Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day

tanjabrittonwriter 84 Comments

You didn’t know about Squirrel Appreciation Day?

Nor did I, until I learned of its existence not long ago while searching online for an umbrella term or theme under which to feature some of my squirrel photos. Incidentally, every day of the year seems to have been designated “Special Something Day.” I haven’t researched every single date on the calendar, but most days appear to celebrate or commemorate numerous somethings, a convenient fact for those among us who seek a heading to organize our images or thoughts.

Squirrel Appreciation Day was introduced in 2001 as the brainchild of Christy Hargrove of Asheville, North Carolina, with the goal to encourage “kind attitudes” toward the ubiquitous animals. Squirrels are ecologically important thanks to their tendency to bury seeds for later consumption, which frequently germinate and grow into trees. They are also ambassadors who might spark an interest in wildlife as numerous species habituate to the presence of humans, are mostly diurnal, don’t mind being observed closely and, consequently, are loved by many for their undeniable cuteness and antics.

On the other hand, they are considered pests, mostly because of their tendency to gnaw (a habit immortalized in the name of their scientific order, Rodentia, rodere being Latin for “to gnaw”). Especially to gnaw on things humans also like to eat, which makes them anathema to many gardeners. Or to gnaw on articles that don’t tolerate gnawing, such as cables under cars.

Others object to squirrels because they invade new habitats and even continents. Native to the Americas, Europe, and Africa, squirrels have been introduced by humans to Australia, and US species like the Eastern Gray Squirrel and Fox Squirrel were imported to Europe, where they have become frowned-upon invasive species responsible for displacing Europe’s only native species, the beloved Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris). As a little language aside, note the British English (BE) spelling of what is known there simply as Grey Squirrel, versus the American English (AE) spelling, Gray Squirrel.

Squirrels are members of the scientific family Sciuridae. Of roughly 285 squirrel species worldwide, about 65 occur in the United States. I have only seen and photographed a tiny fraction of those, but admit to taking many, many pictures of squirrels—I find them irresistible. I suspect most of us associate tree squirrels with the term squirrel, but the family also includes ground squirrels and flying squirrels. I have yet to encounter a flying squirrel, so their kind is not represented here.

Without further ado, allow me to introduce you to some squirrelly specimens.

GROUND SQUIRRELS: 

Least Chipmunk/Kleines Streifenhörnchen (Tamias minimus):

“I know I’m small but calling someone least is not very nice.”

“Hmmm, I love grass seeds.”

 

Golden-mantled Ground-Squirrel/Goldmantel-Ziesel (Callospermophilus lateralis):

“Call me chubby cheeks.”

“I’m not saying no to a carrot.”

“I know I’m cute.”

“What can I say–I just like to eat.”

 

Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel/Dreizehnstreifen-Erdhörnchen (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus):

“I don’t look at cameras out of principle.”

 

Wyoming Ground Squirrel/Wyoming-Ziesel (Spermophilus elegans):

“I feel safe hanging out on this fence.”

 

Rock Squirrel/Felsenziesel (Otospermophilus variegatus):

“Soaking in the sun on a cool-ish morning is my idea of heaven.”

“I like to keep my feet clean.”

 

Yellow-bellied Marmot/Gelbbäuchiges Murmeltier (Marmota flaviventris):

I was slightly surprised to learn that marmots are ground squirrels, but it made me happy as I was able to include a couple of portraits of these high-altitude charismatic characters.

“I’m a Yellow-bellied Marmot, but they call me Johnny Cool.”

“I enjoy soaking up the warmth of the sun. Most of the year it’s really cold here above timberline.”

 

TREE SQUIRRELS: 

Fox Squirrel/Fuchshörnchen (Sciurus niger):

“We used to be called Eastern Fox Squirrels, but we have moved westward across the continent and are now known simply as Fox Squirrels. Most of us have some reddish fur, like our namesakes, but some among us can be completely black or wear coats of different shades.”

