Squirrel animal. Habitat and lifestyle of squirrels. Common squirrel - characteristic features of the common squirrel What a squirrel looks like in winter and summer

How do squirrels live in winter?

In winter, the squirrel spends all daylight hours searching for food. Her long body in a reddish-gray coat with white fur on her belly flashes in the branches of the trees. Here and there its round head with large black eyes and long ears with tassels at the ends will appear from behind the trunk. It must be said that squirrels grow tufts on their ears in winter. A beautiful long fluffy tail helps the squirrel deftly jump from tree to tree. It also serves the squirrel as a glider, allowing it to soar while jumping; and like a rudder to control flight; and like a parachute, slowing down the fall. Having such a tail, the squirrel jumps from the tallest trees straight to the ground without harming itself.
A squirrel leaves a clear paw print in the snow. The trail in front of them is small: two dots, both nearby. The squirrel rests on these short front legs, and moves its hind legs far forward and slightly to the sides. The trail from the hind paws is long, elongated, with the imprint of thin fingers.
Separate fingers with sharp, tenacious claws help the squirrel surprisingly quickly and confidently climb steep trunks without falling off the thinnest branches.
The squirrel works with its front paws like it does with its hands: it picks off pine cones, takes nuts, and pulls twigs with buds to its mouth.
Cones are the favorite winter food of squirrels. With sharp teeth, she deftly cuts off the scales and at the same time constantly twists the cone with her paws. The animal's incisor teeth are amazing: they never wear down or become dull. But all her life she gnaws hard nuts, cones, and tree twigs! Cones processed by a squirrel differ from crossbills and woodpeckers in that it gnaws the cone to the ground. All that remains is a thin rod and a bunch of individual scales.
In hungry winters, when there are few cones, the squirrel feeds on bark, spruce buds, and digs up snow in search of food on the ground. The supplies made in the fall help the squirrel survive the harsh times. With the help of an amazingly subtle sense of smell, even in deep snow She finds hidden acorns, nuts, and mushrooms.
The squirrel senses weather changes better than any barometer. It happens that it’s still snowing, but the squirrel has already jumped along the branches, which means that soon good weather will. But as soon as the first signs of bad weather appear, the squirrel immediately hides in its nest, plugs the entrance hole and, curled up comfortably in a ball, waits out the bad weather. If the day is clear, the sky is clear, and the squirrel does not leave the nest, then expect severe frost.
The squirrel's nest is unusual: it is made of intertwined twigs in the shape of a ball with a side entrance. A bedding of moss, lichen and soft fur will keep it very dry and warm. It happens that squirrels also settle in tree hollows.
Already in February, squirrels begin mating season. At this time, they run a lot, make acrobatic jumps, and play hide and seek.
In the city, squirrels get along with humans easily and trust him so much that they take food from his hands. This restless, playful animal is a real decoration of our parks and forests.

Everyone knows and loves the squirrel ( Sciurus) - a charming representative of the order of rodents, the squirrel family. Lives in our area common squirrel, which is also called veksha. At a young age, this agile, dexterous animal is trusting and quickly gets used to people.

Young common squirrel

Description of the squirrel

The squirrel family has 48 genera and 280 species. Among them there are very tiny animals. So, the body length is tiny mouse squirrel, which is found in the Congo Basin countries, no more than 7.5 cm and 5 cm of tail. We all know well common squirrel (S. vulgaris) with expressive black eyes, tufted ears and a fluffy tail. It weighs only 250 - 340 g, although it seems heavier. The length of its body is 20 - 28 cm, its fluffy tail is 20 cm.

Fur. Molting on the head, body and legs occurs twice a year, less often on the tail. Fur coloring in summer time brown-red, red. In Germany there are squirrels with black fur. By winter, hair color changes. Siberian and northern European squirrels become whitish-gray at this time. Winter fur is softer and fluffier than summer fur. Squirrels living in coniferous forests, are often darker than those who choose deciduous trees. These animals are conventionally divided into “browntail”, “graytail”, “blacktail” and “redtail”.

