 For Anyone Interested in the Wildlife of the United Kingdom |
 |
For Anyone Interested in the Wildlife of the United Kingdom |
|
|
Home | Search | UK Safari Shop | Identify It | News | Members Area | Contributors | E-cards | About |
 |
|
Red Squirrels
The fur coats of red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) are at their thickest and most colourful in January. Well you’ve got to look you're trying to attract a partner haven’t you? It’s the mating time for squirrels, and if you look up in the tree tops you’ll witness daring chases as females leap from branch to branch, closely pursued by one or more eager males. They move so fast they hardly seem to touch the branches. It may look like a game, but these death-defying trapeze acts ensure only the very fittest males will catch and mate with a female. The females have their young in a nest (called a drey) high in a tree made from twigs, leaves and moss. The young (called kittens) are born hairless, with their eyes closed. After about seven weeks they look just like smaller replicas of their parents and are ready to leave the drey. Since the arrival of the Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) our little native Red Squirrel has become a much rarer sight. Greys tend to drive the reds out of their territories, and they also carry the Squirrel Pox Virus. The grey's are unaffected by this virus, but unfortunately it’s deadly to our native reds. You can still see native red squirrels in a number of locations. Details in the links below.
|
|
 |
