|
 |
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
Tassel-eared squirrel - SCIURUS ABERTI
Endangered
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Squirrel": "Squirrel" comes from the Middle English word
"squyrel," which came from the Greek "skiouros" for the animal.
Notice that the family name for these animals is "Sciuridae," which
may also be the derivation of our word "scurry."
Location: Southwestern United States and Mexico.
Habitat: Terrestrial. Coniferous forests between 6500-8300 feet.
Description: The back of this squirrel is reddish, the sides of the body are gray, and the belly is black or white. The tail varies from dark to completely white. The tufts on the ears are black and very conspicuous. In some populations the tassel-eared squirrel is completely black. It grows to a length of about a foot, with the tail adding about nine inches. It can weigh up to two pounds.
Behavior: This solitary and diurnal creature emits a shrill bark when it is excited. It builds large nests in pine trees and feeds on pine cones and the new wood of tender young pines. It also eats mushrooms and fungi.
Reproduction: Mating takes place in March and April, and the young are born a month later - usually three or four per litter.
Note: This species is a special tourist attraction wherever it lives. As a result it is also one of the best known of the squirrel family.
Go to the Rodents Page to learn more about all the gnawing animals.
Or go to the Squirrel Index to study other
squirrels.
From Address Labels to Zoo Toys... All Creatures Great and Small You'll Find It at the America Zoo Gift Shop Realistic Stuffed Animals & Animal Figurines Wildlife Decor for Your Home Animal Books, Magazines, and Educational Materials A Wide Variety of Wildlife Gifts & Apparel and Much, Much More  ↓ For Your Favorite Little Animal Lover ↓
Home Animal Research Library About AmericaZoo
|