Habitats. The common squirrel lives in Europe, Siberia and Indochina. She loves places where trees grow and is found in forests and parks. They also see it on trees near houses.

Nest. The squirrel feels more confident in deep forests, rather than on sunny edges. There she climbs into empty hollows, where she arranges her home. If he doesn’t find any, he completes old crow’s nests or makes his own on the branches of thick branches. The nest is covered with a roof on top to protect it from rain and snow. On frosty days, she blocks the entrance with grass or moss, so the inside of her house is always dry and warm. A squirrel often has several nests. She changes them, dragging her cubs in her teeth.

The main entrance is often oriented to the east, the spare one is often located near the trunk. It is used as an emergency in case of escape. The walls of the dwelling are made of twigs, and the inside is lined with dry moss. Squirrels often settle in.

Behavior. We are surprised by the dexterity of this animal, capable of instantly climbing trees. The sharp claws on her flexible fingers help her in this. Veksha grabs the tree bark with all its paws at once, crouches down and makes a jump. In case of danger, it flies like an arrow to the top of a tree or into a nest, moving in a spiral. The fluffy tail serves as a rudder and helps balance. Especially when making long jumps from tree to tree. In addition, the tail is an excellent heating pad. On cold and frosty days, the animal curls up into a ball and covers itself with fur.

Flying squirrels are sometimes found in Siberian forests. These small forest animals have a light membrane between their front and back legs. They easily jump, as if flying from tree to tree. I only once managed to see flying squirrels in our Smolensk forests. They lived in a deep hollow of an old tree. I discovered them there by accident. (I. Sokolov-Mikitov “Squirrels”).

The squirrel can swim, although it only gets into the water when necessary. For example, during wandering in search of a satisfying place or during fires and floods. Then the animals accumulate on the shore and boldly rush into the water, trying to get to the other side, even such large rivers, like Yenisei and Lena. Many of them drown.

When crossing rivers, even sea bays, they gather in denser flocks and swim (imagine!), raising their tails. Many drown, but those who remain float. Those who have safely crossed water and other obstacles (cities, tundra) wander further at a speed of 3 - 4 kilometers per hour. They walk, rubbing their paws into blood, dying in rivers, in the teeth of oncoming and pursuing predators, and at the hands of humans. (I.A. Akimushkin “Animal World”. Volume 2).

Veksha is more active in the morning and evening, and on a sunny day a well-fed animal can rest. During rain or snowstorm it dozes. It moves along the ground in long (up to one meter) leaps.

Food. The squirrel has an excellent appetite. Diet includes nuts, berries, mushrooms, grains, seeds and buds different plants. She feasts on seeds, which she pulls out of cones, and eats young shoots and buds. The squirrel often robs bird nests, dragging away eggs and chicks. It happens that it attacks adult birds.

All squirrels love nuts

Veksha is a thrifty animal. She arranges storerooms where she hides supplies. She needs them in winter or rainy autumn.

It is true that in the fall, on days of abundance, the squirrel hides nuts and acorns in all the cracks and hollows, and it is also true that it dries mushrooms, hanging them on branches. But does the animal remember all its storerooms? Hardly. If you follow the tracks in winter, you will be convinced that the squirrel is looking for its reserves in the same way as you would look for them: rummaging everywhere where their existence can be assumed, and sometimes passing near dried mushrooms without even noticing them. Be that as it may, after searching for some time, the squirrel eats its fill. (A.N. Formozov “The Pathfinder’s Companion”).

Nomadic squirrels feed hastily. Often they manage to snack only on lichen and tree bark. Animals that have survived starvation look thin and pitiful. The number of squirrels is highly dependent on the harvest and availability of food.

Reproduction. Males fight desperately to win a female. The squirrel gives birth to several blind, naked cubs. There are from three to seven, rarely more. With repeated births in June, there are fewer squirrels. The squirrel is a mammal; it feeds its young with milk. At the sixth week, the baby squirrels try to climb out of the nest, and at eleven months they become completely independent. Puberty occurs at nine to eleven months.

