Squirrels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More about Yggdrasil may be found on the page Religion: Animism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The largest diversity of squirrels is found in tropical rainforests. Temperate Eurasia harbours only about 20 species, whereas the family is numerous and diverse in North America, numbering altogether about 84 species.

The word squirrel, which was in use as early as 1327, is derived from the Anglo-Norman name esquirel, which is again from the Old French escurel, a corruption of the Latin sciurus, which is derived from Ancient Greek skiuros, ultimately from skia (‘shadow’) and oura (‘tail’), thus ‘shadow-tailed’, alluding to the large, bushy tail of many squirrels. Some species have a habit of flicking their tail over their back, and in this way tropical species are able to use their tail as a protection against the fierce sunshine.

Squirrels are mainly vegetarians, but also eat various insects and other invertebrates, besides eggs and young of smaller birds. Larger squirrels are able to kill small mammals like mice, and a Mexican ground squirrel (Ictidomys mexicanus) was observed killing a young rabbit, which was almost a fourth of its own size. Cannibalism occurs in several species. Sometimes squirrels feed on dead animals.

Many squirrels living in cold areas hibernate during winter, and some even aestivate during the hottest part of the summer.

Dead squirrels should be handled with care, as their fleas can carry bubonic plague.

Below, a number of squirrel species, which I have managed to photograph around the world, are described. All subfamilies are represented, with the exception of Sciurillinae, which contains a single species, the neotropical pygmy squirrel (Sciurillus pusillus).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Currently, 3 subspecies are recognized. Subspecies macroura is jet-black above, rump with grizzled appearance, underparts cream-coloured to pale yellow, tail black with a white tip. It is restricted to the central highlands of Sri Lanka, up to elevations around 2,000 m.

Subspecies dandolena is brown above, grizzled with white, underside brownish-cream, rump white, tail dark, frosted with white hairs, forehead and feet black. It is found in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, and in India.

Subspecies melanochra is jet-black above, underparts cream-coloured to orange-yellow, tail black, frosted with white hairs. It is distributed in the low-country wet zone of Sri Lanka, and in intermediate zones of the country.

The subspecies vary tremendously, even within a local population, so why it is divided into 3 subspecies is a reasonable question.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek makros, which, strictly speaking, means ‘long’, but is also translated as ‘large’; and oura (‘tail’), thus ‘large-tailed’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An extensive genetic study from 2020 (Abreu et al. 2020) concludes that the genus is paraphyletic and should be split into 11 or 12 genera, leaving only 3 species in Sciurus. However, this suggestion has not been widely accepted, and for the time being I retain the older concept of the genus.

The generic name is explained at the top of this page.

Interestingly, the Grand Canyon constitutes a barrier between two subspecies of Abert’s squirrel (S. aberti), found on the Colorado Plateau. They are of similar size, with large bushy tails and long ear tufts – but their colouring is very different. Abert’s squirrel, ssp. aberti, which lives in coniferous forests south of the Grand Canyon, has white belly and grey tail, whereas the Kaibab squirrel, ssp. kaibabensis, found in a similar habitat north of the canyon, has black belly and white tail.

 

These animals are active throughout the year, and in autumn they store nuts and fruits in underground caches. They are not able to remember where the food was buried, but find it by smelling it under the snow. Grey squirrels are often a nuisance on bird feeders, where they consume most of the food that was intended for birds. In parks and other places, where people regularly feed grey squirrels, they become very tame indeed.

The eastern grey squirrel has been successfully introduced to South Africa, Britain, and other places. In Britain, it is regarded as a pest, as it outcompetes the native Eurasian red squirrel (below), which is now scarce south of Scotland. Extermination campaigns of grey squirrels have been initiated in the U.K., causing the red squirrel to increase in several places.

The specific name refers to the Carolinas. Presumably, the type specimen was collected there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It lives in various types of forest, from sea level to an elevation of about 3,000 m. It is confiding and often occurs in picnic grounds.

The specific name refers to a Spanish enclave named Virreinato de Nueva Granada (‘The Viceroyalty of New Granada’) – an area, which in the 1700s covered present-day Panama, Columbia, Venezuela, and Ecuador.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘grey’.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘black’.

 

 

 

 

 

As the specific and popular names imply, the coat of this squirrel varies considerably, not only between the 15 subspecies, but also between individuals in the same population.

 

 

 

 

 

This species is common and very widely distributed, from the major part of Europe eastwards across the Siberian taiga to the Kamchatka Peninsula, and thence along the Pacific coast southwards to north-eastern China, Korea, and the Japanese island Hokkaido. There are also scattered populations in Central Asia, and a separate population in the Caucasus.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘common’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is composed of two other genus names, Tamias (chipmunks, see below) and Sciurus (above). The name refers to these squirrels being almost as small as chipmunks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific and common names honour Scottish gardener and botanist David Douglas (1799-1834), who explored the North American flora during three expeditions. He introduced many American trees, bushes, and herbs into British cultivation. In a letter to Sir William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865), director of the Botanical Gardens of Glasgow University, he wrote, “You will begin to think I manufacture pines at my pleasure.”