Fox Squirrel/Fuchshörnchen
Fox Squirrel/Fuchshörnchen
Fox Squirrel/Fuchshörnchen
Fox Squirrel/Fuchshörnchen
Fox Squirrel, color variant/Fuchshörnchen, Farbvariante

 

Red Squirrel aka Pine Squirrel aka Chicaree/Rothörnchen (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus):

“I might be the smallest tree squirrel in my range, but my strong voice will let you know that I’m not happy when you invade my space.”

Red Squirrel/Rothörnchen
Red Squirrel/Rothörnchen

 

Abert’s Squirrel aka Tassel-eared Squirrel/Aberthörnchen (Sciurus aberti):

“Have you never seen a squirrel gnaw on a bone?”

 

Eurasian Red Squirrel/Europäisches Eichhörnchen (Sciurus vulgaris):

“I might be slightly biased, but there is a distinct possibility that I’m the squirrel with the greatest cuteness factor.”

🐿 🐿 🐿 🐿 🐿 🐿 🐿 🐿 🐿 🐿 🐿 🐿 🐿

I’m dedicating this post to my dear friend, Andrea. She, her husband, and their two horses live away from the hustle and bustle of the Front Range on a slice of Colorado paradise with mind-altering views of Pikes Peak’s western face. Andrea’s gardening realities include not only a short growing season at a high altitude in an arid climate but are, shall we say, complicated by the presence of chipmunks and ground squirrels who aren’t only cute but cunning. No wall is high enough to climb over or low enough to dig under, and no companion plant effective enough to keep the adorable little rascals away from energy-rich roots, luscious leaves, and perfumed petals. Alas, paradise is always rendered less paradisiacal by something or someone.

Dear Andrea, I suspect you appreciate your squirrels best while they are hibernating, which is likely the case at present. 😊

For the rest of us, may we enjoy those squirrels alive and awake in our respective realms right now.

 

84 thoughts on “Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day”

  2. From a letter to friends last year: “Emil told us squirrels used to really annoy me stealing food from the bird feeder, but then I began to appreciate how clever they are and enjoyed watching them.  That attitude may be why he is “going strong” at 99.

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  3. We don’t have squirrels in New Zealand so I’m fascinated by seeing all these different kinds of squirrel on one page. I was especially amazed by the Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel – what a fabulous pattern! Wonderful post thanks Tanja.

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    • Thank you, Liz. Your comment answers a question for me. When I read that squirrels had been introduced to Australia, I wondered about N.Z.

      I agree with your assessment about the Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel–its coat is gorgeous. This is the only photo I have of this squirrel and I have only seen it a few times, have always hoped for a better photo, including of the face. I will keep looking and trying.

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  5. A cute cast of wee characters! I once watched a squirrel playing in just the same way as a cat with a dose of the ‘zoomies’ – it was utterly delightful and funny too. But your post has made me a bit concerned about the lack of squirrels seen here this year. Maybe it has been a bad year for the hazels and there haven’t been so many nuts for them to gather. (Just greys here – would love to see a red squirrel.)

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    • Thank you, Ann. I have also witnessed squirrels with a case of the zoomies and found it very entertaining.

      I’m sorry to hear about your dearth of squirrels and I hope the trend will change. I see the red ones when I’m in Germany and find them very attractive.

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  6. Eichhörnchen sind immer wieder entzückend 😍
    Allerdings habe ich auch gelesen, dass sie Raubtiere sind und zum Beispiel Vogelnester räubern.
    Aber so ist es halt in der Natur.
    Deine Bilder sind sehr süß und deine Informationen sehr lehrreich.
    Dankeschööööön
    Liebe Grüße Brigitte und Buddylein

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    • Herzlichen Dank, liebe Brigitte, es freut mich, daß Dir meine Gallerie Freude gemacht hat.