Squirrels often live in parks

Enemies. Squirrels have many enemies. These are not only hunters and trappers, but also animals such as marten, sable, fox and some birds: goshawk, owl and kite. They also hunt this furry animal.

A tame squirrel in the house becomes a gentle, clean animal that is pleasant to communicate with. Baby squirrels and young squirrels quickly get used to captivity. Pregnant females adapt to new living conditions within one to two weeks. It is most difficult for old animals to change their usual lifestyle.

Cell. The best option- a high, spacious enclosure with a metal mesh. For some time, a cage with a height of at least 70 cm will be suitable. It is placed in a place protected from drafts and wind. Not in the sun.

The cage must have a nest or house. Need branches and squirrel wheel for constant movements. At first, cover the top of the enclosure or cage with a cloth or so that the squirrel feels calmer. During molting, the animal becomes less active.

Sometimes a squirrel is released from its cage to frolic in a room or apartment. Be sure to close everything and doors, remove those objects that could break or harm the furry animal. There is no need to force him into a cage. It’s better to lure the squirrel into its cage with tasty nuts or wait until it gets hungry and goes to its own house. You cannot leave a squirrel in a room unattended. It's not just about her safety, but also about many everyday inconveniences. The animal will stock up on food in the most unexpected places, gnawing, destroying and ruining everything. Of course, you need to lock the cat in another room for this time or let it out for a walk.

Squirrels can be easily trained and kept in captivity. I once had a friend, an archaeologist and book lover. In his large room lived an agile, cheerful squirrel. She brought a lot of worries and troubles to her book-loving owner. She tirelessly rushed through the bookshelves, sometimes gnawing on the bindings of expensive books. I had to put the squirrel in a wire cage with a wide rotating wheel. The squirrel ran tirelessly along this wire wheel. Squirrels need constant movement, which they are accustomed to in the forest. Without such constant movement, living in captivity, squirrels get sick and die. (I. Sokolov-Mikitov “Squirrels”).

Nutrition. The diet includes nuts (especially pine nuts and hazelnuts), acorns, raw sunflower seeds, cones coniferous trees with seeds, edible mushrooms(fresh and dry), dried fruits, berries and fresh eggs(preferably quail). In spring, spruce branches with short young shoots (candles), birch branches with buds or fresh leaves are placed in the cage. Suitable delicacies: bugs and worms. They provide natural chalk, crushed shells and large table salt, but it’s better to buy special mineral supplements and vitamins for squirrels.

In the forest, squirrels dry mushrooms, skillfully stringing them onto the branches of bushes and trees.
“The baby squirrels, taken out of the nest blind, when they grew up, without their mother’s advice, tried to “bury” nuts in the carpet pile!
The little squirrel, having received the first nut in his life, buried it in secluded corner in the room. He acted like an adult squirrel. And she does this in the forest: having dug a small hole with her paws, she puts a nut in it, then, pressing with her muzzle and tapping the nut with her upper incisors, she drives it even deeper into the ground. With its paws it sprinkles earth and leaves on top and crushes them. He also “buried” a nut and a baby squirrel, but in imaginary soil and leaves, and therefore all his actions “hung” in the air, turning into an aimless pantomime” (I.A. Akimushkin “Animal World”).

Cleaning the cage. The cage is cleaned once a week, the house or nest is cleaned if necessary. The feeder is washed daily. You need to make sure that the water in the bowl or drinking bowl is always fresh and clean.

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A small animal with a slender, elongated body and a huge fluffy tail is general description proteins. Where does the squirrel live? Almost everywhere, on all continents and in almost all countries of the world.

Habitats

The squirrel has enormous species diversity. Each species is characteristic of a specific region.

