Scientific name: Sciurus vulgaris Linnaeus
The red squirrel is a small tree-dwelling rodent. Its long, thick tail helps the squirrel to balance when climbing or jumping from branch to branch and keeps it warm during sleep. It also owes its agility to its sharp nails, which ensure a secure grip on the bark. Moreover, as the ankle joint can rotate by up to 180° (meaning that the foot can turn backwards), it can descend tree trunks ‘running’ upside down. The colour of its fur varies from reddish brown to dark brown, partly depending on the climate. The animal’s characteristic ear-tufts are thicker in winter. The species lives in coniferous forests in northern Europe and Siberia, and in deciduous forests in western, central and southern Europe. The red squirrel feeds on shoots, mushrooms, berries and seeds, which in autumn it stores in underground hiding places or in log cavities. This strategy ensures enough food to get it through the winter months, while also unwittingly helping to spread the seeds of various trees.
The red squirrel is not an endangered species, but has become extinct or is likely to become extinct in certain regions of Italy (mainly Piedmont, but also Liguria and Umbria) and Great Britain (mainly England and parts of Wales) due to the more competitive feeding strategy of the stronger eastern grey squirrel, introduced from north America. Furthermore, the newcomer is often a healthy carrier of a viral disease called squirrelpox, which is lethal to the red squirrel.