      Es gibt immer irgendwelche Zusammenhänge in der Natur, die traurig stimmen. Ich finde es sehr schwer, wenn nicht unmöglich, Partei zu ergreifen.

      Liebe Grüße an alle Bees in Bremen,

      Tanja

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  7. Great post, Tanja, illustrated with some fabulous photos. One of the joys of our many visits to the US was the squirrels we encountered across the length and breadth of the country. The Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel was a particular favourite, although we saw them only a few times. Every day should be Squirrel Appreciation Day! 🙂

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  8. According to AI, Hörnchen can mean, beyond the obvious ‘little horn’ and the ‘squirrel’ that’s apparent from your captions, also ‘croissant’. Now if you could only get a picture of the second type of Hörnchen nibbling the third type while standing on the first type, that would be a good German pictorial-linguistic pun.

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    • Language is so funny, isn’t it?

      Since AI gave you the idea of the three different types of Hörnchen, I think AI is the only way to obtain the type of picture you suggest. I suggest you collaborate with AI to come up with the image you already carry in your mind.

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  10. I love this post, Tanja! I do know about ‘Squirrel Appreciation Day’, though I didn’t realize when it is. I like squirrels–they’re squirrelly, but that’s part of their charm. Your photos are great and I’m tickled that you profiled all sorts of squirrel relatives.

    I chuckled at one of your reader’s comments (she’s from New Zealand). Years ago, I was at the San Diego zoo. On one of the pathways, a young woman was photographing one of the indigenous squirrels. I laughed and mentioned something about being at one of the great zoos and here she is, taking photos of an everyday squirrel. Of course, I understood why, but it’s a good reminder that we all have interests in things we don’t commonly come across and that we should appreciate the diversity and sense of place.

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    • Thank you, Tina. I’m glad you knew about the existence of Squirrel Appreciation Day, and I’m glad you also enjoy watching squirrels.

      Your anecdote is funny. I actually recognize myself in it as well. Whenever we visit our local zoo, I’m bound to be taking photos not only of the zoo animals, but also of the local fauna that seem to be attracted to their captive counterparts.

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  13. Funny that there’s an appreciation day for squirrels. My feelings about squirrels definitely fluctuate between “awww, cute” when they’re minding their own business to “leave me alone” when they’re persistently invading a campsite or snack spot in search of food. Your photos are all on the cute side of the spectrum, though! Thanks for this tour of squirrels. I recognized some, and perhaps now I’ll be better equipped to identify the species when spotted in the wild.

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    • Thank you, Diana. I was excited to learn about the existence of Squirrel Appreciation Day, but not too surprised. I know of many people who buy large sacks of peanuts so they can feed their beloved squirrels at home, and in nearly every park I visit, I see people sharing handouts with squirrels.

      We have had some challenges with chipmunks and ground squirrels at camp sites, but for the most part, I love seeing (and photographing) them.

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  14. What a fantastic variety of squirrels in your area! We have perhaps half this number in the Twin Cities. My favorites are the sassy red squirrels and the eastern chipmunks (except when they’re eating the garden)! Thanks for such a delightful post on this frigid January morning.

    Beth

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    • Thank you, Beth. I’m glad you enjoyed my squirrel gallery. I would love to encounter, identify, and photograph more of the 65-ish species that exist in the US. If I do, there might be another post in a future year.

      Best wishes,

      Tanja

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  15. Tanja, I appreciate the shout-out. You’re right that I’m better able to appreciate the squirrelly set when they’re asleep for the winter. Your portraits and captions capture their charms beautifully. I’ll endeavor to keep this side of their character in mind come spring….

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    • Thank you, Andrea, I’m glad you enjoyed the post. I had a lot of fun looking through my photo archives and choosing poses and captions.

      I hope your squirrely companions will stay asleep for a while and mind your exhortations once they wake up. Maybe this year they will. 😊

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    • Thank you, Maggie, I’m glad you enjoyed the gallery.

