The Cute Red Squirrel
The Red Squirrel or Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is a species of tree Squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia. The Red Squirrel is an arboreal, omnivorous rodent. It is not sexually dimorphic, as males and females are the same size. The Red Squirrel is somewhat smaller than the Eastern Grey Squirrel. The coat of the Red Squirrel varies in colour with time of year and location. There are several different coat colour morphs ranging from black to red. Red coats are most common in Great Britain; in other parts of Europe and Asia different coat colours co-exist within populations, much like hair colour in some human populations. The underside of the Squirrel is always white-cream in colour. The Red Squirrel sheds its coat twice a year, switching from a thinner summer coat to a thicker, darker winter coat with noticeably larger ear-tufts (a prominent distinguishing feature of this species) between August and November. A lighter, redder overall coat colour, along with the ear-tufts (in adults) and smaller size, distinguish the Eurasian Red Squirrel from the Eastern Grey Squirrel. The Red Squirrel is protected in most of Europe, as it is listed in Appendix III of the Bern Convention. Although not thought to be under any threat worldwide, it has drastically reduced in number in the United Kingdom and now, (2013) fewer than 140,000 individuals are thought to be left. The Eastern Grey Squirrel and the Red Squirrel are not directly antagonistic, and violent conflict between these species is not a factor in the decline in Red Squirrel populations. More likely the major factor can be attributed to fragmentation of its native woodland habitat. and a disease, the Squirrel parapoxvirus carried by the Eastern Grey Squirrel, that does not appear to affect their health but will often kill the Red Squirrel. It was revealed in 2008 that the numbers of Red Squirrels at Formby, Lancashire have recently declined by 80% as a result of this disease.
Size: 3522px × 2817px
Location: Formby Point, Lancashire, England
Photo credit: © John Porter LRPS / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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