Douglas died under mysterious circumstances while climbing Mauna Kea in Hawaii in 1834. Apparently, he fell into a pit trap and was possibly crushed by a bull that fell into the same trap. He was last seen at the hut of Englishman Edward ‘Ned’ Gurney, a bullock hunter and escaped convict. Gurney was suspected to have caused Douglas’s death, as Douglas was said to have been carrying more money than Gurney subsequently delivered with the body. (Source: Nisbet 2009)

 

 

 

 

 

Presumably, the specific name refers to Hudson Bay.

 

 

 

 

 

Despite their name, flying squirrels cannot really fly, but between their forelegs and hindlegs is a large fold of skin, which, when spread out, assists them in gliding from one tree to another. This skin fold contains muscles, making it possible for the squirrel to manoeuvre in the air.

Most species are strictly nocturnal, spending the daytime hours sleeping in their nest, which is often an abandoned woodpecker hole. Animals in cold areas do not really hibernate in the winter, but spend long periods being inactive, in order to save energy. The animals often huddle together to keep warm.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek petauristes (‘acrobat’), naturally alluding to the elegant gliding of these animals.

 

Previously, it was regarded as a subspecies of the widespread red giant flying squirrel (P. petaurista). However, recent genetic research has split that species into a number of separate species. The white-bellied was also formerly reported eastwards to the Yunnan Province, but eastern Himalayan animals are now recognized as belonging to a recently described separate species, the Yunnan giant flying squirrel (P. yunanensis).

The specific name is derived from the Latin albus (‘white’) and venter (‘belly’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first part of the generic name is derived from the Greek kallos (‘beautiful’) – although many of the species are of a rather plain brown colour.

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek erythros (‘red’), alluding to the belly, which is often – but not always – reddish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘marked’. What it refers to is not clear.

 

 

 

 

 

The fur of this animal varies greatly in colouration, according to subspecies, but upperside and tail are usually greyish-brown or reddish-brown, whereas the underside may be brownish, reddish, or whitish.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek pyge (‘rump’) and erythros (‘red’), alluding to the hind parts of the underside being reddish in some subspecies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is composed of the genus name Tamias (chipmunks, see below), and Ancient Greek opsis (‘appearance’), referring to the similarity of these squirrels to chipmunks.

 

The specific name is not very appropriate, as this squirrel is mainly found in inland forests.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin funis (‘rope’) and‎ ambulo (‘to walk’), thus ‘rope-walker’, alluding to the agility of these animals.

 

Previously, it was regarded as a subspecies of F. sublineatus in southern India, but was upgraded to a separate species in 2012.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘dark’ or ‘dusky’.

 

 

 

 

 

It has been introduced to Madagascar and surrounding islands, and to Australia, where it has become a minor pest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek pente (‘five’), like the common name referring to 5 whitish stripes, 3 that divide the dark brown fur on the back into 4 parts, and one stripe along each side, slightly paler than the underside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is composed of Ancient Greek geo- (‘of the earth’), and the genus name Sciurus, thus ‘ground squirrel’.

 

This animal is also known as Cape ground squirrel, which is misleading, as it is not restricted to the Cape Province.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘ear-ring’. Presumably, it refers to the ears of this squirrel being very small and pointing out at a ninety-degree angle, thus resembling ear-rings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is composed of Ancient Greek para (‘next to’ or ‘near’), and Xerus, the former name of the genus Geosciurus (above), presumably indicating that these squirrels are closely related to, or resembling, members of that genus.

 

The common name commemorates Scottish surgeon, explorer, ethnologist, and zoologist Andrew Smith (1797-1872), who undertook several expeditions in southern Africa 1822-1836.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Greek sperma (‘seed’) and philos (‘fond of’), thus ‘fond of seeds’. The name souslik is derived from the Russian name of these animals, suslik.

 

It is active during the day, living in colonies, in burrows dug into grassy areas. The animals in a colony take turns as sentinels, emitting a sharp whistle in case of danger, which makes all members scurry back to safety in the burrows. It hibernates for many months between autumn and early spring, the length of time depending on the local climate.

