User:4theloveofAH/Eastern Gray Squirrel

Eastern Grey Squirrel and Red Squirrel eating Sunflower Seeds

Squirrels are seen as Primary Consumers in the Food Pyramid

Eastern Grey Squirrels invading empty bird nest

Habitat In the wild, eastern gray squirrels can be found inhabiting large areas of mature, dense woodland ecosystems, generally covering 100 acres (40 hectares) of land.[27] These forests usually contain large mast-producing trees such as oaks and hickories, providing ample food sources. Oak-hickory hardwood forests are generally preferred over coniferous forests due to the greater abundance of mast forage.[19] This is why they are found only in parts of eastern Canada which do not contain boreal forest (i.e. they are found in some parts of New Brunswick, in southwestern Quebec, throughout southern Ontario and in southern Manitoba).

Eastern gray squirrels generally prefer constructing their dens upon large tree branches and within the hollow trunks of trees. They also have been known to take shelter within abandoned bird nests. The dens are usually lined with moss plants, thistledown, dried grass, and feathers. These perhaps provide and assist in the insulation of the den, used to reduce heat loss. A cover to the den is usually built afterwards.[43][citation needed]

Close to human settlements, eastern gray squirrels are found in parks and back yards of houses within urban environments and in the farmlands of rural environments.[44]

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  Eastern gray squirrel are always on the go. As they prepare for the coming days, the squirrels gather their food and hide it in various places. Through the morning and afternoon, squirrels search for food. During their breeding season, a male and female squirrel may occasionally share a nest. A pregnant female squirrel stays by herself in her nest and when it is time to breastfeed, the male squirrels don't bother them. 

DIET

Mast-Bearing Hardwood Trees are very important to their diet. These trees help store food like Acorns, Beechnuts, and Hickory Nuts, which are important foods for them during the Spring and Fall months. Food that can also come from these trees are flowers, buds, fleshy fruit, cones and fruits of maple trees. Red Oak Acorns are found in the Spring, Winter and Fall. White Oak Acorns are found in the Fall and Winter. Hickory and Beechnuts are found in Spring, Winter and Fall. Walnuts are found in Fall and Winter. Buds and flowers are found in Spring and Summer. Fleshy fruits and berries are found in Summer. Fungi Mushrooms are found in Spring, Summer, and Fall. Yellow Popular Seeds are found in Summer, Fall and Winter.

Squirrels use Den Trees for protection from prey and helps them look after their young. Young survive 40 percent less if they lived in a leaf nest compared to a Den. Squirrels tend to claim 2-3 dens at the same time. Covers like Canopy and Midstory Trees are used by Squirrels to hide from prey such as Hawks and Owls. These squirrels homes range from 1.5 to 8 acres and tend to be smaller where more of them are found. Their status within the group is dependent on their age and sex.

'DIET' Gray squirrels were eaten in earlier times by Native Americans and their meat is still popular with hunters across most of their range in North America. Today, it is still available for human consumption and is occasionally sold in the United Kingdom.[61] However, physicians in the United States have warned that squirrel brains should not be eaten, because of the risk that they may carry Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease.[62]

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 They eat different foods each season as they have to adapt to each season finding what food is available for them to eat in each season. 

DISEASES SECTION (ADDED SECTION)

An eastern gray squirrel is susceptible to illness. They are susceptible to diseases including fibromatosis and squirrel box. A squirrel with fibromatosis, a virus-induced illness, may grow massive skin tumors all over the body. Blindness could result from a tumor that is discovered close to a squirrels mouth or eye.

Diseases like Typhus, Plague, and Tularemia are spread by Eastern Gray Squirrels. If not properly treated, these diseases have the potential to kill squirrels. When bitten or exposed to bodily fluids, humans can contract these diseases. Also carried by Eastern Grey Squirrels are parasites like ringworm, fleas, lice, mites, and ticks. Eastern Grey Squirrels also die from these parasites. Their skin may become rough, blotchy, and prone to hair loss due to the mite parasite during the chilly winter months. The parasites aren't transferred to people when these squirrels reside in attics or homes. A frequent illness spread by ticks is Lyme disease. Ticks can also spread Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It can result in damage to internal organs including the heart and kidney if not properly treated. An eastern gray squirrel is susceptible to illness. They are susceptible to diseases including fibromatosis and squirrel box. A squirrel with fibromatosis, a virus-induced illness, may grow massive skin tumors all over the body. Blindness could result from a tumor that is discovered close to a squirrels mouth or eye.

