The News For Squirrels

Squirrel Facts: The European Ground Squirrel

2013-05-12T18:47:00.001-05:00

The European ground squirrel, also called the European souslik, is one of only two species of ground squirrels that inhabit Europe. Its range covers parts of eastern and southeastern Europe, including Poland, southern Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Serbia, Romania, Austria, Greece, Bulgaria, and Macedonia.

Like most ground squirrel species, European ground squirrels are diurnal (active during the day), and live in colonies made up of individual burrows. Their favored habitat is short-grass steppe, pastures, lawns, or park land. This squirrel is gray or yellow-gray in color, with a body about 8 inches long and the tail slightly over 2 inches.

This species eats a primarily herbivorous diet made up of grasses, roots, and seeds, along with some insects, which they carry in their cheeks to eat in the safety of the den. During foraging, some individuals act as sentinels, alerting the colony to danger with a whistling call. They hibernate from autumn until March, with the exact length of the hibernation varying by location depending on the severity of the winter.

Unfortunately, the European ground squirrel is threatened and has declined or disappeared over much of its range. It was declared extinct in Germany around 1985, and had also completely disappeared in Poland although it has since been reintroduced in that country. The primary reason for its disappearance has been the conversion of its meadow and grassland habitat into cultivated farmland. However, in some areas of Bulgaria and Romania, populations have stabilized or increased since the 1980s as agricultural intensity has reduced with the fall of former communist governments.

The European ground squirrel has been in the news recently in Vienna, Austria, where a colony of the threatened squirrels is delaying the construction of a new apartment complex. Officials in the city are trying to lure the animals away from the site by designing and constructing a new park nearby. The fifteen acre park will include "a wide range of flowers and herbs" that designers hope will induce at least half of the ground squirrels to move voluntarily, after which the remaining squirrels will be persuaded through the use of "light pressure" (what this would involve is not explained).

Of course, one might think that a more obvious solution would be to build the apartments on the site of the planned park, and let the ground squirrels stay where they are.

Why Did The Flying Squirrel Cross The Road?

2013-05-11T18:56:00.001-05:00

In 2002, concerned scientists noticed that northern flying squirrels were unable to cross a stretch of scenic highway in the Unicoi Mountains of western North Carolina. This was a problem because the flying squirrels, which are declining in numbers, were unable to access foraging sites and get to others of their species for mating.

The Carolina northern flying squirrel is an endangered species that inhabits mountain forests of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The nocturnal squirrels glide by launching themselves from a tall tree, and can typically cover distances of up to about 80 feet. But the highway, along with an adjacent treeless area on both shoulders, created a space 125 feet wide, too much distance for the squirrels to cover.

Northern Flying Squirrel Gliding

Fortunately, biologists from the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission and North Carolina State University came up with a creative solution to this problem, and it seems to be working. The scientists have installed three pairs of wooden poles about 46 feet high, with launching platforms at the top of each pole. The poles in each pair are situated about 49 feet apart, on each side of the road. This gives the squirrels the means to launch themselves across the highway to find food, den sites, and mates.

A Northern Flying Squirrel at a Bird Feeder

To test whether the flying squirrels were using the platforms, the research team set up cameras at the poles for a 15 month period in 2009 and 2010. During this time, they captured 14 instances of the squirrels using the poles. Here is a video showing one of these instances:

It would be nice if the success of this project could lead to similar efforts in other locations. I have written about the squirrel bridges in the town of Longview, Washington, a very successful example of helping squirrels to avoid the dangers of road crossings. Unfortunately, not every effort has been so successful. In 2010, a proposal to erect rope bridges across two highways in Arizona to help the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel was defeated by that state's legislature, due to protests from right-wing politicians who objected to the cost. Hopefully Arizona's politicians will have a change of heart before it's too late for that threatened species.

Ban Animal Contest Kills

2013-02-22T14:02:00.001-06:00

In the wake of the horrific Holley Squirrel Slaughter that I have written about, I have started a petition on Care2 asking the legislature of my home state, Texas, to ban all animal kill contests. You can click on the link or sign using the widget on the right hand side of the page.

Is Climate Change Creating A New Squirrel Species?

2013-02-18T12:21:00.000-06:00

Is it possible that global warming could be causing the creation of new species of squirrels and other animals? According to a story on the Mother Nature Network website, climate change may be the cause for increasing numbers of hybrid flying squirrels being found in Canada.

These squirrels are hybrids of two species, the northern flying squirrel and the southern flying squirrel. As the names suggest, the northern flying squirrel is native to northern regions of the United States into Canada, while the southern flying squirrel is found further south in the United States. The northern flying squirrel is larger, and has a gray and white belly, while the smaller southern flying squirrel has an all-white belly. Hybrids between the two are the size of the southern flying squirrel, with mottled gray and white belly fur.

A northern flying squirrel visiting a
bird feeder

Recently, scientists in Ontario, Canada have discovered an increasing number of hybrids of the two species. Ontario is within the range of the northern flying squirrel, but is well to the north of the usual range for the southern flying squirrel. Researchers including Jeff Bowman theorize that warming temperatures are driving some species, including the southern flying squirrel, farther to the north, so that the ranges of these two species now overlap more than they did in the past. A recent survey found that around four percent of flying squirrels in Ontario are now hybrids.

