Jan 21

Jan 21 National Squirrel Appreciation Day

Squirrels are a very common animal and most people see them at some stage or another, especially if you live in a city. They are often found in parks, college campuses and forests. They adapt very quickly to their environment and remember the decent locations for food. They are also very cute, soft and fluffy. We have to admire them for their resilience and intelligence as well. Problem-solving does not take them very long at all.

There are over 250 different species of squirrels over the whole world. They bury nuts into the ground, which is called caching, and this lets them help with fruit and tree renewal because some will remember where they buried them while others won’t. They also eat mushroom spores, and once digested and passed through their system, the fungi help matter to decompose and thus the plants get the nutrition they need to grow. Therefore squirrels help maintain the symbiotic relationship between plants and mushrooms and help spread the growth of plants all over the world. Whether the squirrel is a ground, tree or flying squirrel they all have their purpose in the global ecosystem.

This day was founded by Christy Hargrove who is a wildlife rehabilitator and is affiliated with the North Carolina Nature Centre..

To celebrate the day, put out some extra food for them and sit and watch them. They are fascinating to watch. Learn more about the squirrels in your area. Look up some interesting facts about ones like the Artic Squirrels or the Japanese Squirrels. There is a lot to look up and find out about.

Ok, what are your thoughts on squirrels? Love them or hate them, whichever it is, they are here to stay. I personally think they are great little animals and unfortunately, not seen ours for a bit but hoping they come back in the Spring, seeing as last year was the first time we have had them, despite the fact there are woods behind us and trees all up the track.

And one last message for Kieran from the squirrels :