Presumably, the specific name is also derived from the Russian suslik. It is generally translated as ‘ground squirrel’.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek xanthos (‘yellow’) and prymnos (‘underside’), alluding to the yellowish belly of this animal.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Greek kallos (‘beautiful’), sperma (‘seed’), and philos (‘fond of’), thus ‘the beauty that loves seeds’ – an appropriate name, as the two North American species are certainly among the most beautiful squirrel species in the world.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘of the side’. This is puzzling, as the side of this species is greyish, whereas the beautiful stripes is down the back. However, it may refer to the golden-brown sides of the head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek ot-, the stem of ous (‘ear’), sperma (‘seed’), and philos (‘fond of’), thus ‘the eared one that loves seeds’. It seems that Prussian zoologist Johann Friedrich von Brandt (1802-1879), who named the genus in 1844, found that its members had rather large ears. He was mainly working in Russia, exploring parts of Siberia.

 

It was named in honour of English naval officer, artist, explorer, and writer Frederick William Beechey (1796-1856), who undertook several expeditions along the west coasts of North and South America.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It lives in semi-arid areas, from the lowlands to an altitude of about 2,900 m. As its name implies, it is mainly found in rocky areas, including cliffs and canyons, and also rock walls, bridges, and old houses in urban areas.

These animals rarely climb trees, living in burrows in colonies, ruled by a dominant male, which has several subordinate females. The diet includes fruit, seeds, nuts, insects, and earthworms. They will also sometimes eat meat. (Source: nationalgeographic.org/media/photo-ark-rock-squirrel)

This species is quite variable, a fact that is reflected in its specific name.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previously, they were included in the genus Spermophilus (above).

Presumably, the generic name is derived from Ancient Greek oura (‘tail’), and citellus (see Spermophilus citellus above), thus ‘tailed ground squirrels’ – an odd name, as all ground squirrels have a tail.

 

At higher altitudes, these animals may hibernate for as much as eight months a year. They emerge when snow is still covering the ground, looking for mates. After mating, they feed voraciously. Larger males may even kill newly emerged young squirrels and feed on them. Before they again start hibernating, by late August, their weight may have doubled.

The specifc name was applied by American zoologist and anthropologist Clinton Hart Merriam (1855-1942), whose description was based on a specimen sent to him by American ornithologist Lyman Belding (1829-1917), collected in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California. Merriam writes: “I take pleasure in naming it in honor of its discoverer, Mr. L. Belding, of Stockton, California, whose contributions to the knowledge of the zoology of the region, particularly its ornithology, entitle him to lasting remembrance.”

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name honours English Royal Navy officer, explorer, and naturalist William Edward Parry (1790-1855), best known for his expedition 1819-1820 through the Parry Channel, the most successful in the long quest for the Northwest Passage. In 1827, he attempted one of the earliest expeditions to the North Pole, reaching 82°45′ N, a new record.

 

 

 

 

 

These animals all have brownish-whitish fur, with a white stripe along the flanks.

The generic name is derived from the Greek ammos (‘sand’), sperma (‘seed’), and philos (‘fond of’), thus ‘the sand-living (animal), which is fond of seeds’. The common name was given in allusion to their habit of flashing the white underside of their tail as a warning signal to other squirrels in case of danger – similar to the pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), also known as American antelope, which flashes its white fur on the rump in case of danger.

 

The specific name is derived from the Greek leukos (‘white’) and oura (‘tail’).

 

 

 

 

 

It was named in honour of farmer, philanthropist, and naturalist Edward Harris (1799-1863), who accompanied the famous bird painter John James Audubon, born Jean-Jacques Rabin (1785-1851), on two of his expeditions.

 

 

 

 

 

Of the 24 North American species, only two, the eastern and the least (Neotamias minimus), are found in the eastern half of the continent, whereas the rest are distributed in a variety of habitats in the West, many having a rather limited distribution.

All chipmunks have white and black (or dark brown) stripes in their face, and along the back are five dark and four white stripes. Their cheek pouches are very large.

The generic name Tamias is a Greek word, meaning ‘house-keeper’, or ‘storer’, referring to the habit of these animals to deposit nuts and other seeds in several underground caches in order to have a supply of food, should they wake up during the winter, and also when they emerge early in spring. One such cache contained 6 kilograms of food, including 3,000 hazelnuts and c. 1.5 kilos of wheat kernels. The prefix neo- is from the Greek neos, meaning ‘new’.

The common name was originally spelt chitmunk, from a native Ojibwa word, ajidamoo or ajidamoonh, meaning ‘one who descends trees headlong.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin with several meanings, including charming, pleasant, delightful, and beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As its name suggests, this animal lives in forests that contain lodgepole pines (Pinus contorta), along with other pine species. It is omnivorous, eating leaves, flowers, pollen, seeds, small mammals, birds, bird eggs, and insects.

The specific name is from the Latin species (‘appearance’) and‎ -osus, an ending which forms adjectives. In this connection, it may be translated as ‘handsome’ or ‘showy’, probably alluding to the reddish colour along the sides of this animal.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name was given in honour of American naturalist and collector John Kirk Townsend (1809-1851), who participated in an expedition to the Northwest 1834-1835, led by Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth (1802-1856). On his return, Townsend wrote The Narrative of a Journey across the Rocky Mountains to the Columbia River and a Visit to the Sandwich Islands (1839).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main purposes of this journey were to describe this vast area, which was unknown to the white man in those days, and to find an easy access to the west coast, which would make it easier to open the area to trade and settlement.