A southern flying squirrel

This is certainly not the first example of hybridization between species. The story cites the example of cross-breeding between grizzly bears and polar bears, which may also increase with the effects of global warming. But Bowman and other scientists believe that the flying squirrels are the first documented case of a hybrid species specifically caused by human-generated climate change. It is not clear what the long-term impact of hybridization might be for the flying squirrels or other species. Might a new flying squirrel species created by cross-breeding be better adapted to deal with a warmer climate? It's too soon to tell.

Holley Squirrel Slaughter Update

2013-02-11T14:47:00.001-06:00

Today, in Albany, New York, wildlife rehabilitator Carrie Leo is presenting almost 15,000 petition signatures at a news conference with NY state senator Tony Avella. The petition asks the village of Holley, NY and the Holley Fire Department to cancel its annual "Squirrel Slam," the fundraising event at which "hunters" will compete to kill squirrels. Prizes will be given in adult and youth categories to those who kill the heaviest squirrels, and in a separate drawing after the hunt, firearms will be awarded as prizes.

With less than a week to go before the bloodbath, the town seems to have dug in its heels and resisted the massive public call to stop the event. There has even been an effort to raise money for the fire department to replace the funds that it would lose if it did cancel the hunt.

Photo by Morgan Jamie Dunbar

What I am afraid that many of the supporters of the Squirrel Slam do not understand (or refuse to acknowledge) is that the protest is not about taking away their right to hunt or to own a gun. While I am sure that many of the protesters, myself included, do support common sense gun control measures, that is a separate issue. This protest is not about banning hunting, where a reasonable number of animals are taken for food. It is about holding a contest to kill as many squirrels as possible, for no purpose other than to win prizes. It is about encouraging children to think of pointless, purposeless killing as a fun way to spend an afternoon. It is about a culture that cheapens and trivializes life and death.

I still hold out hope that the town of Holley will listen to the voices of all who are speaking out and decide to cancel the Squirrel Slam. If this year's event does go on, I hope that the powers that be in the town will quietly reconsider and find a more humane fundraising event for next year and future years going forward. And I hope that other communities that hold similar cruel and callous killing contests will look at the outcry over the Squirrel Slam and know that they too will risk the same negative spotlight of attention if they continue holding these events.

Update: Here is an account of Senator Avella's press conference that was held this afternoon.

Here is another account of the press conference, with video.

Help For the Mount Graham Red Squirrel?

2013-02-09T12:51:00.003-06:00

The Mount Graham red squirrel has been listed as an endangered species since 1987, after having previously been thought extinct. It lives a precarious existence in a small area of Arizona, where it numbers only slightly above 200 individuals. Now it appears that a long-planned captive breeding program at the Phoenix Zoo may finally be nearing approval from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

This small subspecies of the North American red squirrel lives in high-elevations conifer forests in the Pinaleno Mountains of Arizona, where it has been isolated from other red squirrels for over ten thousand years. Its numbers have declined due to habitat loss, drought and forest fires. In the 1990s this squirrel became controversial when conservation groups objected to the construction of a University of Arizona observatory in its territory, and since the construction the numbers of squirrels have been closely monitored.

The Phoenix Zoo captured four of the squirrels, two males and two females, in 2011 when it feared that wildfires that summer might devastate the remaining population. The two females died, but the males remain in captivity at the zoo. Zoo researchers have been learning everything that they can about these squirrels in the hopes of starting a captive breeding program to replenish the numbers, which are currently so low that the species could be exterminated by a single ecological disaster such as a forest fire or severe drought.

One of the captive male Mount Graham red squirrels

There are difficulties with any effort to breed Mount Graham red squirrels in captivity. The squirrels are extremely territorial, and will not tolerate the presence of other squirrels in their vicinity except for mating. The females of the species go into heat for only one day a year, so the timing has to be perfect. The zoo researchers are developing a guide for keeping the squirrels in captivity, which is being updated as they learn more.

The proposed pilot program calls for capturing a maximum of sixteen Mount Graham red squirrels over a period of ten years for captive breeding. After that ten years, a decision would be made based on results, on whether to launch a full breeding program. The Fish and Wildlife Service may approve the pilot program as early as this spring, although further delays are also possible.

The real question, of course, is whether the species can survive long enough to see the implementation of the program.

More On The Squirrel Bridges of Longview, WA

2013-02-04T23:57:00.000-06:00

I have not yet found a photo of the new squirrel bridge in Longview that I wrote about in my last post. However, I did just run across this photo from the Washington Post of the town's second squirrel bridge, which was installed in November 2011, and I wanted to share it. As you can see, it is a very nice covered copper span:

New Longview Squirrel Bridge Ready To Go Up

2013-02-02T11:12:00.001-06:00

I want to share some happy news today. One of my favorite towns, Longview Washington, will soon see its third squirrel bridge. The twelve foot long, 72 pound bridge will be installed today by the Sandbaggers, a local civic organization, on Nichols Boulevard.

The bridge was designed by John Dick, and is based on the Leonard Zakim Memorial Bridge in Boston, MA. After being declared the winner of the Sandbaggers' annual bridge design contest, it was built by employees of a Longview construction company, JH Kelley. Unfortunately, Mr. Dick did not live to see his design become reality.

The bridge builders show off their new creation

The town of Longview plans to construct a squirrel bridge every year in conjunction with its annual SquirrelFest celebration, which I have written about before on this blog. I will be looking for photos of the new bridge in place after installation, and hope to share them here soon.

