Squirrels are known as various animals that are grouped, among others, in the Sciuridae family. They are made up of an important diversity of species that have a wide global distribution. These graceful rodents have traditionally been distinguished into three groups, the tree squirrels, flying squirrels, and ground squirrels, based on their habits, each having a distinctive characteristic.
Do you want to know where the squirrels live? Without a doubt, if you want to enjoy the beauty of these animals, it is best to see them in their natural habitat, being free. Of course, always without disturbing them. For all these reasons, we invite you to continue reading this article on our site to learn about the squirrel habitat
Where do tree squirrels live?
Tree squirrels are quite widespread in America, Asia and Europe, being animals that generally have habits in trees, where they spend the most of the time. Next, let's learn about the habitat of some species that are part of this group.
Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
The Eurasian red squirrel, as it is also known, weighs an average of 60 g and its color varies from light red to black on the head and back, usually having a white stomach region or cream. However, the patterns are very versatile and there are melanistic individuals.
The red squirrel lives in Asia and Europe, with an important distribution range in several countries of these regions. It has mainly arboreal habits, but eventually comes down to land. It develops in extensions of various types of coniferous, deciduous, mixed forests, but also in parks and gardens with large trees that provide food and shelter. In relation to this, if you want to continue learning, do not miss this other article on the Feeding of squirrels.
Amazon Squirrel (Microsciurus flaviventer)
This is a small species of about 25 cm in length, which is why it is also known as the Amazonian pygmy squirrel. It has a color between brown and reddish, with a thin body with an elongated shape. Although it also has a presence on the ground, it is found mainly in the trees of the Amazon basin which extends into Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, so that It lives only in the tropical forest and secondary forests.
Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis)
It is also a small species, ranging from 16-22 cm, with a long and characteristic tail between 13 and 17 cm. The ventral coloration can be white, while the dorsal is brown, with the tail of one of the two colors. This is a species endemic to Japan and they are spread over several islands in the region, although some populations have disappeared due to the transformation of the ecosystem. It is a specialist in the type of habitat, developing in forests with lowland mixed species.
Places where other tree squirrels live:
- Red Squirrel (Sciurus granatensis): Central and South America (Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela).
- Red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus): Canada and the United States.
- Caucasian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus): Asia (Greece, Turkey, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, among others).
- Swinhoe chipmunk (Tamiops swinhoei): Asia (China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos).
Where do flying squirrels live?
Flying squirrels are known as a group of diverse species characterized by the presence of the patagium, a membrane on each side of the body that joins from the front to the back and allows these rodents to glide more than fly Let's find out below where some flying squirrels live.
Giant red flying squirrel (Petaurista petaurista)
It is characterized by weighing almost 2 kg, so it has a considerable size compared to other squirrels. It has the typical membrane on each side of the body that allows it to glide up to 75 meters away between the trees.
It is typical of Asian countries, such as Afghanistan, Java, Taiwan, China and Sri Lanka, developing in a variety of forests such as deciduous, evergreen, coniferous, thickets and mountainous areas, so that it is distributed in diverse conditions.
Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus)
This species is not large, reaching up to 34 cm and weighing up to 140 g. Its fur combines colors such as gray, brown and white. It is somewhat clumsy when moving on the ground, but very agile when gliding through the trees. This squirrel lives in North America, from Alaska and Canada to other regions of the United States, such as California, Colorado, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Tennessee.
Indian Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista philippensis)
This type of squirrel has an average weight of 1.6 kg and 1 meter in length. The coloration is variable, but can combine dark brown or black with white. It prefers short glides, since long glides require larger spaces to land. It is a species of Asian squirrel that lives in evergreen and deciduous forests with tropical conditions in various countries such as India, China and Sri Lanka, among others.
Do you want to learn more about the different species? Do not miss this other article about the Types of squirrels.
Places where other flying squirrels live:
- Red-cheeked flying squirrel (Hylopetes spadiceus): Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo, Vietnam, among others).
- Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans): Scandinavia, Russia, Siberia, China.
- Hose's pygmy flying squirrel (Petaurillus hosei): Malaysia.
- Southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans): North and Central America (Canada, United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras).
Where do ground squirrels live?
In addition to the previous groups, we find the ground squirrels, which, unlike the others, live mainly on the ground and generally in burrows. Let's learn about the habitat of ground squirrels:
White-tailed antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus)
Its appearance is similar to other squirrels, only its legs are a bit longer. The average weight and length is 105 g and 21 cm, respectively. As for the back, it is gray or brown with two white stripes, the ventral area is whitish, the outer side of the legs is reddish and the entire lower region of the tail is white.
Now, where does this squirrel live? The species is native to Mexico (Baja California) and the United States (California, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Arizona, and Idaho). It develops in soils of desert areas and shrubby areas with rocky or sandy conditions.
Arctic Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus parryii)
It is characterized by its short but strong forelimbs and sharp claws that facilitate digging; the rear ones are also powerful and help propel themselves underground. The coat is a combination of cinnamon and white or light beige spots, which changes with the seasons. The average weight is between 700 and 800 g and the average length is 39 cm.
The arctic squirrel lives in northeastern Canada and British Columbia, among other regions of the country,in Russia and Alaska In this sense, it develops in a complex system of burrows in the open tundra, open meadows, alpine areas, valleys and steppes.
If the system of burrows and caves seems as curious to you as we do, don't miss this other article where we talk about the Animals that live in caves and burrows.
Striped Ground Squirrel (Xerus rutilus)
It is a small squirrel that reaches a weight of up to 420 g and about 25 cm in length. It is characterized by the lack of longitudinal stripes that are typical of its genus. Generally, the color of its coat is fawn or reddish brown, although there are variations depending on the region.
Continuing with the habitat of ground squirrels, the striped ground squirrel lives in various areas of Africa, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda It is quite adapted to living underground, occupying arid zones, savannahs and coastal regions with sandy soils where it is easy for it to dig.
Places where other ground squirrels live:
- Barbary ground squirrel (Atlantoxerus getulus): Algeria, Morocco and Western Sahara.
- Mexican ground squirrel (Ictidomys mexicanus): Mexico and the United States.
- Forrest's rock squirrel (Sciurotamias forresti): China.
- European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus): Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey and Ukraine.
