January 21st is Squirrel Appreciation Day around the globe. There are many reasons to appreciate these furry, four legged, cute creatures.
Baby Uinta Ground Squirrel calling from a rock
Squirrels come in many shapes and sizes and there are ground and tree squirrels. While the Eastern Gray Squirrel is probably the most well known squirrel in North America there are many other species that are native across the continent.
In northern Utah I don’t see many squirrels in the yard where I live. I truly appreciate the ones I have seen at home and on my travels to find birds to photograph. When I see a squirrel I stop to take photos, why wouldn’t I?
The squirrel species I photograph most often, Uinta Ground Squirrels, are only above ground a few months of the year. I photograph Uinta Ground Squirrels in the Wasatch and Uinta Mountain ranges when they come up in the spring until they head back underground.
I also photograph Rock Squirrels, Red Squirrels, and White-tailed Antelope Squirrels less often. I would love to have a Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel in my viewfinder and Northern Flying Squirrels too!
Stretching Least Chipmunk on an old fence post
Tree and ground squirrels are not the only members of the Sciuridae or squirrel family. Chipmunks are also in the same family. In Utah I have photographed Least and Uinta Chipmunks. There are two more chipmunks in Utah that I have yet to take images of which are Paiute and Cliff Chipmunks.
Yellow-bellied Marmot pups playing near their burrow
Yellow-bellied Marmots and prairie dogs are members of the squirrel family too. Regular viewers of my blog know I can’t resist photographing marmots when I find them and the same is true about prairie dogs although I see them less often than marmots.
All members of the squirrel family draw my attention as soon as I spot them. Some members of the squirrel family help with reforestation, aeration, and seed dispersal. There are over 250 species of squirrels in the world on five continents. Squirrels can be found in cities, parks, suburbs, deserts, mountains, and forests. By storing their food, also known as caching, squirrels help with fruit, tree, plant, and mushroom renewal. Some are considered pests by ranchers, farmers and even homeowners.
Me? I appreciate them all and love taking photos of them whenever I can. If that makes me squirrelly in some folks eyes well I am 100% okay with that. I am nuts about squirrels.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my squirrel photos in my mammal photo galleries.
Love that “squillas” (as a friend of mine called them — and now so do I) have their own day. I was on “speaking” terms with one at UCLA and she would accompany me during part of my journey from the parking lot to the lab every day, chattering along the way (and I would try to answer). Once I crossed the driveway to our building, she’d turn and scamper up a tree.
These days, I (sometimes reluctantly) share my oranges with them. I know neither tree is ripe yet, as the squirrels have left the fruit alone. I have tested this hypothesis every week or so and have been greeted with rather sour oranges. I think I’ll wait until I see empty rinds on the grass.
Squirrels are the worse
creatures on the planet!
I have to disagree, humans are the worst creatures on the planet.
I second your motion, Mia!
I love all the photos, so cute . Offer still stands to come watch the squirrels in my yard. I do like squirrels but the Eastern Fox Squirrel, not native to Utah, has really taken over in my neighborhood. We did not have squirrels even 30 years ago in my neighborhood. We started getting a few American Red Squirrels first, then this last 7 years bam! the arrival and explosion of Easter Fox Squirrels is unprecedented here. They are larger and compete with the American Red Squirrel. Eastern Fox Squirrels seem to do more damage to yards, homes and wiring. I will say they did plant a forest of English walnut and acorn trees in my lawn, and most likely other locations next to my yard. I brought 10 pounds of walnuts from my parents tree to dry after husking and thought I had them safe outside, all but a handful disappeared over night. who would imagine so many nuts could be taken so fast? I brought the squirrels acorns from my parents since they ate all my walnuts, I placed them in pots around the yard. The acorns too were cached soon. Next spring the number of growing seedlings in my yard was crazy. I even found one growing in the crack in the old cherry tree trunk.
No native squirrels here so I appreciate you showing photographs of yours ANY day you choose to share them.
Wow! I did not know there was a squirrel appreciation day and I did not know that prairie dogs were members of the squirrel family. Unlike some who feed backyard birds, I like my squirrels and chipmunks and feed them along with all the birds. In these supercold days and nights (-14C/-26C) they are often the only ones brave enough to come out for food.