Many thanks to the Sandbaggers and the people of Longview for caring so much for their squirrels. It would truly be wonderful if all communities had such compassion for squirrels and all other living creatures.

The first Nutty Narrows Bridge

A Tale Of Two Towns

2013-01-29T12:58:00.001-06:00

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

For squirrels, that is.

This is the story of two small towns. Although on opposite ends of this great country, these two rural communities have at least one thing in common: both have annual celebrations that involve squirrels. However, the celebrations are as different as night and day or, in this case, as different as life and death.

Longview, Washington Celebrates Squirrels

Longview, a town in southern Washington, on the Columbia River, loves its squirrels. Back in 1963, a local businessman, Amos Peters, watched a squirrel get run over by a car while crossing the street to visit the feeder that he and his coworkers had erected. Grief stricken, Mr. Peters designed and had built, at his own expense, a squirrel walkway, the Nutty Narrows Bridge, which to this day spans one of the busier streets in Longview.

In 2011 a group of local leaders decided to honor the late Mr. Peters' legacy with an annual squirrel celebration, the Longview Squirrel Fest. The festival features a parade, local and out-of-town craft and food vendors, family activities and contests, musical entertainment, and fireworks. All of this just to honor squirrels, and to raise funds for the construction of additional squirrel bridges, one to be built each year, to keep the fuzzy friends safe.

Holley, New York Celebrates Death

Holley, NY, an upstate community near the city of Rochester, definitely does not love its squirrels. Each February Holley residents' thoughts turn to this:

For no apparent reason, the town has, for the last six years, held an annual fund raising event sponsored by the local fire department, in which local residents--adults and children--compete to kill as many squirrels as possible. The seventh annual "Hazzard County Squirrel Slam" will offer cash prizes up to $200, in adult and youth categories, to those who kill the most and the largest squirrels on February 16. There is also a drawing to give away several guns, including an AR-15 assault rifle. Scores of squirrels will be killed, not for food, but simply for "entertainment." Many more will be injured, maimed, and left to die slowly and in pain.

It's hard to imagine what could be so different about these two towns, what could make one town seek to embrace, protect, and celebrate its squirrel population, while the other takes pleasure in causing pain, suffering, and death among its squirrels. On the surface they both seem like mainstream, working-class American towns the likes of which can be found throughout the United States. I suppose if we look deep enough we could uncover some demographic, economic, and social differences that would explain this vast gulf between the attitudes and outlooks of these communities.

I think I speak for a lot of Americans when I say that if I had to decide which of these communities to settle in, the decision to me would be clear: the town that embraces life or the one that embraces death; compassion or suffering; comfort or pain; light or darkness.

Please help bring an end to the Hazzard County Squirrel Slam. There are currently three petitions that you can sign to make your voice heard against this event. You can sign them here, and here, and here. There is also a Facebook page where you can find more information on ways to protest this event and similar killing contests. You can also write to the Holley Fire Department, using the "contact us" link on the left side of the home page.

The Holley Squirrel Slaughter Update

2013-01-27T12:48:00.003-06:00

I just found out there is now a third petition asking the town of Holley, NY to cancel their scheduled mass squirrel execution. Although I did not start this petition, it does list as the primary source of information my original post about the squirrel massacre. As I said before, I have mixed feelings about multiple petitions for the same cause. I worry that the individual effect of each petition might be diluted by the duplication of efforts. On the other hand, I can see where the additional exposure could help, since this new petition is on the Care2 web site, while the first two were on Change.org.

Please, as before, sign this petition and most important spread the word to others!

More on the Holley, NY Squirrel Slaughter

2013-01-26T00:22:00.001-06:00

I just want to share an excellent essay on the upcoming Holley, NY bloodbath, from the blog Grey and Red, A Squirrel Journal.

If you haven't done so, please read my post preceding this one on this disturbing event, and follow the links to the petitions that I placed there. Please make your voice heard and let it be known that events like this one are cruel and unacceptable.

Holley, NY Planning Squirrel Bloodbath!

2013-01-25T10:50:00.000-06:00

The town of Holley, New York is certainly no friend to squirrels. The fire department of this small upstate community is planning to hold their seventh annual "Hazzard County Squirrel Slam," a yearly celebration of death on February 16. The "Squirrel Slam" is organized for the mass killing of squirrels, with prizes given to the individuals who kill the most and the largest of the animals. What is even more disturbing is that the prizes will be given in "adult" and "youth" categories. That's right: children will be encouraged to take up guns and kill harmless squirrels for no reason other than "fun" and "entertainment," and given prizes based on their efficiency and skill at this pointless killing.

There is no telling how many squirrels will be arbitrarily killed at this event. And what's more, many others will be wounded and maimed, many of them left to crawl away to suffer and die slowly. Furthermore, with the even held in mid-February, some female squirrels may well have recently given birth, only to be killed and leave their young alone to starve to death.

Sounds like fun, right?

Here is the flyer for this year's blood rite:

Notice that in addition to the cash prizes, a drawing will be held to give away several guns, including--as an extra macabre touch--a .22 caliber AR-15, a version of the assault weapon used in the slaughter of school children in Connecticut last month and several other mass killings.

It's one thing to hunt an animal for food, as needed, and for many people in America and elsewhere this is a tradition that, as distasteful as I find it, I would not deprive them of. But to simply slaughter animals for no reason, in as large numbers as possible, and to celebrate this pointless slaughter as a community event with prizes... and then to encourage children to participate in the bloodbath, teaching them that pointless, arbitrary killing is fun... is beyond disturbing. The only word that comes close that I can think of is an abomination.

