Animal ID card |
|
|---|---|
Scientific name |
Sciurus vulgaris. |
Common name |
Red squirrel, Eurasian squirrel. |
Origin |
Eurasia. |
Class |
Mammals. |
Order |
Rodents. |
Family |
Sciuridae. |
Size weight |
Its body, thin and slender, has short legs extended with sharp claws. The squirrel measures 18 to 25 cm and its tail, 16 to 20 cm. In terms of weight, the animal weighs, on average, 400 g. |
Special features |
Its particularity lies in its plumed tail which serves as a balance, rudder and visual marker at the time of mating. It allows him, in fact, to communicate his emotions. Its red color (darker in winter) and its white belly also characterize it. There is no sexual dimorphism. |
Life expectancy |
Although it can live up to 6 to 7 years, the red squirrel lives, on average, 3 years because it is subject to the risks of road traffic, predators (martens, birds of prey, dogs, cats) and starvation. In captivity, it can live more than 10 years. |
Present in Europe for 3 million years, this arboreal rodent can be observed in all the forests of France with the exception of Corsica and the Mediterranean islands.
What is the habitat of the red squirrel?
The red squirrel is a
solitary animal
outside of breeding periods.
It lives in coniferous or deciduous forests but also parks and wooded gardens.
Its territory, from 2 to 5 hectares, is chosen according to its richness in food.
The squirrel builds its nest in trees or arranges an abandoned bird's nest, more than 6 m high.
Measuring up to 50 cm in diameter, its refuge is spherical and composed of branches and leaves on the outside, moss and blades of grass on the inside.
The squirrel builds its nest in the trees or arranges an abandoned bird's nest.
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No use without permission.
This is where it sleeps at night and rests during the day:
it is a diurnal animal.
The red squirrel can also take up residence in the hollow of a tree trunk.
However, the animal regularly descends to the ground to gather mushrooms, collect fruits or hide its food reserves.
Note that in winter, the red squirrel does not hibernate.
He simply takes refuge in his cozy nest, sheltered from the wind and bad weather.
Also read: Hedgehog: the friendliest garden helper
What does the red squirrel eat?
The red squirrel is
omnivorous
, predominantly herbivorous.
It feeds on seeds of conifers, tree fruits (acorns, beechnuts, etc.) and nuts (hazelnuts, chestnuts, etc.).
It also appreciates bark, buds, mushrooms, insects and more rarely eggs.
Intelligent, the red squirrel is known for its habit of hiding provisions, in autumn, in improvised hiding places (underground, under a stone, etc.).
He can therefore stockpile enormous quantities of food in anticipation of the winter period.
But his memory often plays tricks on him: he doesn't always find his hiding places.
It thus contributes to
the
regeneration of trees
through the germination of forgotten seeds.
The red squirrel can feed on nuts (hazelnuts, chestnuts, etc.).
Copyright (c) 2023 Monika Surzin/Shutterstock.
No use without permission.
What is the life cycle of the red squirrel?
The red squirrel reaches
sexual maturity at 1 year of age
.
The mating season occurs twice a year: in January-February and June-July.
During her heat, the female attracts the male by depositing urine and vaginal secretions.
Mating generally results in the birth of
3 to 4 squirrels
, after 38 to 42 days of gestation.
The male leaves the nest one to two days after birth.
Weaned at the age of 8 weeks, the young become independent and conquer their own territory.
The red squirrel: parasites and diseases
Red squirrels are often prey to
external parasites
such as fleas, lice and ticks.
They are, potentially, vectors of diseases such as borreliosis.
The red squirrel is also subject to coccidiosis caused by internal parasites (coccidia).