The squirrel is gray and its habitat

Proteins belong to the class of mammals and are rodents. They are distributed throughout the world, where there are coniferous-deciduous forests, with the exception of Australia. In general, there are about thirty of their species. The squirrel is gray, or else the name "Caroline" is added to its name, the traditional habitat is in the east of North America, and also in Canada. Now it is actively breeding in Europe, where it was brought back in the XIX century, where the animal is developing the territory of Britain.

Appearance of the western protein

In the article you can see a photo of gray proteins in natural conditions. They are very nice and nice in appearance, but if we get to know each other, which we will do, we can learn a lot of strange things about them. These cute squirrels are quite large. Their weight ranges from four hundred grams to one kilogram, and the size is about half a meter. On the back of their fur is a beautiful silvery color, and on the stomach - white. On the tail, which they use as a steering wheel, there may be black spots. Ears are large, but there are no brushes on them. By winter, ears become brownish behind. Full molt occurs in spring and autumn. Only before winter, the fur on the tail is not updated. Having learned its dimensions, it becomes clear why the overseas protein actively replaces the habitual European squirrel that lives in our country.

Where does the Caroline squirrel live?

The gray squirrel prefers woodlands where beeches and oaks grow, mixing with firs and pine trees. The area it needs is not small - about forty hectares. But she perfectly settles in the parks, where she is fed by people throughout the year, which is very important for the animal, especially in winter. In parks, these animals quickly get used to people and stop paying attention to them, descending low along the trunk of trees directly to the ground. Tourists in England are delighted that the protein takes everything from the hands: nuts, hamburgers, sandwiches, cookies. These squirrels do not like dogs, so they often sit on branches rather low and funny clatter, teasing a dog that can not get to them. In nature, their enemies are predatory lynxes, coyotes, eagles, hawks and even cats.

Pest of gardens

In England, where it was brought, the gray squirrel quickly became accustomed, because there it does not have natural enemies. In addition to the usual food in the homeland, she quickly got to the gardens and began to dig flower bulbs, eat bark on trees, eat young seedlings, buds and flowers, frogs, food in bird feeders. A large, strong and intelligent animal ravages the nests of birds, destroying eggs and chicks. They even began to produce special bird feeders, metal and ceramic, but this also does not allow coping with the clever animals that chew and unscrew them to the ground to get to the food.

That's why the squirrels are gray and have become in England not only for gardeners, hunting farms, but also for the government by enemy No. 1. Not only is hunting allowed on them, but also encouraged. But this method does not yet allow to cope with a rapidly growing population, although the life span of a protein is not long. It averaged four years. In addition, this protein is a smallpox carrier. It's good that vaccinations against smallpox are mandatory in almost all civilized countries.

Life in a hollow

If the protein Chose a hollow, it is usually high: 7-15 meters from the ground - this is the norm. She selects such a place that there are no nests of wild bees or martens nearby. When the protein is asleep, it is covered by a fluffy tail.

Dwelling place of the animal

For the protein nest, the gray chooses a hollow or old crow's nest firmly connected by clay. From above she closes it with a lid. And inside lined with its fur, moss, dry soft grass. The walls of the nest are not blown, since they do not have lumens. Such a construction with a diameter of 43-91 cm is called gayno. It is usually built on Christmas trees in the fork of the tree. It always has two outputs. One is located right at the trunk so that in case of danger one can quickly jump out onto the trunk and jump to another tree or hide in a dense crown.

It builds such a gay protein squirrel for the output of belchat. The male participates in the creation of the dwelling does not accept. For himself, he finds the nests that the birds have left. If a gray squirrel bred offspring, then there are several more nests or dips in reserve. She regularly carries her belchat in her teeth from one room to another. Then there is less odor, according to which the predator can find it, and insect-bloodsuckers do not appear. This is done once in two or three days. But only a few nests are built very carefully, the others, the number of which can reach up to fifteen, are not so convenient: these are temporary shelters.

Belchata are small and quite naked. They are born reddish, and only when they grow up, they will cover themselves with a beautiful silvery-gray fur coat. In the meantime, they only have vibrrys. This is what people usually call a mustache. Offspring appears twice a year. Usually three or four little squirrels are born, which two months of protein feeds milk. Then they open their eyes, then they grow in a fur coat and in a year turn into adults.

Lifestyle in summer and winter

On a hot day, it's almost impossible to meet a gray squirrel. She settles in her nest, choosing for the hikes previously cool morning or evening, when the air temperature has already dropped. By winter, the animal is prepared carefully. For the winter he does not go into hibernation.

Squirrel prepares stocks of food for the winter and puts them in secret pantries. The gray squirrel in the winter can forget about a part of its stocks, therefore it will feed on without a twinge of conscience those preparations which will find among its relatives. She likes seeds, nuts and acorns, berries and mushrooms, as well as insects. In very cold winters, when everything is already eaten, the squirrels can migrate massively from the woods to the parks where they will always find the food left for them by people.

Veksha - red squirrel

Our ordinary protein is quite small. It is about ten centimeters in length, and it is also necessary to add twenty to the tail. Thus, gray and red proteins are significantly different not only in color, but in size. The wool of the century is very fluffy, because the animal looks bigger than it actually is. Her eyes are large, and her ears are long with brushes, which are clearly visible in winter. With its sharp claws on long fingers, it clings well to the bark of trees and easily moves from a thin branch to another, similar. Probably, no one has ever seen a bucket fall.

How does the color of the animal change?

In the spring-summer season the squirrel mimics, and its wool, thin and stiff, becomes the same reddish-brown as trunks and branches of trees. At this time, the hunters never take an interest in it. By winter it actively sheds. The wool becomes thick, soft and fluffy. In addition, its color changes - skin becomes gray.

Fortunately, the gray squirrel has not yet been brought to Russia. It is not known what would come of this. After all, I remember, once came to us from across the ocean Colorado beetle with all the known consequences.