I am asking anyone who reads this to join me in raising our voices against this event:

1. There is a Facebook page dedicated to protesting and stopping the Squirrel Slam. Please "Like" the page to add your voice to those opposing the slaughter.

2. You can call the mayor of Holley, NY, John W. Kenney, Jr. at 585-638-6367, and/or email him at mayor@villageofholley.org. I am including the text of my letter to Mayor Kenney at the bottom of this post. You can paraphrase as you see fit, but whatever you do, please be respectful but clear about your disgust at this event.

3. There are at least two petitions asking the town to stop this event. Here is one. And here is the other. I have signed both, and I hope you will too. I considered starting my own petition, but I feel that too many separate petitions might dilute the message and reduce their effectiveness, as some people may just sign one.

4. Most important, please spread this information by whatever means you have--Facebook, Twitter, email, and word of mouth. This isn't just about squirrels, it's about all cases of killing and cruelty to animals for public entertainment.

Here is my letter to the mayor of Holley, NY:

To: Mayor John W. Kenney, Jr.

I was troubled last night to learn of the planned event to be held by your town's fire department, the "Hazzard County Squirrel Slam," an annual event at which squirrels will be killed in a contest with prizes given to those who kill the biggest squirrels.

Although I choose not to kill animals for any reason, I can understand hunting to obtain food. But to hold a local festival celebrating the mass slaughter of an animal for no other reason than "fun" or "entertainment" is pointless cruelty that I and countless other find horrific. And to then encourage children to take up guns and participate in this slaughter--teaching them that killing for no reason is fun--is just utterly disturbing.

Please do whatever is necessary to stop this event, and replace it with one that celebrates life instead of death.

Thank you,

Update: You can contact the Holley Fire Department through their web site at www.holleyfire.com. From the main page, click on the Contact Us link on the left. I suggest that comments be polite and respectful, and be addressed to Chief Pete Hendrickson.

Update: Some people have questioned whether the AR-15 was actually used in the Connecticut school shooting, or whether that rifle remained in the trunk of the shooter's car. I have been provided a link to a press release from the CT state police confirming that the AR-15 was in fact recovered inside the school. This is, of course, a side issue--the real issue is the cruelty that is about to be inflicted on the squirrels of Holley, NY. But I also know that people will seize on any detail that they can to discredit what they disagree with.

Squirrel Facts: The Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel

2013-01-18T10:16:00.000-06:00

The golden-mantled ground squirrel is a small ground squirrel of western Canada and the United States. It is found in southeastern British Columbia and Alberta, southward to New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California. Its primary habitat is hardwood forests, meadows, and sagebrush areas of the mountainous regions of the great basin, usually from above 4500 feet up to the timberline.

This is certainly one of the cutest of the squirrels. The golden-mantled ground squirrel resembles a chipmunk, with the two white stripes bordered by black stripes running down its sides. It is also chipmunk-like in size, just slightly larger, measuring only around ten inches long and weighing 6-7 ounces. Unlike chipmunks, this squirrel does not have stripes on its face.

Like other ground squirrels, golden-mantled ground squirrels hibernate through the winter, usually from October to May. They dig burrows deep under a protective object, such as a large rock or a log, and the burrow may stretch up to 100 feet long. These squirrels are not very social. Females and males appear together only during mating in the spring, after which they go their separate ways and the females raise their young alone.

The diet of the golden-mantled ground squirrel is varied, and includes seeds, nuts, fruits, and insects. The main food that they enjoy is pinon nuts. They also eat large amounts of underground fungi, which they locate by smell and dig out. When a golden-mantled ground squirrel locates food, it will eat some on the spot, then use its cheek pouches to carry the rest to the den, where it will be stored to eat in the spring when it wakes from hibernation. During the winter, these squirrels will sometimes awaken briefly to eat some of the stored food, then go back to sleep.

During the 1950s, a golden-mantled ground squirrel named Squeak was featured in a nature documentary. The short film shows Squeak, who lived at Crater Lake National Park, being put through a series of experiments to demonstrate the squirrel's intelligence and inventiveness at solving problems to obtain food that is hidden or out of reach.

I would like to thank Delilah the Squirrel on Facebook for bringing my attention to the above video.

The Squirrel Whisperer

2013-01-11T20:50:00.000-06:00

Mary Krupa is a student at Penn State University. Last year, after seeing some other students feeding the campus squirrels, she decided to try feeding them herself, and struck up a friendship that has made her a celebrity at the university and on the internet.

Krupa is now known on campus as the "squirrel whisperer." Having formed a close bond with the school's squirrels, she not only feeds them, but pets many of them, and has even taken to dressing some of the more willing squirrels in little hats. One of these squirrels, Sneezy, has gained internet fame in his own right through his Facebook page.

Sneezy in his Penn State cap

As you can see in the video below, Miss Krupa has formed a genuine bond of trust and friendship with many of the squirrels at PSU. My first reaction to the photos that I saw of Sneezy was that placing the hats on him might be seen as demeaning, but after watching the video I am convinced that she cares deeply about the animals and that she is truly bringing happiness to the squirrels through her companionship with them, and to the campus community with the hats and her demonstration of compassion and friendship with the squirrels.

