If you catch a glimpse of the distinctive rusty coloured coat of a red squirrel in the UK, it is a rare moment.
Red squirrels are recognisable for their red fur, fluffy ear tufts and long, bushy tail. However, they are sadly registered as anendangeredspecies in Britain due to their grey counterpart.
Do you know the differences between a grey and a red squirrel? Read on to learn about what reds eat, if they hibernate, when they breed and where to find them.
1. Why are red squirrels endangered?
It is so uncommon to see a red squirrel as they are an endangered species. When grey squirrels were introduced to the UK from North America by the Victorians in the 1800s it contributed to the decline of red squirrels.
Red squirrels are at a disadvantage to grey squirrels as they are unable to digest acorns and have an inferior memory which allows the grey squirrels to get more food than red squirrels.
The main cause behind their decline is that grey squirrels carry a disease, a Parapoxvirus, which can kill red squirrels. When red squirrels are put under pressure they will not breed as much, which lowers their population.
2. Do red squirrels hibernate?
No, red squirrels don’t hibernate. So, in the autumn reds spend most of their time collecting food to store for the winter when they’ll be less active, but awake.
They store fungi in trees to eat over the winter months. When they have easy access to food, they put on weight in the autumn to help them in the cold months. This is key for breeding females to ensure they are in good condition for producing babies in the spring.
3. What do red squirrels eat?
They eat mostly seeds, hazelnuts and ripe acorns, fungus, bark, and sapwood but also from time to time eat animal prey such as young birds and eggs.
Red squirrels especially like pine seeds, but also eat larch and spruce seeds. Because they disperse seeds, they play a vital role in the reforestation process.
4. Where can you find red squirrels around the world?
Red squirrels tend to habit coniferous forests and deciduous woods in Europe and northern Asia. They live in places such as the UK, Ireland and western Europe to Russia, Mongolia, and northwest China.
However, the red squirrel population in the UK has fallen dramatically since grey squirrels were brought to the UK in the 1870s.
5. What is the difference between red and grey squirrels?
The main difference in appearance is their coat colour. With grey squirrels having a grey coat and a few having red fur down their backs and on their feet. The reds have coats that range from light orange to almost black and are shed twice a year, turning thicker and darker in winter. They also have small ear tufts that develop into large tufts in winter.
Red squirrels have bushy tails which are used for balance, communication and to slow them down when jumping. It is also used to keep them warm when they shelter from the cold. Red squirrels socially are very elusive and spend much of their time in the tree canopy.
6. When is the breeding season for red squirrels?
Red squirrels will usually produce 2-3 offspring, called kittens. This usually happens between February and April and they often produce a second litter from May to June.
When they are not in mating season, red squirrels tend to live alone, but in the early spring, they come out to mate.
Their offspring are born 45-48 days after mating and are looked after by their mothers.
Kittens stay with their mothers and are weaned at around 10 weeks when they develop a complete set of teeth. Some stay with their mothers over winter. Sadly, only 20- 50% of red squirrels survive to adulthood.
7. How rare are red squirrels?
The red squirrel is officially categorised as a ‘Near Threatened’ species in England, Wales and Northern Ireland but is more commonly seen in Scotland.
It was said that Scotland used to be so covered with trees and that red squirrels could have journeyed from its West to East coast without touching down on the ground.
Since the introduction of the greys, the population of reds has plummeted from around 3.5 million to between 120,000 to 160,000 red squirrels.
8. How long does a red squirrel live?
Red squirrels can live up to an average of three years, although some have been known to live up to 10 years in whilst living in captivity.
Other red squirrel fun facts:
Red squirrels rotate their ears to pick up sounds, and possibly also to communicate with others, just like dogs!
Red squirrels are strong swimmers and can hang upside down!
Baby red squirrels are called kittens.