Eurasian Red Squirrel

Fascinating facts about the Eurasian Red Squirrel

• Red squirrels carry a tail almost as long as their body, about 90 % of their body length. Their head-and-body measures 19-23 cm while the tail adds another 15-20 cm, giving them a sleek, balancing brush that also helps keep them warm. This proportion lets the squirrel steer like a tightrope walker, crucial for leaping between branches and evading predators.
• Scientists have named over 40 subspecies of red squirrel, but only 23 are currently recognized as valid. This taxonomic split reflects the animal's huge colour variation across Eurasia, from the bright russet of Britain to the dark chestnut of Siberia.
• Survival is harsh: 75-85 % of juvenile red squirrels die in their first winter, and even those that survive only live about three years on average, though some reach seven years in the wild. This high early-life mortality links directly to the availability of autumn-winter seeds, showing how tightly the species' fate is tied to forest mast production.
• In Britain the red squirrel has been pushed to the brink, with the total population now estimated at fewer than 140,000 individuals in 2013, about 85 % of which live in Scotland; another source puts the current total at 160,000 or fewer, with 120,000 in Scotland. This dramatic decline underscores the impact of the introduced eastern grey squirrel and habitat loss.
• A female red squirrel can raise up to two litters each year, each averaging three kits. After a gestation of 38-39 days the newborns weigh just 10-15 g, blind and hairless, and stay in the nest for six to seven weeks before venturing out.

At a glance

About the Eurasian Red Squirrel

In the whispering woods of the northern hemisphere, the Eurasian Red Squirrel darts with an air of quiet urgency, its rusty fur a fleeting glimpse of warmth amidst the monochrome of winter's chill. With each nimble leap, it weaves a intricate narrative of survival, its paws barely touching the ground as it pursues the hidden treasures of the forest floor. As it pauses, tail twitching, to survey its realm, the red squirrel embodies the very essence of wildness, a spark of untamed vitality that ignites the imagination.

Eurasian Red Squirrel photographed on Feravox

Seen on screen

More mammals to discover

Browse Feravox