For Mexico and parts of America (Arizona, Utah, Colorado) the Allen and Abert squirrel is characteristic. Arizonan is found in the forests of Arizona. In the east and south of Mexico there is a golden-bellied one. IN South America live Havanese, fire and red-tailed squirrels. IN North America(in northern Canada) there is a dwarf one. Recently, it began to actively populate the territory of Italy, Ireland, England and Scotland. IN Central America There are pied and western gray squirrels. In the subtropics (in Mexico and on the Pacific coast) the Collier's squirrel is found.

But the most common species is the common squirrel, which inhabits almost all of Eurasia and Eastern Europe.

Appearance

The body length of the common squirrel ranges from 19.5 to 28 centimeters, and the tail can reach 19 centimeters, which is 2/3 of the entire body. The weight of the animal ranges from 250 to 340 grams.

All individuals have long, tufted ears, a round head, and black eyes. The front legs, abdomen and muzzle have vibrissae, which are very sensitive. The claws on all fingers are sharp and tenacious. The hind limbs are longer than the forelimbs.

In the summer, squirrels change their fur. Summer fur is shorter and thinner than winter fur. At the same time, the color also changes. In winter, the fur takes on a brownish tint, and in summer it is more reddish.

Squirrel in Russia

Where does the squirrel live in Russia? This animal can be found in all the forests of Siberia, in the European part of Russia and in the Far East. In the 20s of the last century, it came to Kamchatka and became a common animal for this part of the country.

Russian subspecies:

Nutrition, lifestyle

Regardless of the region where the squirrel lives, it is typical representative forests, a mobile and nimble animal. It moves well along tree branches and can jump up to four meters.

During the rutting season and snowless winters, squirrels descend to the ground and move there in jumping steps for a distance of up to one meter. If there is snow on the ground, then the squirrel moves through the trees. At the slightest danger, it immediately hides in the trees.

The peak of activity occurs in the morning and evening, which is when it plunges into the process of searching for food. If the weather is frosty or rainy, he may not leave the place where he lives for a long time.

What does a squirrel eat? The basis of the diet is the seeds of tree species. The best feeding conditions in mixed, coniferous-broadleaf forest areas. The animal loves spruce, cedar and fir forests. IN warm regions, in the same Crimea and the Caucasus, was able to develop cultural landscapes, vineyards and artificial garden plantings.

Housing

Where does a squirrel live: in a hollow or a nest? If an animal lives in deciduous areas, it settles in hollows, where it drags a soft bedding of grass and lichens. In coniferous forests it builds spherical nests. She makes them from branches, grass, dry leaves, moss and her own wool. Such nests can be seen on the forks of branches, at a height above 7 meters from the ground. In urban environments, squirrels can even live in birdhouses. Construction is carried out by females, and males occupy abandoned places where females or large birds live.

As usual, one squirrel has several nests, the number of which can reach 15 pieces. The squirrel changes nests regularly, every 2-3 days. Females carry their young in their teeth.

In places where squirrels live in winter, you can find from 3 to 6 individuals, given that these are solitary representatives of the fauna.

Lifespan

If an animal lives in captivity, then its age can reach 10-12 years, but for wild individuals this is a huge period. For areas where squirrels live in the forest, average age is 4 years. Although the number of such individuals is very small, no more than 10%.

The highest mortality rate is observed in baby animals and reaches 75-85%. The hardest thing for them to survive is the first winter.

Enemies

IN wildlife squirrels are hunted by owls, goshawks and pine marten. In the Far East, foxes and sables hunt animals. In urban environments, the main enemy is the cat. However, neither predators nor cats have any particular influence on the population. More often, squirrels die from tularemia and coccidiosis, fleas and ticks.

Reproduction

Regardless of where the squirrel lives (in a hollow or in a nest, in a forest or in a park), the animal is very prolific. In the middle part of our country, squirrels produce 1-2 litters per year. In the south, this figure can reach 3, and where it is colder, for example, in Yakutia, there can be only 1 brood.

