Squirrel Appreciation Day

Every year January 21 is National Squirrel Appreciation Day, celebrated in recognition of this adorable little creature. Animals that some people consider harmful, others find interesting.

Squirrels are rodents called Sciuridae. They include many species such as tree squirrels, ground squirrels, flying squirrels... This is a very lovely animal of nature and very weak, in urgent need of protection from the "brutal" hunting of enemies… including humans.

Currently, squirrel species living on earth are divided into 5 different subfamilies with about 50 genera and nearly 280 species.

There are many different species of squirrels such as ground squirrels, tree squirrels, chipmunks, yellow squirrels, flying squirrels... The African scaly-tailed flying squirrel belongs to the family Anomaluridae and not the true squirrels of the family Sciuridae. Squirrels are found on almost every continent except Australasia and Antarctica.

Some typical squirrel species are as follows:

Flying squirrels:

Scientific name: Pteromyini.

These flying squirrels are not capable of long flights, so they glide from tree to tree with each flight about 90m.

The arms and legs help the squirrel with navigation and flight speed. The squirrel tail not only supports flight, but also acts as a brake to help them land safely.

Rocky squirrels:

Rocky ground squirrel has a very small body, bushy tail with gray-brown fur, with white spots. This species of squirrel is commonly found in the rocky areas of New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.... They live along cliffs, caves, or highways. Anywhere there is food.

Golden Squirrels:

Yellow-haired squirrels usually live in all the dense forests of North America. They often forage in fruit bushes. Yellow-haired squirrels usually eat seeds, insects, and fungi.

Eastern gray squirrel:

Gray squirrels are native to the Midwestern United States, and the eastern and southern provinces of Canada. They have gray fur, white belly feathers and a large bushy tail.

Red Squirrel:

Red squirrels are omnivores, rodents, they often live in trees or all over Europe and Asia. Red squirrels are like gray squirrels, their belly hair is white, and their sharp and curved claws help them climb trees. Red squirrels' coats will change with age and location.

Squirrels in the world are mainly omnivores, eating mainly seeds and fruits. But there are also many tropical species that feed on insects and small bony species.

History of Squirrel appreciation Day

On January 21, 2001, Squirrel Gratitude Day was established by Christy Hargrove from Asheville, North Carolina. And is relevant to the present.

Observing the Squirrel Appreciation Day

To celebrate squirrel day, there are many activities you can do. Find out interesting information about this small, agile animal. Or you can go to the parks where the squirrels freely play in them to watch and play with them. Or you can stay at home to watch movies about these squirrels to better understand them. Share your holiday on social media with a message to protect squirrels as well as the hashtag #NationalSquirrelAppreciationDay.