Thursday, November 5, 2015

#720: Squirrel

The Squirrels are various species of small-to-medium sized rodents ranging across the Northern Hemisphere. The most familair and easily recogniseable are the tree squirrels, characterised by their fluffy tails and arboreal behaviour. Many species, such as the English Red and the North American Grey, have adapted to the urban environment, and are commonly found in woodlands, parks and gardens. The Tree Squirrel is  agile and well-adapted to a life above ground. Her feet can rotate backwards, allowing her to descend a tree head-first. Squirrels mostly follow a diet of nuts, seeds, flower buds, fruit and fungi. She is unable to digest cellulose and will occasionally eat insects or meat.

The Grey Squirrel was introduced to the UK in 1870. Being larger and more robust than the native Red Squirrel, it has out-competed her in many areas and not outnumbers her by more than 100-to-1. This is not just due to direct competition, but also to diseases carried by the Grey.

Other Squirrels:
Chipmunk
Marmot
Namdapha Flying Squirrel
Prevosts Squirrel

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