Squirrels brighten parks and forests with their lively antics and fluffy tails. These quick, clever creatures boast remarkable agility, resourcefulness, and surprising intelligence. As you watch squirrels leap from tree to tree or dig for hidden treasures, you uncover the secrets that make squirrels captivating to nature lovers everywhere.
Squirrels
They appear on every continent except Australia and Antarctica, showing their remarkable adaptability.
While people notice their bushy tails, squirrels use them for balance, warmth, and even as umbrellas during rain.
Gray squirrels, the most common type in many parks, can leap nearly ten times their body length in one spectacular jump.
To prepare for winter, squirrels cleverly hide thousands of nuts in scattered caches. They rely on memory and scent to find them later.
Despite popular belief, they do not always remember every hiding spot. Forgotten seeds often grow into new trees, helping forests flourish.
Squirrels communicate with tail flicks, warning calls, and sharp barks, especially when danger lurks nearby.
Flying squirrels do not actually fly. Instead, they glide up to 150 feet between trees using a skin membrane called a patagium.
You might spot tree, ground, and flying squirrels—all belonging to over 200 species worldwide.
Squirrels’ teeth never stop growing, so they constantly gnaw on nuts, wood, and even garden fences to keep them in check.
Mothers build several nests (called dreys) high in trees, moving their young to safety if threatened by predators.
Many squirrels can rotate their ankles to climb down trees headfirst, a rare and helpful skill in the animal world.
Surprisingly, squirrels can “fake-bury” a nut if they sense another animal is watching, tricking thieves with deceptive tactics.
Though small, they swim well. Some cross streams or ponds with quick, dog-like paddling when needed.
You’ll see them eat a diverse diet: nuts, seeds, fungi, fruits, and even insects if other foods are scarce.
They adapt to city life, stealing birdseed, raiding gardens, and occasionally befriending people—all while remaining wild at heart.