The video also includes a discussion of Asperger Syndrome, a high-functioning form of Autism that Miss Krupa has. People with Asperger Syndrome face challenges in many aspects of their lives, including the formation of social relationships. I can't help but think, however, that where this condition might make it more difficult to interact and socialize with people, it might actually help her relate to and bond with her squirrel friends.

More Than Just The Squirrel Whisperer from James Rohan on Vimeo.

Squirrel Facts: The Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel

2012-12-16T11:34:00.001-06:00

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel is probably the second most common native squirrel in the area of west Texas where we live. It is a small ground squirrel, measuring about ten inches in length including its three inch tail, and weighing only about six ounces on average. Its size and appearance is somewhat similar to a chipmunk, with tan or light brown sides, face, and belly. What sets this squirrel apart is the striking set of thirteen stripes, alternating light and dark, that run from the forehead down the back to the base of the tail. Five of the light-colored stripes are broken into a series of dots.

The range of the thirteen-lined ground squirrel includes most of the plains and prairie regions of southern Canada and the United States, extending as far south as west and central Texas. It is less social than many ground squirrels, adults living alone or in small colonies. Like most ground squirrels, it digs burrows for shelter. The burrow is complex, with several entrances and the main passage extending twenty feet or more in length. The entrances are inconspicuous, often covered with grass or other vegetation. This squirrel only ventures outside in full daylight, does not stray far from its burrow, and frequently stands up to survey its surroundings for danger.

Thirteen-lined ground squirrels hibernate through the winter. Depending on the region, they may begin hibernation as early as late July or as late as October, emerging anywhere from March to May depending on the region.

The diet of the thirteen-lined ground squirrel includes both plants and animals. Plant foods include seeds, grasses, herbs, flower heads, and grains. Meat makes up a substantial portion of the diet, including grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, worms, mice, and even small birds. These squirrels are known to viciously attack and devour cicadas when available. Dried seeds are stored in the burrows to carry them through the period in early spring when they awake from hibernation.

I took this photo of a thirteen-lined ground squirrel
in Lubbock, TX in May 2012

Mating takes place about two weeks after the end of hibernation, and results in anywhere from two to thirteen offspring. The young are blind and hairless at birth and weigh only 3-4 grams (1/10 of an ounce). They are weaned about six weeks after birth and after that are fully independent from their mother.

Olney White Squirrel Population Dips

2012-12-01T12:28:00.000-06:00

The town of Olney, Illinois has for decades been noted for its large population of white squirrels. There are competing stories of the origin of the squirrels, but the community has adopted them as a source of pride and a local tourist attraction. The city has set up squirrel crossing signs and has even passed laws to protect the rodents by prohibiting cat owners from allowing their pets to roam free, and forbidding anyone from taking a white squirrel out of the city.

Unfortunately, over the years the white squirrel population has dropped steadily from a high of over 800 in 1941. And it seems that this decline may now be accelerating. Every year a local college conducts a white squirrel count, and this year's count, in October, found only 80 white squirrels in the town, a drop of about 25 percent from the previous year. While it is not clear that any single cause is entirely to blame, a city official has suggested that the extreme hot and dry weather of the past year could be a major factor.

Residents of the city are being encouraged to put out food and water for the squirrels, plant fruit and nut trees, put up squirrel houses, and to avoid cutting down existing trees during the season when baby squirrels are in their nests. Residents are also asked to obey squirrel crossing zones and laws prohibiting free-roaming cats and dogs.

Please help us!

Olney is one of a few places in North America that has a population of white squirrels. The News For Squirrels hopes that the residents of the town will do whatever it takes to protect this treasure.

(Just a note: both of the articles linked in this post mistakenly identify these squirrels as albino. These white squirrels are not true albinos, as you can see from the dark eyes in the photo above)

Ground Squirrels Give a Hand to Burrowing Owls

2012-11-28T20:34:00.001-06:00

The San Diego Zoo is reporting on the initial success of a project to help restore populations of burrowing owls in San Diego county by introducing California ground squirrels to their territory.

Welcome to the neighborhood!

The small owls, along with other species, have declined in number largely due to the introduction of non-native grasses by ranchers. These grasses provide a thicker ground cover than the owls are adapted to. According to researcher Ron Swaisgood of the San Diego Zoo, it would be impossible to restore this habitat to its previous state. However, introducing California ground squirrels might help to recreate a similar habitat as the squirrels dig their burrows and open up the vegetation.

Hey, where am I?

This project is, of course, not without its challenges and setbacks. Many of the ground squirrels apparently don't like their new home and take off for surroundings more to their liking. Others become prey for hawks and coyotes. But the researchers do what they can to ease the squirrels into their new hood. They move groups of squirrels that already know each other together (the squirrels are taken from private land where they are not wanted); the squirrels spend the first week in an "acclimation chamber" getting used to the new area; then they are fed tasty treats for several months as incentive to stick around.

So far the program has had some success. At least some of the squirrels are digging burrows and setting up households. And the owls seem to be benefiting, as some have already moved into abandoned squirrel burrows. The research team is closely monitoring the squirrels after release, and hoping to learn how to better insure greater success in the future!

Prairie Dog Reminder

2012-11-28T19:16:00.004-06:00

Just a note to anyone who stumbles across this blog: on the right-hand side of this page you will see a widget where you can click to sign my petition on Care2, asking the EPA to ban two cruel, horrible poisons that ranchers and land developers routinely use for the mass slaughter of black-tailed prairie dogs. I am asking that you sign this petition. There are more humane ways to deal with prairie dogs if they absolutely must be removed from ones property. You can read more about why I care deeply about this issue here on my previous post. I and the prairie dogs thank you for your help.

