Squirrels

Squirrels are a small to medium size rodent known for their bushy tails, belonging to the Sciruridae family of the Rodentia order. There are over 300 species of squirrels, including tree squirrels, black squirrels, flying squirrels, chipmunks, and woodchucks. http://tolweb.org/Sciuridae/16456 Scientists have placed the first emergence of squirrels in the Eocene age, nearly 40 million years ago. Among living species, the mountain beaver and the dormice are the squirrel's closest genetic relatives. Squirrels can be known to be garden pests, due to their tendency to invade household gardens in search for food, in the absence of buried nuts or other staples of their diet.

Squirrels can be found multiple continents, including North America, South America, Eurasia, and Africa. Though not indigenous to Australia, squirrels have recently been introduced to the continent as well. http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Ground_squirrelThis attests to the squirrels' extraordinary adaptability and hardiness, as they are able to survive and flourish in the majority of Earthly climates and environments, with the exception of the most extreme deserts and polar regions. Otherwise, they can be found in forests, woodlands, and metropolitan areas, frequently found scurrying up trees, for instance, in public parks.

Squirrels are quite small animals, across all species. For instance, the African Pygmy Squirrel, is typically a mere 7-10 cm in length, and weighing 10 grams on average. http://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/mammals/Rodentia/Sciuridae/Myosciurus/Myosciurus-pumilio.html One of the largest species of squirrel, the Alpine Marmot, is still only 73 cm long, weighing in at 18 pounds maximum. http://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/mammals/Rodentia/Sciuridae/Marmota/Marmota-marmota.htmlTheir small stature and measurements are in accordance with the squirrel's slender body type, which allows them to be very mobile and nimble in their environment. The squirrels' bushy tail, their defining characteristic, allow the squirrel to improve their balance while moving and climbing obstacles.http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/squirrel/

For movement, the squirrels have two hindlimbs and two forelimbs, like most mammals, though the hindlimbs are typically larger than the forelimbs. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/squirrel/ The forelimbs, with their crudely developed "thumbs" and four toes, can also be used in a similar manner to human hands, when digging up and consuming nuts and vegetation. Squirrels also possess proportionally large eyes, to better scan their surroundings in search of food or predators. Most other tree-dwelling and tree-climbing animals also have excellent vision, and the squirrel is no exception.http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/squirrel/

The squirrel is an animal that cannot digest cellulose; as a result, their diet varies from those of other animals such as deer or rabbits. Foods rich in carbohydrates, protein, and fat are a necessity. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/squirrels/As is commonly known and depicted, nuts are a major part of the squirrel's diet. Squirrels use their forelimbs to dig out buried nuts which have fallen from trees; these nuts help provide many of the [[nutrients] that squirrels require to survive, and with their small size and quickness, it is easy for them to access to nuts.

However, in the early spring season, nuts are hard to come by, since they typically begin sprouting. Squirrels thus complement their diet with other plant foods such as seeds, conifer cones, fruits, and fungi. Being omnivorous, squirrels have been known to consume meat and insects as well, especially when faced with a severe shortage of plant life and vegetation. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3670745?origin=crossref<ref> Larger species, such as the white-tailed antelope squirrel, have been found to eat lizards and smaller rodents along with plants. <ref>http://www.jstor.org/stable/3672818?origin=crossref&cookieSet=1

With their natural environments being persistently encroached upon by human property, the squirrels' diet frequently leads them to gardens. In particular, they can be drawn to bird feeders as a source of sustenance. http://www.toronto.ca/animal_services/squirrel.htm Like many of their rodent cousins, the squirrel is known to be a garden pest for their capability of feeding on and ruining vegetation. When a squirrel does decide to invade a garden, they are indiscriminate in their eating habits; in other words, they will consume seeds, berries, fruit, vegetables, and even roots and bark. Flowers, too, can be dug up by squirrels, which feed on their bulbs and seeds. Homes that are located near fields and wild land are particularly susceptible to squirrel infestation. Seasonally, squirrels are most active in the summer and spring, in the mid-morning or late afternoon. You may opt to keep an eye out during these periods to see if squirrels are ravaging your garden. http://www.common-garden-pests.com/common-garden-pests-squirrels.html

If squirrels are posing a significant problem to your garden, you may choose to control them by setting up traps. Box-type traps with fruit or nut bait can be effective in keeping squirrels in check. Poison traps can also be placed with bait, but you should consult a farm adviser or county agent first. http://www.common-garden-pests.com/common-garden-pests-squirrels.html The major problem with killing squirrels, aside from ethical issues, is that generally squirrel populations are so plentiful that it won't safeguard your gardens; more will come to replace those you kill. Most gardeners find that a better and more humane solution is to provide a food source for the squirrels in a separate area of the yard, encouraging them to snack on the feed instead of your flowers or birdseed.