The seasonality of reproduction depends entirely on latitude and feeding conditions areas of residence. The squirrel hatches its young at the end of January or at the end of August.

The animal's pregnancy lasts about 35-38 weeks, and milk feeding lasts up to 50 days after birth. One litter can have from 3 to 10 cubs.

Sexual maturity of the female occurs at 9-12 months of life. After the birth of the cubs, the squirrel does not immediately “look for” the male; it fattens up for some time.

Flying squirrel

In the forests of our country there are also quite unique animals that are not so easy to spot. This representative of the fauna includes the flying squirrel, which leads a hidden lifestyle.

The animal got its name from its ability to practically fly between tree branches. It is not possible to jump so deftly due to the presence of large membranes on its paws. They are leather and very hard folds that straighten during flight. Naturally, the squirrel cannot fly, but it is the membranes that allow it to stay in the jump longer.

Unique membranes allow the squirrel to jump from one tree to another. These trees can be located at a distance of 50 meters (at a height of 20 meters or more). If there is a tailwind, the jump will be even greater. And the most interesting thing is that the animal can even change direction while it is jumping. Such maneuvers are possible due to the long and bushy tail.

Dimensions and general characteristics

The flying squirrel is somewhat smaller than the common squirrel. The largest individuals can reach 20 centimeters in length, and the tail is no more than 11 cm. Weight does not exceed 140 grams. But (in comparison with an ordinary squirrel) the flying squirrel has very large eyes.

The animal's body is very thick, with a silvery-ashy tint on the back, sometimes brown. The abdomen is lighter, ash-colored.

The places where the flying squirrel lives are all middle lane Russia, Sakhalin, Far East and Finland. Prefers coniferous plantings, but also lives in deciduous forests. The main thing is that the halo of habitat is surrounded by birch and aspen trees; it also likes pale alder. Accordingly, the diet consists of birch and aspen catkins, seeds of spruce and pine cones. Like other types of squirrels, the flying squirrel loves berries and mushrooms. Some observations confirm that the flying squirrel can consume eggs of small animals and birds.

The animal leads mainly night look life. The animal comes out for food at nightfall.

IN natural environment The animal has enemies - owls, ferrets, martens and eagle owls. If a flying squirrel sees a person, it presses tightly against the tree table and practically does not breathe until the danger has passed.

Within the zoo, the animal can live for 10 years, in the natural environment - no more than 5 years.

Squirrel is one of the most popular hunting objects. Especially considering the fact that the world is home to a number of varieties of these fur-bearing animals, which they have learned to hunt everywhere. However, every hunter will say that for the success of his event, a good knowledge of the habits of these animals is necessary.

The squirrel is a small animal of the mammalian class, a rodent. The common squirrel is also called Veksha. Besides it, there are other types of squirrels, for example, red, palm, and flying squirrels.

In the European and Asian parts of the world, including in our country, the common squirrel is most often hunted, so we will talk about it.

Appearance

Feature of the animal - big tail, which can even be longer than the body of the squirrel itself. In general, the body length is 20-30 cm, the weight of the animal is on average 300 grams. The hind legs are noticeably shorter than the front legs.

The muzzle is extended forward, black shiny eyes. Squirrels are known to have tassels on fairly large erect ears.

In winter, the squirrel has fluffy, thick grayish fur. In warm weather, the animal is covered with sparse and rough fur of dark brown, orange, yellowish, and red colors. The belly is usually lighter. Differences in the color of the main fur are associated with the habitats of the squirrels. Twice a year, in spring and autumn, the squirrel molts. The tail sheds only once a year.

The animal has good claws and strong teeth, which help in extracting and gnawing food.

Where do squirrels live?

The most suitable place for a squirrel to live is a forest, especially a remote one, with tall trees, with hollows. What squirrels don't like is bright, straight sunlight and at the same time - dampness. Therefore, they choose places where there is neither one nor the other. If there is a forest, then most likely there will be squirrels there, unless this is Australia. And so squirrels live throughout Europe, most of Asia: in Siberia, Altai and the Urals.

