Grey Squirrel Facts
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Some brief facts about grey squirrels
Scientific name: Sciurus carolinensis
Common names: Grey squirrel, eastern grey squirrel.
Family: Sciuridae (a family of small to medium-sized rodents).
Origin: North America (but now 'naturalised' British, English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or Irish).
Habitat: Mixed woodland, urban areas, gardens, parks, attics.
Diet: Nuts, seeds and berries, plant buds, shoots, fungi, flowers, insects.
Weight: 500 grams (17.63 ounces) typically.
Predators: Foxes, stoats, birds of prey such as goshawks, pine martens, domestic cats & dogs, humans.
Lifespan: Records are 12 years in the wild and 22 years in captivity, although around 75% do not make it past their first year.
Where do grey squirrels reside?
Native to North America, grey squirrels were first introduced to the UK in the latter half of the 19th century. The species has spread rapidly and is now commonplace across most of England and Wales, central Scotland, and the eastern half of Ireland, delighting us all with their acrobatic antics and superb intellect. There are thought to be around 2.7 million grey squirrels in the UK although their numbers are at risk. Grey squirrels have also made Italy and the Netherlands their naturalised home.
Grey squirrel mating
Baby squirrels (kits or kittens) reach adulthood around 9 months of age. Then they need a bit more time to reach sexual maturity. Female grey squirrels typically reach sexual maturity when they are 15 months old. At the same time, the male squirrels are sexually mature closer to 12 months old. The mating season is usually between the months of January to February and then again from June to July if food is in abundance during the summer months. Females mate only twice a year whereas males can mate at any time.
Now, grey squirrels never mate with the same squirrel twice and are actually very sexually active and highly promiscuous. A male will mate with many partners, as will the female. And this mating process is quite a show. The male will chase the female and scare away other males until she decides he is the one… for now at least.
One litter can be produced by multiple fathers.
Grey squirrel babies
Photo kindly provided by @trakdv362 on YouTube
The young are normally born in a nest made from twigs and branches that is known as a drey. Holes within trees may also be used as nesting sites. Young squirrels will leave the nest and begin foraging for solid foods after around two months. The female give birth to 3-4 young on average but sometimes up to 9.
The mother suckles the naked, blind young, every three or four hours for several weeks. They gradually grow fur, their eyes open and at about 5 weeks old, after which time they start to follow their mother out on to the branches. Gradually they start to eat solid food and when their teeth are fully grown, at around 10 weeks, they give up suckling. A month or so later, they move away from the nest to build dreys of their own. If there are not too many squirrels in the area, the young stay nearby; if it is crowded they will be chased away to look for less crowded feeding areas. Siblings often share dreys and look out for one another for life.
Did you know...?
Grey squirrels have double-jointed ankles, allowing their feet to face both forwards and backwards – a perfect adaption for tree climbing and descending.
Grey squirrels and run up to 20mph (32km). They also run at this speed in a zigzag pattern when being chased, to confuse and disorientate any predator.
Grey squirrels have 4 front teeth (2 top and 2 bottom) that continuously grow. Squirrel incisors grow about 14 centimetres (5.5 inches) a year. Therefore, grey squirrels need to constantly gnaw to keep them trim, and to prevent them from growing into the upper jaw.
Grey squirrels demonstrate the same emotions as humans, ranging from happiness, excitement, sadness, anxiety, depression and fear. Grey squirrels have even been observed displaying signs of depression and sadness when another squirrel has been hit by a car, tugging at the lifeless body in desperation, trying to revive and save their friend.
Grey squirrels do not hibernate, but can be less active in winter when food is scarce. In cold weather they will curl up and use their bushy tail as a blanket to keep warm. They will also share dreys with other squirrels of various sexes, in order to snuggle up and stay warm throughout those cold winter months.
Dreys are made from twigs and branches and lined with moss, leaves, grass or fir for insulation and waterproofing. The dreys maintain an ambient inside temperature of approximately 18oC (65oF), by using the squirrel's own body heat, even when the outside temperature is a freezing -5oC (23oF).
To prevent their food stashes from being stolen, grey squirrels have been observed pretending to bury nuts in a bid to fool other squirrels that may be watching. Scientists have stolen their cache to see the result. The squirrels responded by increasing the frequency of 'false burying', which suggests grey squirrels understand the meaning of 'stealing'. Grey squirrels can also bury in excess of 3,000 nuts in a season, storing them over dozens of locations, spatially organising them by variety of nut, and remembering approximately three-thirds of these different cached locations.
The grey squirrel helps the forest by shaping plant composition. They take seeds and nuts, which are their main source of nutrients, and bury them. Sometimes, when they return to look for them, they forget where they are buried. When that happens, they are effectively planting seeds and giving nature a much needed helping hand.
The UK’s naturalised mammals include the brown hare, the edible dormouse, and sika deer. Even the much-loved rabbit is a Roman import. We ask ourselves how long the grey squirrel must wait until it too is to be officially considered UK naturalised.
The vast majority of organisations are informing the public that grey squirrels cannot be released if they are trapped, and that they must be killed. This is false. If the squirrel is trapped (for example, in a bird feeder, on your property, or in netting in a park), free it. The law still permits freeing grey squirrels and releasing them where they were found. www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife/squirrels/injured
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