      I also love marmots. For various reasons, we have not spent a lot of time above timberline for a number of years but this is a reminder that we should try to get back to it. It’s so wonderful to explore the heights that marmots inhabit.

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  20. I had no idea today was Squirrel day!!
    I printed a list of all the holidays in the year but quickly lost track!! Haha!!

    I really enjoyed seeing all your pictures! I think that squirrels are so cute!

    Thank you!!

    -Gavin

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    • Thank you, Gavin, I’m glad you enjoyed my squirrel gallery. I also find them attractive and adorable.

      I’m always amazed when I see the number holidays people have created and it would take many pages to print them out. It’s a good way to raise awareness but it can be overdone.

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  22. Great photos of these under-appreciated rodents, Tanja. We only have flying, red and gray squirrels here, plus chipmunks. Sometimes their nesting choices (roof, eave, etc) make them very unpopular. Fingers crossed, ours behave themselves now that we have found a feeder they can’t access. 🙂

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    • Thank you, Eliza, I’m glad you enjoyed my selection of squirrels.

      I think many conflicts arise because humans have destroyed so much of squirrel habitat, so it’s completely understandable that they will look for alternatives. Maybe offering squirrel nesting boxes would help.

      I envy you your flying squirrels, having never seen one in my life. One of these days, I hope!

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    • Thank you, Pam. They are definitely cute. And naughtiness is in the eye of the beholder. Squirrels only do what they are supposed to and I think we humans need to change our attitude toward them, or try to adapt our living spaces so we don’t create too many temptations.

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  25. Thank you for mentioning the Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day, and may more ‘appreciation’ days for wildlife be celebrated, particularly for the stigmatized ones such as coyotes, wolves, sharks, snakes, etc.. I’ve now learned about the Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel and the Yellow-bellied Marmot. Thanks for such an informative post. 🐿️

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    • Thank you, Maria, I’m glad you enjoyed learning some new information. I did, too, while preparing this post.

      I’m glad there are people who advocate for all manner of creatures and try to educate us in the process. All of us need to learn to coexist with wild animals.

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  26. A lovely post. Thank you Tanja. I don’t mind squirrels. A few regularly come to eat the leaves and flowers of a cherry tree, smack in front of my office/library window…
    I didn’t know about marmots. How funny. (I do remember how they whistle on the slopes of the Alps…)
    🙏🏻

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    • Was für eine oberputzige Hörnchenparade, liebe Tanja!
      Die einfühlsam-amüsanten Bildunterschriften mit den “Hörnchen-Bemerkungen” sind auch sehr gelungen.
      Ich weiß gar nicht, welches von den kleinen Pelztierchen am niedlichsten ausschaut. Und wie erfreulich, daß Du uns hier so viele unterschiedliche Arten aus dieser Tierfamilie präsentierst.
      Hier in Solingen (NRW) bekomme ich nur das Europäische Eichhörnchen zu sehen, und dies auch nur gelegentlich beim Waldspaziergang und ganz selten im Garten an der Vogeltränke oder manchmal im Wintervogelfutterhäuschen.
      Toll, daß es sogar einen Squirrel-Würdigungstag gibt!
      Herzliche Grüße von
      Ulrike

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      • Herzlichen Dank, liebe Ulrike. Es freut mich sehr, daß Du mal wieder kommentierst und daß Dir die Photos und Zitate gefallen haben. Auch ich kann mir unmöglich ein Lieblingshörnchen aussuchen. Alle sind auf ihre eigene Art attraktiv, sowohl was ihr Aussehen als auch ihr Verhalten angeht.

        Ich bin immer froh, wenn mir ein europäisches Eichhörnchen bei meinen Deutschlandbesuchen begegnet. Sie sind scheuer als unsere amerikanischen und deshalb habe ich viel weniger Photos von ihnen.

        Ich finde solche Würdigungstage für Tiere oder andere Anlässe gut, dadurch kann man Bewußtsein schaffen und hoffentlich die Hochschätzung gewisser Zwecke erreichen.

