Red and safe...
Red Squirrels.
Reasons for Endangered
- Cutting of white pine. (DEP)
- Grey squirrels carry virus parapox that are deadly to native red squirrels.
- Grey squirrels directly competes with red squirrels for food and nesting. (YPTE)
- Hunted for fur. (WIK)
Description
- Small sized tree squirrels.
- Long tail.
- Reddish-brown in summer. Slightly gray in winter.
- 11 - 14 inches long. (DEP)
- Communication: A long rattling buzz. Tail-herking and foot stamping. (WIK)
- Lifespan: 7 years.
- 7-12 oz.
- Active during day. (SZ)
Adaptations
- Long tail for steady leaps, communications, and for bredding. (MNHU) (BK)
- Gray and red coat for camouflage. (DEP)
- Can easily locate stored food under three feet of snow.
- Usually have several nests.
- They can have any number of food caches for pine cones/stored food. (SZ)
Habitat
- Woodlands and forests. (DEP)
- 85% of the 140,000 red squirrels are in Scotland. (WIK)
Food
- Fruits, nuts, seeds, fungi, mice, insects, and other small animals.
- Predators: House cats, owls, and haws. (SZ)
Critical Information
- To control the population of gray squirrels.
- They are Britain's only native squirrels. (YPTE)
- Protected in most of Europe. ( WIK)