![]() ![]() They use their tails to keep warm in their nests during winter, to aid their balance and for communication. Between April and August the natural food supplies of a red squirrel are at their lowest, consequently as many as 5 out of 6 young red squirrels may die in their first year.Ī red squirrel may be 180-240mm long with a tail of up to 175mm. Squirrels do not hibernate, they need to eat all year round to survive. The autumn and winter seed harvest is important for surviving the winter and for breeding successfully the following year. They need a consistent and diverse food supply consisting of tree seeds, nuts, berries, cones, buds, shoots, flowers, lichen, fungi and occasionally insects. When faced with competition from grey squirrels the reds survive best in large blocks of coniferous woodland. Reds are smaller and more timid than greys and appear to be being out-competed by their larger cousins.Īlthough the grey squirrels are increasing their populations in South Cumbria, and to a lesser extent North Cumbria, there are still large numbers of red squirrels within northern areas of the National Park. Red squirrels are endangered species which have been suffering a steady decline in numbers for the last 100 years, ever since the grey squirrel arrived in Britain from North America. This photo shows the red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris), native to the woodlands of the Lake District and one of the few remaining areas of the country where this animal can still be found in the wild. They do not hibernate over winter, but may be less active when weather conditions are bad.Larger version of red squirrel photo (PDF) There are generally 2 litters a year (rarely 3), with 3–7 kittens in each litterĪverage densities in broadleaf areas are approximately 8-18 grey squirrels per hectare, and 0.1-1 per hectare in coniferous areas. ![]() After about seven weeks they look just like small versions of their parents and are ready to leave the drey. Kittens are born with their eyes closed, without teeth and with no hair. Pregnancy lasts 44 days and their young are called kittens. The drey may be in a hole in the tree or set against the trunk and branches. More recently they have taken to living and nesting in loft spaces. Squirrels live high in trees in a nest made from twigs, leaves and moss. Their body is 24–26cm long and their tail is 19-24cm in length. The tail hairs are grey, banded with brown and black and a white fringe. ![]() The upper fur is mainly grey with mid-brown along the upper back, and chestnut over the flanks, limbs and feet. Squirrels molt their coat twice a year, once after winter and then in the late summer before the weather gets colder again. The male and female are usually called a buck and doe. They store nuts in the ground in the autumn, but do not remember where they store them. They will will strip bark from trees during the summer months. They also eat fungi and insects, and occasionally birds’ eggs and fledglings. Grey squirrels eat seeds, buds, flowers, shoots, nuts, berries and fruit from many trees and shrubs. Grey squirrels do not appear to be susceptible to Squirrel pox virus, but may carry and transmit it They were introduced from USA /Canada to approximately 30 sites in England, Scotland and Wales from 1876–1930. Their scientific name is Sciurus carolinensis. ![]()
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