Animals
Class: Mammal
Biome:
Conservation Status: Near Threatened
About this animal
A native Irish woodland species, red squirrels are small, they have a long bushy tail, and they have long ear tufts. Their coat becomes lighter in colour during the summer.
Animal Biology
Red squirrels build a rounded nest called a ‘drey' using twigs, bark and leaves, and can have three to six young, which are born in the summer. Young squirrels are weaned at nine weeks and stay with their mother until she has her next litter. Contrary to popular belief, squirrels do not hibernate - instead they store food to see them through the winter
Did you know?
Unfortunately, the red squirrel is slowly being displaced by the Grey Squirrel, an introduction from the US to Longford in 1911. Greys are larger, less specialised, and can eat acorns that are not yet ripe enough for Red Squirrels to eat. Grey squirrels are not yet found west of the river Shannon and are not present on Fota Island. Although globally the res squirrel is least concern they are near threatened in Ireland.
