Squirrel Facts
Squirrels are agile and bushy tailed rodents. They belong to the family Sciuridae which consist of small or medium sized rodents. There are more than 260 species of squirrels in the world. African Pygmy Squirrel is the smallest and Indian Giant Squirrel is the largest.
Quick Facts: –
- They have four front teeth which never stop growing.
- They bury nuts in grounds to survive in challenging months of winter.
- At the time of birth, a squirrel is only about an inch long.
- Squirrels are extremely intelligent and adaptable creatures.
- Flying squirrel is a particular species which cannot fly like a bird but can easily glide between trees. They glide for distances about 280 feet.
- They generally eat nuts, fruits and seeds as their meal.
- A female squirrel can give birth to 2-8 babies at once. They have a gestation period of 29-65 days.
- Baby squirrels are blind at birth.
- Squirrels put on some extra weight to stay warm during winters.
- When the feel threatened, they run away in a zigzag pattern to mislead the predator.
- On average, they eat only one pound of food in a week.
- Squirrels have padded feet that are used as cushions while jumping.