Squirrel Facts: Squirrels of the Desert

2012-11-19T18:34:00.000-06:00

When most Americans think of squirrels, we think of the eastern gray, the familiar bushy-tailed tree squirrel of parks and suburban yards. But there are many different kinds of squirrels--over 300 species worldwide, and they live in almost every different kind of environment that we can imagine, from the tropics to the arctic. There are even squirrels that live in some of the harshest, most hot and arid deserts in the world.

Mohave Ground Squirrel, Mohave Desert, Southwestern US

Ground squirrels can be found living and thriving in two of the hottest, driest deserts of the world: the Mohave Desert of southwestern North America; and the Kalahari Desert of southern Africa. In both of these regions, daytime summer air temperatures can reach up to 114 degrees F, with surface soil temperatures as high as a blistering 140 degrees. Needless to say, animals that live in these places must evolve strategies to cope with such extreme conditions. The squirrels of these deserts have indeed developed some ingenious ways to survive.

Cape Ground Squirrels, Kalahari Desert, Southern Africa

One way that desert squirrels survive the heat is through a sort of reverse hibernation called aestivation. Just as ground squirrels and other mammals of cold arctic regions go into hibernation, some ground squirrels of the deserts will put on body fat, go into a burrow, and lower their heart, respiration, and metabolic rate, basically sleeping through some of the hottest months of the year. The Mohave ground squirrel, a rarely-seen ground squirrel of California, will aestivate from mid-summer through the fall, emerging in January or February. During the spring following a drought season, these ground squirrels might even skip mating and reproducing that year, and begin their aestivation as early as April.

Young Mohave Ground Squirrels

Squirrels of the desert also cope with the extreme heat by adjusting the times that they spend looking for food. Cape ground squirrels of the Kalahari desert will usually forage for food during the daytime during the cooler winter months. But in the summer, they will stay underground in their burrows during the hottest parts of the day, emerging to search for food only in the early morning and the late evening. These squirrels also store food in their burrows, so that they will have something to eat during those hottest periods.

When desert squirrels must forage for food in the heat of the midday sun, they can find ways to minimize their discomfort. Round-tailed ground squirrels, another species of the southwestern US, climb into bushes to forage, taking advantage of the shade and minimizing their contact with the hot sand. And the Cape ground squirrels, when they must go out into the daytime sun, use their bushy tails as "umbrellas" to give themselves some shade.

Round-Tailed Ground Squirrel, Southwestern US

It is not surprising that most or all of the squirrels of the deserts are ground squirrels, which live in burrows under the ground surface. Burrows are an extremely important part of the desert squirrels' survival strategy. For example, when measured over a period of a week, the daytime temperature outside reached over 100 degrees F and nighttime temperatures dropped as low as 23 F, but the temperature inside the burrow of the round-tailed ground squirrel stayed between 68-77 degrees F. Often when returning to the burrow after foraging in the hot sun, a squirrel will lie flat on its belly on the cool earth, or like the Mohave ground squirrel, will even dig into the ground, pushing its body through the cool soil, to help dissipate body heat and cool off.

Antelope Squirrel, Southwestern US

Desert ground squirrels have evolved several physical adaptations to cope with the hot and dry conditions in which they live. Some, like the antelope squirrel, are able to withstand higher body temperatures than most animals, even up to 110 degrees F; or, like the Townsend's ground squirrel, have a lower base body temperature, so that it can remain outside in the heat for a longer time before reaching a dangerously high temperature. Many desert ground squirrels have light-colored fur, reflecting the sun's rays, but dark skin pigmentation, which protects them from absorbing excess ultraviolet radiation.

Cape Ground Squirrel

Finally, desert-dwelling squirrels have evolved physical strategies to reduce their need for water. These adaptations include extremely efficient kidneys, reducing water loss through urination; and fewer mucus-producing cells in their lungs, reducing the amount of water lost through respiration. Because of these adaptations, many desert ground squirrels, like the antelope squirrel, can obtain most of the water that they need not through drinking but through the food that they eat.

Round-Tailed Ground Squirrel

Much of the information for this post came from the book Squirrels: The Animal Answer Guide, by Richard W. Thorington Jr. and Katie Ferrell. This book is an excellent source of information and a highly entertaining read for anyone interested in squirrels. If you are interested in this book, you can get a copy by clicking the link below.

Climate Change and the North American Red Squirrel

2012-11-07T20:47:00.002-06:00

The American red squirrel, also known as the pine squirrel and the chickaree, is a medium-sized tree squirrel that inhabits much of the northern and eastern regions of North America, including most of Canada and the northeastern United States. Its diet consists largely of the seeds of conifer cones, although they also enjoy many other foods including conifer buds and needles, mushrooms, flowers, berries, and sometimes birds' eggs. Unlike the scatter-hoarding gray squirrel, the red squirrel stores food, primarily conifer cones, in a central location to provide food for the winter. The accumulated uneaten scraps from these food stores left behind by a red squirrel create a "midden" or trash pile that can measure as much as a meter in diameter.

