red squirrel - Physical description, Ecology and behaviour, Conservation, Taxonomy and distribution

A small tree-dwelling squirrel; coat reddish-brown (dark brown or white forms exist); inhabits woodland, especially coniferous forest; four species: the European red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) from Europe and Asia, and the North American red squirrels or chickarees of genus Tamiasciurus.

iRed Squirrel
Conservation status
Near Threatened (NT)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Sciurus Species: S. vulgaris
Binomial name
Sciurus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758

For the North American Red Squirrel, see American Red Squirrel.

The red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), is a species of tree squirrels (genus Sciurus).

Physical description

Red Squirrels have a typical head to body length of 19 to 23 cm, a tail length of 15 to 20 cm and a mass of 250 to 340 g. The Red Squirrel is slightly smaller than the Eastern Grey Squirrel which has a head to body length of 25 to 30 cm and weighs between 400 and 800 g.

The coat of the red squirrel varies in colour with time of year and location. Red Squirrels shed their coats twice a year, switching from a thinner summer coat to a thicker, darker winter coat with noticeably larger ear-tufts (a prominent distinguishing feature of this species) between August and November. A lighter, redder overall coat colour, along with the larger ear-tufts, helps to distinguish the European Red Squirrel from either of the Eastern Grey Squirrel or the American Red Squirrel.

The Red Squirrel, like most tree squirrels, has sharp, curved claws to enable the climbing of trees, even when branches are overhanging. The juvenille Red Squirrel can eat solids around 40 days following birth and from that point can leave the nest on their own to find food, however they still suckle from their mother until weaning occurs at eight to 10 weeks.

The lifespan of the Red Squirrel is on average three years, although individuals may reach seven years of age, and 10 in captivity.

Ecology and behaviour

The Red Squirrel is native to usually coniferous forest and it is also found in temperate broadleaf woodlands. Red Squirrels are solitary animals and are shy and reluctant to share food with others. However, outside of the breeding season and particularly in winter, multiple Red Squirrels may share a drey to keep warm.

Red Squirrels eat mostly the seeds of trees, neatly stripping conifer cones to get at the seeds within.

The active period for the Red Squirrel is in the morning and late afternoon-evening.

Arborreal predators include small mammals including the Pine Marten, Wild Cats, and the Stoat which preys on nestlings, birds including owls and raptors such as Goshawk and Buzzard may also take Red Squirrels. The Red Fox, cats and dogs can predate upon the Red Squirrel when they are on the ground. Humans influence the population size and mortality of the Red Squirrel by destroying or altering habitats, causing road casualties, or through controlling populations by hunting.

Conservation

The Red Squirrel is protected in most of Europe, as it is listed in Appendix III of the Bern Convention; Although not thought to be under any threat worldwide, the Red Squirrel has drastically reduced in numbers in the United Kingdom.

In order to conserve remaining numbers of red squirrels, the UK Government in January 2006 announced a mass culling program for grey squirrels. This program is administered by the Grampian Squirrel Society, with an aim of protecting the Red squirrel; A significant drop in Red Squirrel populations in the area has been observed since 1970, and it is feared that Eastern Grey Squirrels may expand into the rest of Europe.

The Eastern Grey Squirrel population appears to be able to out-compete the Red Squirrel for various reasons:

The Eastern Grey Squirrel can easily digest acorns, while the Red Squirrel cannot. The Eastern Grey Squirrel carries a disease, the squirrel parapoxvirus, that does not appear to affect their health, though will kill most red squirrels.

It is worth noting that Eastern Grey Squirrels do not usually attack Red Squirrels, and direct violent conflict between these species is not a factor in the decline in Red Squirrel populations.

Taxonomy and distribution

There have been over 40 described subspecies of Red Squirrel, however the taxonomic status of some of these is uncertain.