Behavior The eastern gray squirrel is one of very few mammalian species that can descend a tree head-first. It does this by turning its feet so the claws of its hind paws are backward-pointing and can grip the tree bark.[25][26]

Eastern gray squirrels build a type of nest, known as a drey, in the forks of trees, consisting mainly of dry leaves and twigs. The dreys are roughly spherical, about 30 to 60 cm in diameter and are usually insulated with moss, thistledown, dried grass, and feathers to reduce heat loss.[20] Males and females may share the same nest for short times during the breeding season, and during cold winter spells. Squirrels may share a drey to stay warm. They may also nest in the attic or exterior walls of a house, where they may be regarded as pests, as well as fire hazards due to their habit of gnawing on electrical cables. In addition, squirrels may inhabit a permanent tree den hollowed out in the trunk or a large branch of a tree.[27]

Eastern gray squirrels are crepuscular,[19] or more active during the early and late hours of the day, and tend to avoid the heat in the middle of a summer day.[27] They do not hibernate.[28]

(Added context)- Squirrels are creatures that bite people and rob them of their food. They can attack people by biting their hands. Squirrels can dwell in attics or on rooftops by creating nests.

Prior to burying an acorn, a squirrel actually shovels its face inside of it, making it easier to find afterwards. Squirrels gnaw on items to postpone the appearance of their front teeth. To prevent the lower jaw and cranium from developing into their front teeth once they start to emerge, they gnaw on objects that wear down their teeth.

Diseases (New heading) Diseases like Typhus, Plague, and Tularemia are spread by eastern grey squirrels. If not properly treated, these diseases have the potential to kill squirrels. When bitten or exposed to bodily fluids, humans can contract these diseases. Also carried by Eastern Grey Squirrels are parasites like ringworm, fleas, lice, mites, and ticks. Eastern Grey Squirrels also die from these parasites. Their skin may become rough, blotchy, and prone to hair loss due to the mite parasite during the chilly winter months. The parasites aren't transferred to people when these squirrels reside in attics or homes. A frequent illness spread by ticks is Lyme disease . Ticks can also spread Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It might result in damage to internal organs including the heart and kidney if not properly treated.

However, Eastern Gray Squirrels have had a positive impact on human life. For example, they helped Native Americans access food. In some states like Mississippi, they have helped harvest 2.5 million dollars in crops annually, which helped Mississippi gain 12.5 million dollars.

Ecosystem (New Heading) Eastern Grey Squirrels are important to the ecosystem by eating a lot of seeds. By catching seeds, they help in the spread of tree seeds. Also, by eating truffles, they contribute to the spread of fungal spores. In addition, they are essential to the environment because they transport parasites. The ecology is influenced by the contribution of squirrels to nature. They support the environment by gathering seeds. While being gathered, the seeds are scattered in certain places. Even though the seeds are not helpful to the squirrels because they can't remember where they were hidden, they are still growing in nature. These seeds increase the diversity of trees by bringing additional trees into the environment. They are an important key to the forest ecosystem that they belong to.

(Added context to "Displacement of red squirrels")

Within 15 years of the grey squirrel's introduction to a red squirrel habitat, red squirrel populations are extinct . The interaction between them over food and physical space causes this. This competitive action done between these two squirrels is reasoned to qualify the eastern gray squirrel as a keystone species because since the eastern gray squirrel is coming and wiping out the red squirrels, there would be a reduced chance of competition hence more eastern gray squirrels will come in to Ireland (Added to displacement of red squirrels before the parapox virus). Red squirrel extinction rates can be 20–25 times greater in areas with confirmed cases of squirrel pox than they are in areas without the disease. Due to the lack of trees in their native Ireland for them to reside in, red squirrels are the only species being harmed by the invasion of grey squirrels. The ability to ingest seeds and nuts gives grey squirrels an advantage over red squirrels; red squirrels are unable to do so because the food is too hard for them to consume. Methods done to control this competition between these squirrels are that red squirrels should remain in their original habitats, such as Ireland, while the grey squirrels should be kept out of these places entirely as a means of controlling this squirrel competition.

Predators

Eastern gray squirrels predators include hawks, weasels, raccoons, bobcats, foxes, domestic and feral cats, snakes, owls, and dogs. Their primary predators are hawks, owls, and snakes.

References