Fun Facts About Squirrels

Fun Facts About Squirrels! 

 

1. National Squirrel Appreciation Day is January 21^st.

Show your backyard friends some love on January 21^st for National Squirrel Appreciation Day! Nuts, berries, and pinecones covered in birdseed and peanut butter are special treats that your furry friends won’t be able to resist.

 

2. Squirrels’ four front teeth continue to grow.

Since squirrels constantly chew on their food, their four front teeth continue to grow.  This survival adaptation makes it possible for them to continue to eat hard nuts, roots, seeds, and other tough vegetation.  They also eat grasses, flowers, and tomatoes from your garden!

 

3. Squirrels vary in size and can be anywhere from 7cm long to 1 meter long.

The African Pygmy Squirrel is the smallest species of squirrel and measures in at only about 2.5 inches. The largest squirrel, the Indian Giant Squirrel, is a whopping 36 inches long!

The average Grey Squirrel that you might find in your backyard is about 15 to 20 inches long and weighs about one pound.  That’s quite a difference in length and weight!

 

4. There are 200 species of squirrels in the world.

From tree squirrels to flying squirrels, there are over 200 different species of squirrels in the world.

 

5. Baby squirrels are born blind.

Mother squirrels usually give birth to live babies who are blind when they’re born.  There are between two to eight baby squirrels born in each litter and they’re all totally dependent upon their mother until about three months old.

Some mother squirrels have a few litters of babies each year, so they are very busy! When they’re born, baby squirrels are usually only about one inch long.

 

6. Squirrels talk through whistling.

Have you ever heard a squirrel start to whistle or chirp when you got too close? That’s how they warn other squirrels of danger.  Their whistles, chirps, and clicks are usually loud and can carry through the forest with ease.

 

7. Squirrels are hoarders.

Food hoarders, that is! Grey squirrels, the kind you probably have in your backyard, are scatter hoarders. They bury and store their food one nut at a time all around their territory.

Sometimes, other squirrels, birds, and rodents steal their stash without them knowing. Don’t worry though, because squirrels have even been known to detect their food under a foot of snow!

Want to learn more about Squirrels? I have found Amazon to have one of the best selections of books for kids.

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 The World of the Gray Squirrel (Living world books) Amazing Pictures & Fun Facts and pictures on Animals in Nature about Squirrel Squirrel: Children Book of Fun Facts & Amazing Photos on Animals in Nature  Discover the World of Squirrels: Illustrated Kids Book  Builds Kids Vocabulary Amazing Photos & Fun Facts Book About Squirrels (Remember Me Series)

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We enjoy getting out in nature and squirrel watching. I hope you take some time out even in the winter to enjoy all of God’s creation-like the squirrel!

Don’t forget to download your free printable! 

In Awe,

Laura