SQUIRRELS
Mammal     -     Vertebrate     -     Herbivore   -   Omnivore - (Flying Squirrel)
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GREY SQUIRREL
Male:  Buck
Female:  Doe
Young:  Pup, Kit, Kitten
SQUIRRELS
There are 365 species of squirrel.   
They can be found on every continent except Antartica and Australia.
There are 50 species of flying squirrels.
  • ​​Nests are called 'dreys'.
  • Eat nuts, fruit and seeds.
  • Are rodents.
  • Grey squirrels are called 'living fossils' as they haven't changed much in 37 million years.
  • Their teeth never stop growing.
  • Are born blind.
  • Cannot burp or vomit.
  • Have no colour vision - they see only in black and white.
  • Their eyes are positioned so that they can see behind them.
  • Can generally remember the hiding places of up to 10,000 nuts, yet ...
  • Millions of trees are accidentally planted by squirrels who have buried their nuts and forgotten where they hid them.
  • They kiss to identify each other.
  • Are immune to rabies.
  • Live about 9 years.
  • Hind legs are double-jointed, which allows them to run up and down trees very quickly.
  • Can climb trees faster than they can run on the ground.
  • Use their tails both for balance and as a parachute.
  • Can jumps a distance of up to 20 feet.  
  • Can run at speeds of up to 20 miles an hour.  
  • Will adopt other squirrel's babies if they are abandoned.
  • In 2007, Iran claimed 14 squirrels found near the nation's border, were actually spies!
  • Memorise their siblings by their sent.  

Chipmunks
  • Are small squirrels with stripes.
  • Have cheek pouches to help them carry food.
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​Flying Squirrels
  • Flying squirrels glide between trees.  Once they land, they climb back up a tree to continue their flight.
  • Eat nuts and acorns, bark, sap, seeds, flowers, berries, fruit lichen, slugs, snails, young mice, insects, birds' eggs and baby birds.
  • Main predators are raccoons, foxes, owls, coyotes, snakes, birds, cats and dogs.
  • Live about 6 years in the wild and 10-15 years in captivity.

Groundhog or Woodchuck . visit Symbolism / American Groundhog Day
  • Are members of the squirrel family.
  • Are herbivores
  • Live a feast or famine lifestyle - gorging themselves all summer to build up their fat reserves.
  • Hibernate in the Spring ​
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FLYING SQUIRREL
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RED SQUIRREL
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GROUNDHOG
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ALBINO GREY SQUIRREL