced from North America.
16. Viewing red squirrels brings delight to nature lovers. Watching the entertaining antics of red squirrels is a treasured wildlife encounter for hikers, campers, and backyard bird watchers.

In conclusion, red squirrels are athletic, adaptable rodents that play an integral role in the woodland ecosystems they inhabit. Learning more about their unique traits and behaviors can give us insight into conserving these popular mammals. Even brief sightings of red squirrels scampering through trees bring joy by connecting us to the natural world.