Squirrels like to make their nest in tree hollows, but if the animal is unlucky enough to find such a place, it builds a nest open type. Usually in a fork between branches. The nest is similar to a bird's nest, only covered on top with a flat roof to shelter the animals from snow and rain.

Hunters should be aware that the exit from the den usually faces east and is located slightly away from the center. However, near the trunk, the squirrel also makes a backup move, in case an enemy tries to climb into the main hole. The bottom of the nest is often sealed with earth and clay - this is an inheritance from crows, whose nests are often used by squirrels as a basis. Everything inside is lined with moss, making it soft and dry.

Squirrels feed mainly plant foods. They eat:

• tree buds;
• shoots;
• mushrooms – fresh and dried;
• berries;
• fruits;
• seeds;
• nuts;
• acorns;
• grains;
• bark

Their favorite food is the seeds of coniferous trees, which squirrels expertly extract from cones. They will not refuse the bird’s eggs, and if there are chicks in the nest, they too will go for food. In the spring, when the seeds germinate, the squirrels do not have enough food and they can eat insects, frogs, and small birds.

Interestingly, proteins cannot digest fiber. In general, their diet is quite rich in fats, proteins and carbohydrates.

A lot of interesting habits Protein is related specifically to nutrition. We have all heard since childhood that animals know how to store mushrooms and nuts. And indeed it is. Squirrels eat both fresh and dried mushrooms. It drags away excess mushrooms and hangs them on branches in the hope of using them later. In addition, they are especially active in hiding various nuts, as well as fruits and seeds. On the ground, in hollows, stumps, between stones, old nests and various other secluded places. Moreover, it cannot be said that the squirrel has directly human memory. Rather, it is an instinct to hide and seek. Therefore, she does not find everything that she hid, and she can also find and use the supplies of her neighbors.

Another sign related to the diet of squirrels: in winter they look for food in trees, get cones, husk and get seeds. Broken twigs and parts of cones in the snow are evidence that a squirrel was making its way along the top. And perhaps it is somewhere here. In the spring, squirrels have to go down in search of food. If there is a shortage of food, animals can wander from place to place, sometimes their journeys exceed 300 km, but in favorable conditions they live sedentary. During migrations, they do not move en masse, but singly, but in a wide line.

In the warm season, in the morning the squirrel leaves its shelter and goes to feed. Moreover, it is known that strong winds awaken animals earlier, at dawn. And in calm weather, squirrels can sleep longer. This information will also help hunters.

Squirrels quickly get used to taking food from a person and cease to be afraid of him.

Squirrel habits

The character of a squirrel, despite its cuteness appearance, moderately aggressive and suspicious animals. At the same time, they are quite smart and cunning.

A hunter who is learning to read animal tracks needs to know about squirrels that squirrels follow old tracks, forming real trails. The path leads from the tree where the animal left its den to the feeding areas. The further into winter, the longer the squirrels' journeys in search of food. It is noteworthy that a hungry squirrel, going to feed in the morning, makes long jumps, placing its hind legs side by side. A narrow trail is formed. A squirrel that is full is heavier, lazy, jumps not so far, and places its paws further apart. So, by following the tracks, you can understand where the squirrel went - to feed or to rest.

In general, squirrels have many interesting habits. For example:

• After morning feeding, the animals return to their shelters and sleep, hidden from sun rays. They swim well, but will try in every possible way not to get into the water, because they do not like dampness. It is hardly possible to see a squirrel that has voluntarily found itself in the rain. Moreover, they are afraid strong wind and especially snowstorms;

• In case of possible danger, the squirrel stands on its hind legs, looking around the surroundings in order to detect the enemy. At the same time, she can make shrill sounds to warn her comrades;

• It’s not for nothing that the squirrel prefers nuts to other foods. There are quite a lot of them nutrients, A anatomical structure jaws contributes to the extraction of nucleoli. The lower jaw of the animal is divided into two parts, between which there is elastic muscle. The squirrel pierces the place where the nut is attached to the branch with its lower incisors and brings the parts of the jaw together, causing the teeth to diverge and, like a wedge, divide the shell into two parts.