        Liebe Grüße zurück,

        Tanja

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  28. At first I considered squirrels to be very lovable and cute animals, until they decided to move into our storage shed and started making a total mess with their left-over nut shells and pine cones, gnawing through the doors of an old kitchen cupboard, ripping sleeping bags apart and building elaborate nests in the drawers. When a packrat also moved in, I had enough of these cute critters, bought a live trap and set it up with delicious sunflower seeds. A week ago, I caught the 20th and hopefully the last one in our neighbourhood. I transported them to a wooded area about four miles away and released them. In my eyes, despite their usefulness for planting trees, they are pests.

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    • Thank you for your comment, Peter.

      I’m sorry you have had bad experiences with squirrels (20 is A LOT!) and a packrat. Thank you for catching and releasing them. That’s what we do when mice decide to move into our garage. We can’t always control what animals do, but we can try to dissuade them from setting up shop in places we don’t want them.

      I hope you can still enjoy members of the squirrel family when you see them out in the wild.

      Best wishes,

      Tanja

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    • Thank you, Vicki. I’m glad you enjoyed the images. And I’m glad you also love squirrels. Thank goodness they are so adaptable as we have altered their natural habitats significantly, at times beyond recognition.

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  32. Oh boy! Best. Squirrel pics. Ever. 😉
    I adore squirrels. For me, my walk isn’t complete until I’ve captured a few pics of these entertaining creatures. I had no idea there were so many types!
    Cheers,
    Julie

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  33. Who knew they had their own day? Thank you for the update!

    As I type, I count eight Gray Squirrels in the back yard. They are so very entertaining!

    If the squirrels can be happy, so can I.

    Happy belated New Year, Tanja.

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    • Thank you for the good wishes, Wally. I hope the new year started well for you and Gini.

      I have spent many happy moments watching and being entertained by squirrels and I’m glad they grace us with their presence.

      Best,
      Tanja

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  35. I missed Squirrel Appreciation Day last year, and now I’ve done it again. On the other hand, on the 21st, I was busy appreciating my neighborhood squirrels by keeping them supplied with shelled peanuts to help get them through our unusual cold and snow. I’m one of ‘those’ people who enjoys attracting them to my feeders, rather than trying to repel them. They’re entertaining, and they have enough wonderful trees in the neighborhood for resting and nesting that we haven’t had any problems with them trying to get into the buildings.

    We have only two species locally, the Eastern Gray and the Fox, although there are eight species in Texas, including the Thirteen-lined. We also have flying squirrels, primarily in the eastern part of the state. They don’t really fly, of course; they glide, and their small size and noctural habits makes them hard to spot. I’d forgotten that last year the Cornell feeder watch cam showed flying squirrels coming to the feeders at night. I kept the cam open in a separate window for a couple of weeks and got to see them several times — what a treat that was!

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    • It sounds as though you appreciate your squirrels every day, Linda, so you don’t need a special reminder.

      While we put baffles on our feeder poles to keep the squirrels from eating bird seed by the pound, plenty of seeds fall to the ground where they can pick them up.

      Many people buy peanuts-in-shell to feed their local squirrels and I’m sure yours appreciated the handouts during your recent cold spell.

      How nice that you were able to see your flying squirrels on your night cam. I have thought about one of those but we have yet to invest in one. It might provide some fascinating footage about the goings-on in the garden while we sleep.

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  36. Wonderful collection of Squirrels Tanja!!! I did not know they had their own designation, how cool. Even though I have to have serious discussions with these little critters from time to time I still really like them (vs those godforsaken trash pandas. My favorite species is the Red Squirrel as it is absolutely impossible for me to look at/photograph one without grinning ear to ear. I guess I also have to caveat that I like Marmots from afar..as in seeing them in other states and NOT mine hehehe. Thanks for the caption laughs, hilarious.

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