Discover their daily habits, impressive survival skills, and how you can help protect them.
Small, little mammals with iconic bushy tails. They are incredibly adaptable and live on almost every continent.
They thrive in trees and parks. They build leafy, spherical nests called "dreys" out of twigs, high up in the branches.
As omnivores, they love seeds, nuts, and fruit, but also eat insects. They famously hoard food for the winter months.
They have an incredible sense of smell, finding food buried deep under snow. Fun fact: Sometimes they forget where they hid it!
Highly active during the day (diurnal). Their routine is foraging, playing, chasing, and rigorous grooming to stay clean.
They vocalize by chattering and barking. They use visual cues like twitching tails, and use scent to mark territory.
They are master climbers and incredibly fast runners, capable of leaping up to 10 feet to effortlessly escape predators.
Called pups or kittens, they are born blind and hairless. They stay safely in the nest for about 10 weeks with their mother.
Why are they important? Because they forget where they buried seeds, they accidentally plant thousands of new trees!
By following these simple steps, you can help keep squirrels safe, happy, and thriving in our Wah Yan community! 🐿️
If you ever see an injured or distressed squirrel, do not touch it. Tell an adult or contact a wildlife rescue team immediately.
Save Nature Areas: Help keep forests, school gardens, and parks safe and clean.
Create Safe Paths: Support maintaining canopy bridges or uninterrupted branches so they can travel off the ground.
Avoid Chemicals: Refrain from using pesticides and weed-killers that poison their food sources.
Manage Trash Safely: Keep garbage bins tightly covered so squirrels don't ingest plastics or harmful waste.
Share Knowledge: Tell friends why squirrels are vital "nature's gardeners" to stop them from being treated as pests.
Feed Them Wisely: If permitted, offer safe, natural foods like plain, unsalted nuts or cut fruit. Never give them processed human junk food.
Volunteer: Offer your time to local conservation groups or our school's Protection Work Team.
Support: If you can, donate supplies or funds to local animal rehabilitators.
Make Nest Boxes: Build properly sized wooden boxes to give them shelter during harsh weather.
Maintenance: Keep these artificial boxes clean and positioned high enough to be safe from predators.
Keep Pets on Leashes: Don't let domestic dogs or cats chase squirrels; it causes severe stress and injury.
Cat Bells: If you have outdoor cats, put a bell on their collar to warn wildlife.
Let's see how much you've learned about our little friends!