Squirrel

Squirrel

Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots (including woodchucks), flying squirrels, and prairie dogs amongst other rodents.

Characteristics

Squirrels are generally small animals, ranging in size from the African pygmy squirrel at 7–10 cm (2.8–3.9 in) in length and just 10 g (0.35 oz) in weight, to the Alpine marmot, which is 53–73 cm (21–29 in) long and weighs from 5 to 8 kg (11 to 18 lb).

Most squirrels are herbivores; they eat anything they can find. Their diet consists primarily of a wide variety of plants, including nuts, seeds, conifer cones, fruits, fungi, and green vegetation. However, some squirrels also consume meat, especially when faced with hunger.

Behavior

Squirrels breed once or twice a year and give birth to a varying number of young after three to six weeks, depending on species. The young are born naked, toothless, and blind. In most species of squirrel, the female alone looks after the young, which are weaned at around six to ten weeks and become sexually mature by the end of their first year.

Habitat

Squirrels live in almost every habitat, from tropical rainforest to semiarid desert, avoiding only the high polar regions and the driest of deserts. They are predominantly herbivorous, subsisting on seeds and nuts, but many will eat insects and even small vertebrates.

Classification

Squirrels are classified into three types: tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and flying squirrels. These classifications are based on their habits and habitats.

Conservation

Many species of squirrels are protected in their natural habitats due to threats from habitat destruction and from being hunted for their fur and meat. Some species have also been classified as endangered or threatened due to these factors.