During their three-year long expedition, Lewis described countless plants and animals, many of which were new to science. Various items were sent to President Jefferson in Washington, including a box, which contained a small animal that the two captains had encountered on the prairie. They learned that French settlers called this animal petite chien (‘little dog’), because to them the warning call of this animal sounded like a barking dog. Consequently, the box was labelled, “Wild dog of the prairie.”

Prairie dogs, however, are not at all dogs, but a type of ground squirrel. Their warning call is indeed slightly reminiscent of a barking dog, and when they sit on their haunches outside their den, keeping a lookout for enemies, they do look a bit like a little, fat dog.

The generic name means ‘dog mouse’ in the Greek. There are five species, of which the commonest is the black-tailed (below). Like the Mexican prairie dog (C. mexicanus), it has a black tip to the tail. The three remaining species, white-tailed (C. leucurus), Utah (below), and Gunnison’s (C. gunnisoni), all have white tip to the tail. Apart from the Utah prairie dog, these animals do not hibernate, but may undergo a mild stupor for a few days at a time during harsh winter weather.

 

Their diet consists of grasses and various herbs, and each animal consumes more than twice its own weight every month. They also eat insects and other invertebrates, and research has revealed that no less than 39% of young prairie dogs fall victim to cannibalism.

Prairie dog droppings deliver nutrients for a number of plant species to grow, and many larger herbivores benefit from this, including the American bison (Bos bison) and the pronghorn. Prairie dogs fall prey to various carnivores and raptors, including bobcat (Lynx rufus), coyote (Canis latrans), American badger (Taxidea taxus), kit fox (Vulpes macrotis), eagles, prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus), and ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis).

The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is a mustelid, which used to be common in prairie dog towns, feeding on the squirrels in their underground tunnels. By 1970, it was feared that this interesting animal had become extinct. However, a small population was found in Wyoming in 1981, and since then, through captive breeding, its numbers have increased tremendously. It has been released in the wild at a number of locations, and seems to thrive, so it may still be possible to save this unique animal.

The small burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) also depends on the prairie dog towns to provide nesting holes.

Thus, prairie dogs create a unique ecosystem.

 

A hundred years later, prairie dog numbers were down by more than 90%, and today only scattered populations exist.

The status of black-tailed and Utah prairie dogs is described below. The populations of white-tailed and Gunnison’s are declining, and both species are regarded as vulnerable. The Mexican prairie dog is endemic to north-central Mexico, found only in the states of Coahuila and San Luis Potosi, formerly also occurring in Nuevo Leon and Zacatecas. The present number of this species is unknown, but its total area of distribution is less than 600 km², and it is threatened with extinction.

 

By far the largest colony is in the Janos Region of Chihuahua, where hundreds of thousands of animals survive, although their numbers are declining, mainly due to increasing cultivation of the area.

The specific name, which is the Latin form of Ludwig or Louis, refers to Captain Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) of the famous Lewis and Clark expedition 1804-1806 (see above), when this prairie dog was first collected for science.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This species has declined drastically, and today it is restricted to an area of about 1,850 km² in southern Utah. Although its numbers have been rising in the last few decades, the total number is less than 10,000, and it is still being regarded as threatened.

The specific name is derived from the Latin parvus (‘small’) and dens (‘tooth’), thus ‘small-toothed’.

 

 

 

 

 

Marmots live in burrows up to 2 m underground, digging tunnels up to 10 m long. They often sit on their haunches outside their burrow, and their shrill warning whistles can be heard far away. Marmots are almost exclusively vegetarians. They do not make food deposits, but in autumn they have become extremely fat, and hibernate throughout the winter.

Arctic hunters kill many hoary marmots (M. caligata) and Alaskan marmots (M. broweri), eating their delicious meat and using their soft underfur to make parkas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the days of Scottish-American writer and environmentalist John Muir (1838-1914), the yellow-bellied marmot was regarded as the same species as the lowland woodchuck, or groundhog (M. monax), which is found in forests in the eastern and northern parts of the continent.

In his book My First Summer in the Sierra, published in 1911, Muir writes: “The (marmot) of the bleak mountains is a very different sort of mountaineer – the most bovine of rodents, a heavy eater, fat, aldermanic in bulk and fairly bloated, in his high pastures, like a cow in a clover field. One woodchuck would outweigh a hundred chipmunks, and yet he is by no means a dull animal. In the midst of what we regard as storm-beaten desolation he pipes and whistles right cheerily, and enjoys long life in his skyland homes.”