by
Nikita La Femme & Genghis Khan

Today's Date: June 20, 2004
What's the Weather Like? Partly cloudy!
Draw the tracks you find in the space below:

Name of the animal: Fox squirrel

Facts about the animal:
Fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) are the largest arboreal, or tree squirrels. There are three different color phases; in the northeastern part of their range they have grey backs with yellowish bellies, in the western part of their range they are reddish in color, and in the south they are often black with a white blaze on their face and a white tipped tail. In addition several members of the species in South Carolina have white ears. Generally, there is no difference between males and females with respect to size or coloration. They are distinguishable from their close cousin, the grey squirrel (S. carolinensis), in that grey squirrels are at least 20% smaller and have silver tipped fur.

In natural conditions, fox squirrels live to 7 or 8 years of age. They tend to be larger in the northern part of their range than in the southern part of their range. Fox squirrels have both a summer and winter coat, and therefore molt twice each year. The spring molt begins in March, whereas the autumn molt begins in September, but the tail only molts once each year during the summer.

Fox squirrels have four sets of whiskers located above and below the eyes, on the underside of the head in front of the throat, and on the nose. Whiskers, also known as vibrissae are touch receptors that provide the animal with information about its immediate surroundings. Fox squirrels have very good eyesight even in dim light, and a wide field of vision. They also have a well developed sense of smell and hearing.

Fox squirrels are highly adapted for climbing trees and fatal falls are rare. Adaptations for climbing trees include tough curved claws for climbing and they can leap considerable distances using powerful hindlimbs. Tails are used for balance when running and leaping between trees, and held over the back of a resting animal.

Fox squirrels are active year round during the daytime. Even during the most severe winter weather they will leave their nests for short periods of time to forage for food. Activity is bimodal from late spring to autumn with peaks 2 hours after sunrise and again 2 - 5 hours before sunset.

Fox squirrels are generalist feeders and their diet is dependent upon the area in which they are found. Squirrels feed heavily on nuts, flowers, and buds of 24 oak species, and 10 species of walnut, hickory and pecan. Other food items include the fruits, seeds, buds or flowers of maples, mulberry, hackberry, elms, buckeyes, horse chestnuts, wild cherries, dogwoods, hawthorne, hazelnut and ginkgo. Pine tree seeds and pollen cones are readily eaten including cedar, hemlock, pines, and spruce. Fungi are also consumed when readily available in summer, as are cultivated crops in winter. Animal food items include bones, bird eggs, nestlings, and frogs.

Food consumption peaks in summer or autumn and decreases in winter. Autumn rates of food consumption exceed energetic needs by 32% so that the animals can increase their weight before the onset of winter. Fox squirrels are classic scatterhoarders. They carry nuts in their jaws and bury them in various locations within their home ranges. Scent and memory are used in locating their caches.

Photo of the animal:

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