Bigger Is Better For Baby Squirrels
Bigger squirrels have a better chance of staking out an exclusive territory. Juveniles that don't manage to acquire a territory before their first winter do not survive, researchers say.
A Mother's Gift
When the forests are crowded, pregnant squirrels boost their stress hormone levels and have faster-growing offspring.
Noisy Forest
Red squirrels know if the forest is crowded if they hear more territorial vocalizations from their peers, known as "rattles."
Rattle
A North American red squirrel in the Yukon, Canada emitting a territorial vocalization called a “rattle”. The colored pipe cleaners are threaded through ear tags to facilitate individual identification.
Mom Carrying Pups
Mothers carefully carry their pups in their mouths soon after a nest disturbance.
Day-Old Pup
A juvenile North American red squirrel that is about 1 day old.
Careful!
A female moving her pup from one nest to another
Prized Spruce Seeds
A North American red squirrel in the Yukon, Canada consuming the seeds from a white spruce cone.
