Squirrels: Top 10 facts about the furry rodent

1 – There are more than 250 species of squirrels worldwide which are native to every continent except Antarctica and Australia. 

2 – Research in 2007 showed that the personalities of mother squirrels can affect survival rates of their offspring.

3 – A group of squirrels is a “scurry” or “dray”

4 – The word “squirrel” comes from two Greek words meaning “shadow” and “tail”

5 – A study in 2010 showed that some squirrels protect themselves from rattlesnakes by spreading chewed-up rattlesnake skin on their fur. 

6 – The red-and-white giant flying squirrel of China can grow up to three feet long.

7 – Flying squirrels cannot really fly but can spread flaps of skin between their limbs to become effective gliders over distances up to 300 feet.

8 – The American naturalist John Hoke (1925-2011) once designed an electric generator powered by squirrels on treadmills.

9 – The four front teeth of a squirrel grow continuously at a rate of about six inches a year. 

10 – During the Second World War, the Ministry For Food released a recipe for squirrel tail soup.