Compared to the eastern gray squirrel, the American red squirrel is smaller but more aggressive in defending its territory. It is less likely to be seen in suburban yards and city parks, preferring wilderness areas more isolated from human activity. Also in contrast to the gray squirrel, the red squirrel will sometimes nest underground during the winter, although like other tree squirrels the red squirrel does not hibernate.

A recent study has examined the effects of global climate change on the feeding and mating habits of red squirrels over a period of several generations.

The authors of the study tagged and monitored the females of a population of approximately 325 red squirrels in the Yukon territory of Canada, from 1989-2001. During that period, the researchers kept track of the weather in the area, and monitored the feeding and reproductive habits of the squirrels. During the time of the study the mean spring temperature increased by 2 degrees Celsius. The production of the spruce cones that provide the squirrels' most important food source increased by 35 percent during the same period. And at the same time, the squirrels' breeding took place 18 days earlier by the end of the study period, advancing by about 6 days each generation.

The findings of this study seem on the surface to suggest that global warming has been beneficial to this population of squirrels. However, it is impossible to know what the long-term effects could be, both to the red squirrels and to other plant and animal species, and to the ecosystem as a whole. What seems to me most important about this research is the demonstration that climate change is having very real and demonstrable effects on the environment that has repercussions for the behavior of species. Much more long-term research is needed in this area.

Squirrel Facts: The Black Tailed Prairie Dog Needs Help

2012-11-02T10:04:00.000-05:00

I have written about the black-tailed prairie dog before on this blog. Yesterday I created a petition on the Care2.com website to try to help this species by banning the use of two horrible poisons. Although I understand that the chances of success are slim, I want to do my part to raise awareness of the cruelties that are being inflicted on these animals. I am asking that you sign the petition and help spread the word.

This large ground squirrel of the grassy prairie and plains regions of North America lives in large colonies that can number in the hundreds or even thousands. Within their "towns" prairie dogs live in extended family groups or "coteries" consisting of several related females, their first-year young, and one or two males. Members of the coterie engage in mutual grooming, greet each other with "kisses" and hugs, and cooperate in activities such as caring for young and watching for and alerting others of potential danger.

Black-tailed prairie dogs live in burrows which can be amazingly complex. Each burrow may have multiple entrances, increasing the chance for escape from predators. The tunnels, marked by entrances ringed with a mound of dirt to help keep out water, may be up to five meters deep and 30 meters long. A burrow will usually be used by several generations of prairie dogs, and when abandoned may be taken over by other animals.

Unfortunately, the black-tailed prairie dog has been unfairly demonized by cattle ranchers and land developers. Ranchers believed, incorrectly, that the prairie dogs were taking food that was needed by their herds of cattle. This belief, which persists to this day, has let to the mass extermination of prairie dogs from their range. Today, after more than a century of slaughter by shooting and poisoning, the black-tailed prairie dog occupies less than two percent of its former range. Now, in addition to ranchers, new enemies including suburban land developers and even many city and town governments are carrying out a war of extermination against this sociable, intelligent ground squirrel.

The ranchers' war against the black-tailed prairie dog is based on a myth. The fact is, prairie dogs coexisted on the plains and prairies with massive herds of bison for thousands of years before cattle ranching took over the region. Bison and cattle require a very similar diet, and the prairie dog actually provides a benefit to the growth of the grasses that they eat. Their tunneling activity churns and mixes the soil and organic matter, and helps with water retention in the soil. Overgrazing by cattle does considerably more damage to the land than the presence of prairie dogs, and the activity of the prairie dogs may actually help to repair some of the damage done by the cattle.

Prairie dogs are also a vital component of the natural plains and prairie ecosystems. Ecologists refer to the black-tailed prairie dog as a "keystone" species. This is because a large number of other species are dependent on the prairie dog. They provide food for many predators including the American badger, bobcat, coyote, snakes, weasels, bald and golden eagles, hawks, and the critically endangered black-footed ferret, which has been driven to the brink of extinction by the extermination of the black-tailed prairie dog from its range. Many other animals, including snakes and burrowing owls, use abandoned prairie dog burrows for their homes. In all, at least 140 other species benefit from the presence of prairie dogs in their ranges.

Among the most lethal weapons in the arsenal of the enemies of the prairie dog are two poisons, Rozol (chlorophacinone) and Kaput-D (diphacinone). These two products have been approved by the EPA for use in ten states, in spite of the utter cruelty that they inflict on their victims and the widespread harm that they do to the environment.

These chemicals are blood thinners. When a prairie dog or other animal eats the poison, it experiences a slow, painful decline and death by internal bleeding that may take several weeks. During that time the prairie dog becomes weak and disoriented, making it easier prey for carnivores. After death the poison will remain in the carcass. Any animals that eats the meat will also consume the poison.

Several years ago the Environmental Protection Agency considered and rejected listing the black-tailed prairie dog as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. It has also given approval to the use of these two cruel, dangerous poisons. I believe that the EPA is negligent in carrying out its intended mission. I hope that you will help by signing the petition and take a stand for the prairie dogs.

If you would like more information on black-tailed prairie dogs and the threats that they are facing, you can read more here for general black-tailed prairie dog info, and here for more on the effects of Rozol and Kaput-D.

Please Help Prairie Dogs

2012-11-01T18:21:00.002-05:00

I have just created a petition on the Care2 web site asking the EPA to ban the use of two deadly poisons, Rozol and Kaput-D, for killing prairie dogs. Currently these two loathsome products are approved for use in ten states. I plan to write a longer post on the plight of the black-tailed prairie dog tomorrow, when I am less tired. For now, I'm asking that you click on the link and sign this petition to help these awesome, intelligent and sociable ground squirrels.

