Squirrel Appreciation Day: Nutty squirrel facts
If you've been feeling a little nutty lately, there may be a reason! Jan. 21 is Squirrel Appreciation Day! This annual holiday, created by wildlife rehabilitator Christy Hargrove in 2001, celebrates squirrels of all shapes, sizes and hues.
Nutty Squirrel Facts
According to National Geographic, there are over 200 species of squirrels around the world.
Considered rodents, squirrels mostly munch on nuts, fruit, seeds, flowers, buds and tree sap.
If you ever wondered how a squirrel can find his buried nuts, they lick it or rub it before they bury it, which leaves their scent on the nut.
Squirrels come in all sorts of colors including brown, red, black and gray. White squirrels are rare.
Measuring just five inches long from nose to tail, the African pygmy is the smallest.
The Indian giant squirrel measures nearly three feet in length!
Flying squirrels don't fly. They glide from tree-to-tree and can leap more than 150 feet!
Baby squirrels are born nearly blind and have no teeth or fur.
The lifespan of a squirrel can be up to 12 years but many are killed by cars, natural predators and man.
A squirrels brain is about the size of a....walnut!