Reproduction

The female usually gives birth to cubs twice a year. The first mating season occurs in February-March, the second occurs in the summer. At this time, up to a dozen males gather around the squirrel, who sort things out with the help of teeth and claws. After mating, the babies appear a little later than a month later.

Males do not care for their offspring, but females are very caring mothers. They can bear from two to twelve babies. Baby squirrels are born blind and naked. If the mother leaves the nest, she covers the children with moss.

After about two weeks, the fur grows, later the eyes open, and teeth grow. The babies begin to look out of the nest, they are very curious and can suffer because of this - fall out of the den, become prey for predators. Grown-up baby squirrels often climb down the trunk from the nest, making sounds like clattering. At forty days, young animals can already search for food on their own, moving from mother’s milk to the diet familiar to an adult squirrel.

When the second, summer brood grows up, the parents unite the whole family and settle in one part of the forest. Puberty of young animals occurs at 5 months. In captivity, a squirrel can live up to 15 years, but in natural conditions this figure is less.

In our online store you can, in the catalog there are many high-quality and detailed photographs of stuffed animals from different angles, so that you can best evaluate the finished product.

Squirrels are distributed almost all over the world (with the exception of Australia). The mobile mammal belongs to the rodent family. There are many most various types these animals differ in size, coat color, habits and habitat. They can be woody or earthy, fluffy or not, and there are even prickly specimens. Where a squirrel lives largely depends on what species it belongs to. But they are all quite good-natured and cute animals, causing general delight with their behavior.

Types of squirrels

There are about 200 of them in the world. The most unusual and funny ones live mainly in North America. These include chipmunks and terrestrial striped squirrels, living in burrows, as well as black, Carolina gray and aberta, which prefer trees. IN Russian Federation The red-haired representative of this family is more common. It is also called the common squirrel. In some forests there are also flying squirrels, and in southern steppes- chipmunks.

Where it lives and depends on its species. For example, their tails are not as fluffy as those of trees. After all, the latter use them for “steering” when jumping and balancing on branches. But the chipmunk has absolutely no need for such wealth: he gets his food on the ground. Flying squirrels, which jump impressive distances, have paws connected by membranes that can open in the air like a parachute.

Habits of common squirrels

This typical inhabitant of Russian forests, from the taiga to the southern latitudes, is a real beauty. Twice a year (in spring and autumn) she changes her fur coat so that in summer she can flaunt a bright red coat, and in winter she can be less noticeable in a gray, insulated outfit. Common squirrel lives in a hollow, less often - just in a nest, built in dense branches. Many animals have several such houses. She lives in one and breeds, and uses the rest as storage rooms.

It does not hibernate in winter, and it is quite difficult to obtain acorns and nuts - the main food of this rodent - during cold weather. So the economic animal stores them for a rainy day, hiding them in nests. It’s easy to see how a squirrel lives in the forest if you visit the nearest grove or large park. These animals are quite sociable and often treat people with trust, happily treating themselves to brought treats in the form of nuts or seeds. But we must remember that the squirrel is a wild creature. She has sharp teeth and long claws, so it is better not to feed them by hand, especially to small children.

Tree squirrel diet

The main food of the taiga beauty is pine nuts and acorns. Depending on where the squirrel lives, its menu can be diluted with seeds of other cones, mushrooms, berries and even bird eggs. Yes, this cute and, at first glance, harmless creature often destroys nests. In summer there are no problems with food. But with the onset of cold weather, fallen acorns are covered with snow, mushrooms do not grow, and cones are not so easy to find. But the thrifty animal fills its pantries with supplies in advance. Therefore, in the hollows of trees in the forests where the squirrel lives, you can easily find deposits of nuts and dried mushrooms, acorns and seeds.