Bill and Lou the Oxen Need Help!

2012-10-26T10:24:00.002-05:00

I usually try to stay on topic with squirrel-related news and information on this blog, but this story caught my eye and I would like to help spread the word.

Green Mountain College is a small liberal arts school in Vermont, with a focus on environmental education. The college runs a farm where students can learn organic, sustainable agricultural practices. Bill and Lou the oxen have worked on this farm for more than ten years. They are loved by the student community, and have become mascots of the school.

Recently Lou sustained an injury to his left rear hock, which has not been able to heal sufficiently to let him work. As a result, the college has decided to replace the oxen team and have both Bill and Lou sent to the slaughterhouse to be "processed" for meat.

That's right. They will be killed.

The saddest thing is, there is an animal sanctuary, the VINE Sanctuary nearby in Vermont, that has offered to take the oxen and allow them to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. But the school officials still think it would make more economic sense to have them put to death. This is hard to understand given the years of service that Bill and Lou have provided, especially for a school that professes values such as sustainability, tolerance, equality, and concern for animal welfare.

Understandably, many are protesting Green Mountain College's callous decision, and hope to change the fate of Bill and Lou. There is a petition on the Care2 website that I hope you will take the time to sign. Hopefully we can save Bill and Lou from becoming dinner, and let these gentle, hard-working animals live out their lives in peace and comfort.

Squirrel Facts: The Alpine Marmot

2012-10-19T12:02:00.000-05:00

The Alpine Marmot is a ground squirrel that lives in high grasslands of the Alps and other European mountain ranges. Their range includes parts of Alpine France, Switzerland, and Italy, Austria, southern Germany, and Yugoslavia. It is one of the largest squirrels, measuring about 18-21 inches in length not including the short tail, which is slightly more than an inch long. The coat is thick, reddish-brown or gray.

Like many ground squirrels, the Alpine marmot is highly social, living in colonies of four to around 50 members. The colonies consist of a dominant pair along with their offspring from several years. Typically the male offspring will leave the colony after their first or second winter, as will some of the females, but other females will stay with the group. When the dominant female dies, one of the female offspring will inherit the dominant position.

Members of the colony live in a system of interconnected burrows. They spend the spring and summer months gaining the weight that they will need to survive their long winter hibernation, which lasts more than half of the year. They feed on seeds, grasses, flowers, and bulbs, but will also eat insects and sometimes birds' eggs. In the spring, just after hibernation, an adult Alpine marmot may weigh only around seven pounds, but by the beginning of the next hibernation in the fall its weight will increase to as much as 18 pounds.

Mating takes place immediately after the end of hibernation, and usually three, but sometimes up to seven, young are born in the spring. At the beginning of the winter hibernation, usually in October, the marmots in a colony will retire to their burrow network. Adult Alpine marmots huddle with the young to keep them warm. The last marmot to enter the burrow will plug the entrance with grass, dirt, and feces to keep the cold air and predators out.

Alpine marmots are extremely powerful diggers. Using their fore and hind feet they can penetrate earth that even a pickax would have trouble breaking. Burrows are continually expanded over several generations and can become quite complex, with large "living areas" and other dead end tunnels that are used as "toilets."

Alpine marmots are usually very shy and wary of intruders. One member of the colony will usually stand watching for signs of danger, and if a predator or intruder is seen, will give a series whistles, sending the entire colony running to the burrow for cover.

Remarkably, one human, a young boy named Matteo Walch, seems to have gained the trust of a colony of Alpine marmots in Austria. As reported by the Daily Mail of the UK, this eight year old boy befriended the colony during a family vacation four years ago, and ever since has been welcomed by the marmots during his family's annual two-week summer holidays.

Senator Coburn Scapegoats Robo-Squirrel

2012-10-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

Last spring I introduced readers to Robo-Squirrel, a biorobotic squirrel designed and built by researches at the University of California San Diego to study interactions between California ground squirrels and their biggest predator, the rattlesnake. Robo-Squirrel has helped research scientists and students at the university gain valuable insights into how the squirrels ward off attacks by the snakes using tail flagging and thermoregulation, or heating of the tail by adjusting blood flow.

Robo-Squirrel

Now Robo-Squirrel is under attack! US Senator Tom Coburn (R-Oklahomo) is using the robotic squirrel as an example of wasted federal tax money. The project that Robo-Squirrel was a part of was funded with a grand of $325,000 from the National Science Foundation, which is a federally funded agency. Apparently Senator Coburn thinks of any federal money spent on scientific research for anything other than new weapons for the military as being a waste.

Of course, I'm sure that the Senator was aware that the words "robotic squirrel" would get the attention of the press when he was looking for a project to scapegoat. I'm sure that nowhere in his press release did he mention the benefits of what this research has added to our knowledge of predator-prey interactions, of how species evolve adaptations to help them avoid becoming another species' dinner (but of course I'm sure the Senator, being a Republican, doesn't believe in evolution anyway).

And I'm also sure that Senator Coburn didn't mention that most of the grant money didn't go directly to the building of the robotic squirrel, but was instead used to fund the inclusion of both undergraduate and graduate students in the project. But then again, developing future scientists isn't something that the anti-science Republican party would be concerned with.