SQUIRRELS

Do you know about squirrel?
Have you ever seen?

Squirrels are a family of rodents that includes marmots and chipmunks. They have long and bushy tails. Why they have it? Squirrels have long bushy tails for many reasons. The primary use of the tail is for balance, mostly in climbing trees. Another use of a squirrel's tail is as a parachute if the squirrel falls. It can use this bushy tail to keep it warm in the winter. And it also uses its tail to communicate with other squirrels.

Most squirrels are omnivores. They eat anything they find. Many kinds of squirrels live in trees, so they often find nuts. Despite living in trees squirrels are considered flightless because they can only jump short distances. Squirrel often shake their tails when they are upset or agitated, or in danger from a believed predator. Some believe they do it to distract their aggressor. It's usually considered to be a negative signal. It means "Get away from me!"

Squirrels will eat their own. However, parents will also use their mouths to carry their baby and juvenile offspring from place to place. They eat seeds, berries and pine cones too. Sometimes they eat bird's eggs and insects. Most tree squirrels store food in the fall, to eat in the winter. Tree squirrels have adapted to living in the city as well as the country. They prefer to live in tree cavities. If a squirrel cannot find a comfortable hole, it will build a large nest. It puts leafy twigs in the fork of a tree, then adds leaves, grass, and small twigs. If you see a big clump of leaves and branches in a treetop, it probably belongs to a squirrel.

Ground squirrels do not store food. They hibernate which means they spend winter in a deep sleep. Most tree-dwelling squirrels, such as red and gray squirrels, do not hibernate during winter and stay active throughout the day as long as the temperature does not fall below 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Ground squirrels, especially those that can be found in the Arctic, Alaska and Canada, do practice hibernation. Ground squirrels are also called gophers. They are often mistaken for moles because of their similarity in habitat and eating habits. Gophers spend about 85 percent of the winter in hibernation and in a physiological state of torpor. Their body temperature drops to match the temperature of the environment and their respiration, metabolism and heart rate slow down considerably. Pocket gophers, however, are similar to other squirrels as they stay active throughout the cold season.

For your information, squirrels are 'a good swimmer'. Squirrels swim using a dog paddle motion, and their tail as a rudder. Swimming is very strenuous for a squirrel, and it's not done unless absolutely necessary. Most mammals can and do swim. Some just don't do it very often because of either not much available water or it is difficult for them.

The most common European squirrels are red or brown in color, while common American squirrels are grey or black. Grey squirrels have been introduced into Europe (most notably, Great Britain), where they cause problems to the red squirrel's population. Red squirrels are protected in most of Europe. Squirrels have many predators or enemies. Foxes, raccoons, hawks and owls eat squirrels.

Life cycle

Squirrels breed in February and March in winter, and in June and July in summer. Females may become pregnant up to twice a year. Usually 4-6 young are born, after a gestation period (pregnancy) of around 39 days. 

Young squirrels are deaf and blind during the first few weeks of their life.

Most squirrels die in the first year of life. Adult squirrels can have a lifespan of 5 to 10 years in the wild. Some can survive 10 to 20 years in captivity.

QUESTIONS

1. Why squirrel can be a good swimmer?'

a. Because they live in tree

b. They eat insects

c. They have tails as rudder
d. They have webbed feet
e. They have a special style in swimming

2. When the squirrels shake their tails?

a. They feel amused

b. They upset or agitated

c. They find the food
d. They fall-in love 
e. When they feel cold

3. Why squirrels have a bushy tails?

a. To balance their body, keep warm in winter, help to climb tree, and communicate with other squirrels.

b. As the feature

c. To attract the opposite sex
d. Help them take the food
e. To facilitate the birth process

4. How much the young are born?

a. 1-3
b. 16-20
c. 7-10

d. 4-6

e. 11-15

5. Do squirrels practice hibernate?
a. Only for ground squirrels
b. Yes for every kind of squirrels
c. Only for tree-dwelling squirrels
d. No for every kind of squirrels

e. Yes for ground squirrels, and no for tree-dwelling squirrels