If the year turns out to be a lean one, she will not disdain young tree branches, buds and even bark. The squirrel is also capable of moving long distances in search of food. Moreover, animals do this en masse and can run for several days almost without a break. Where squirrels live, there are often bumps with characteristic marks of their teeth. These animals are playing important role in the reproduction of spruce, pine and other plants, spreading their seeds.

Reproduction

Squirrels usually mate twice a year (in spring and autumn). But it happens that the female manages to breed 3 litters of offspring. She finds a groom for season 1. It is difficult to call him the father of the family, because after his participation in the process of conception, he simply runs away. All concerns about raising the offspring, building a nest and the safety of the squirrels are taken upon themselves by their mother. Although there are exceptions when parents feed and protect them in turn.

In spring there are usually fewer cubs (2 to 4). In the fall, after the female has fattened and gained weight, she can give birth to up to a dozen cubs. They are born blind and helpless, but, thanks to the care of their mother, they grow up quite quickly. After just a couple of months, the squirrel can leave its completely independent children and begin to improve its personal life. There are often cases when they are crowded into one nest for a long time. Sometimes the mother also returns to them, but with younger brothers and sisters. By next spring, the babies themselves will be capable of reproducing offspring. Considering how many years squirrels live in their natural environment, this is quite normal. Average duration For tree species does not exceed 4 years, but sometimes reaches 9.

Zoologists have noticed that the squirrel often adopts neighbor's orphan cubs. She drags them into her own nest and cares for them as if they were her own.

Flying squirrels

This is the most remarkable animal from the entire family. It is found in Russian forests and there are about a dozen species on the planet. Despite a number significant differences, both external and behavioral, they are united by the way they move. They can climb trees just like their ordinary relatives. Externally, the animal is not very noticeable - gray in color with a darker back. It can be difficult to spot a flying squirrel. It is perfectly camouflaged in trees and practically does not go down. But if there is a need to cover a distance of several tens of meters at a time, she jumps by spreading her legs and opening her fur-covered membranes, gliding as if on a parachute. With the help of a rather long flexible tail, the animal is able to correct its trajectory. Before “landing,” the flying squirrel moves to a vertical position and clings to the trunk with all its legs. So she can fly from one tree to another, covering up to 50 meters at a time.

Ground squirrels

They live mainly in North America, but are occasionally found in Central Asia. Outwardly, they are more reminiscent of their closest relatives - chipmunks, which can be distinguished by their characteristic striped back. These squirrels live in burrows, where they also build nests and breed offspring. They are not as attractive as regular ones, and lack their main decoration - a large fluffy tail. They have one, but it’s a very ordinary one. The animals feed mainly on nuts, grains and other seeds, and sometimes hunt small insects.

Human influence on animal numbers

Being one of the commercial fur-bearing animals, common squirrel For decades, it was mercilessly exterminated for its own fur. But, thanks to its fertility, it is neither an endangered species nor even a rare one. It was not the fur that played a cruel joke on her, but many squirrels, due to the mass population, were forced to leave their usual habitat, thus disrupting the balance of the ecosystem. First of all, this concerns the taiga regions. But in last years Thanks to the protection of forest lands and the organization of nature reserves, animals feel much more comfortable.

How do squirrels live in captivity?

Surprisingly longer than in nature. Being in a zoo cage or even in ordinary apartment, the squirrel is feeling pretty good. Especially if conditions are created that are close to natural. To do this, you will need several branches and pieces of bark so that she can build a nest for herself. And also a special wheel in which the squirrel will run, compensating for the limited space. With proper care, the animal can live up to 12 years. Moreover, captivity is well tolerated by ordinary red beauties, black beauties, and chipmunks.

The squirrel is a very cute animal belonging to the rodent family. In nature, they do not live very long, but they adapt well in captivity. Squirrels can be very different: large and very tiny, with a luxurious coat and inconspicuous, and they can live in trees and in burrows, depending on the variety.