Nutty By Nature: Five Facts About Eastern Gray Squirrels
By Linda Forte-Spearing, Volunteer, Ohio Wildlife Center
Love ‘em or loath ‘em, January 21 is Squirrel Appreciation Day. Here’s what you need to know about nature’s nuttiest tree dwellers.
#1 A Squirrel-ly Past.
It’s hard to imagine an indoor squirrel (think Clark Griswold and Christmas Vacation), but it was an acceptable practice in the 1700s. Colonial Americans often kept wild animals as pets, and gray squirrels were no exception amongst urban wealthy families. Even Benjamin Franklin was an ardent fan, penning an epitaph for a friend’s dead squirrel in 1722. Alas! Poor Mungo!
As with all fads, however, squirrels fell out of vogue and those in the wild were branded as pests. In 1807, Ohio’s General Assembly passed a law requiring all taxable persons to bring their payments and their quota of squirrel skins to the County Clerk.
A massive hunt killed almost 20,000 squirrels in 1822. Such organized events continued through the 1880s, until dwindling populations prompted new legislation, restricting hunting seasons and bag limits.
#2 Form Follows Function.
When it comes to practical design, a squirrel’s tail is award winning! Not only is it fashionable, it’s versatile and highly functional. First and foremost, it’s used for balance. Watch a squirrel crossing a telephone wire and you’ll see a tail swinging from side to side — like a tightrope walker using a pole. Should the squirrel have a misstep, it acts like a parachute, slowing the descent of the fall.
It’s a built-in blanket in the winter. It provides shade in the summer. And it’s a handy umbrella. But it’s also a mode of communication. A wagging tail alerts other squirrels of impending danger, whether a near-by predator or a soon-to-be territorial dispute. While the wave or shiver of a tail says “how do you do” to potential mates.
#3 Hey Look, Squirrel!
Squirrels are a distraction to cats, dogs, people, and yes, to other squirrels. It’s a brilliant strategy, really. And one that a squirrel will exhibit whenever it’s being “watched.” They dig a hole. Pretend to bury something. Then cover that hole with leaves and debris. These think ahead antics trick would-be-thieves into looting vacant spaces.
Like their chipmunk cousins, gray squirrels hoard their grub in underground caches. They collect seasonally abundant foodstuffs — nuts, seeds, buds, and the like — and stash them away for later consumption. It’s said they can bury 25 nuts an hour and remember where they’ve hidden them. Their memory is debatable. The impact of their forgotten seeds in the forest, not so much.
#4 Organized Leafy Chaos.
To the untrained eye, it might look a bit haphazard. But a gray’s leafy nest is, in fact, quite sturdy. Location is key, especially in the rodent world, and arboreal squirrels will select the strongest spot — a fork in the tree, for example. First they’ll weave a platform of live green twigs. Then they’ll add a layer of moss and/or dampened leaves. They’ll finish with vine and more twigs, creating a spherical outer shell.
If it seems like a lot of work, it is. Though it’s not uncommon for gray squirrels to build a second and third nest some distance away from their primary home. Mother squirrels will raise up to 8 babies, twice a year, in this specialized dwelling.
#5 Box Me In, Please!
Speaking of dwellings — sometimes our wild friends need a little help! Most squirrels will take up residence in a clean nest box. Such a wooden structure provides protection from the elements. Watching them come and go provides endless entertainment for human onlookers.
Ready-made nest boxes are available at most major retailers and pet supply stores. If you’d prefer to make one yourself, Ohio Wildlife Center offers free plans here.
Ohio Wildlife Center operates a free wildlife hospital in Powell, Ohio. Please call the Center’s monitored information hotline at 614-793-WILD for assistance with common wildlife situations. Or visit www.ohiowildlifecenter.org for additional information.
Sources:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/pet-squirrel-craze
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Eastern_Gray_Squirrel