Are Squirrels Protected Animals? A Detailed Explanation of Squirrel Protection Levels

The squirrel is a family within the Mammalia class, order Rodentia, comprising the subfamily Sciurinae and the subfamily Xerinae. They are characterized by fluffy long tails and well-proportioned, agile bodies. According to their living environment, they are divided into tree squirrels, ground squirrels and rock squirrels, among which the rock squirrel and the marbled rock squirrel (Sciurotamias forresti) are 2 species endemic to China. Let us now take a look at whether squirrels are protected animals!

Are squirrels protected animals?

Squirrels are protected animals. Squirrels have been included in China's Red List of Biodiversity——Vertebrates Volume, with an assessment level of Near Threatened (NT), and are included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, among which the Pallas's squirrel, the yellow-footed squirrel, the blue-bellied squirrel, the golden-backed squirrel, the five-striped squirrel, the white-backed squirrel, the Himalayan striped squirrel, the marbled striped squirrel, the orange-bellied long-nosed squirrel, the Père David's long-nosed squirrel, the red-cheeked long-nosed squirrel, the red-legged long-nosed squirrel, the orange-throated long-nosed squirrel, the striped squirrel, the rock squirrel, the marbled rock squirrel and the chipmunk have been included in the "List of Terrestrial Wild Animals Protected by the State that Are Beneficial or of Important Economic or Scientific Research Value".

What do squirrels eat?

Most squirrels inhabit cold-temperate coniferous forests and mixed coniferous-broadleaf forest areas, and are especially most numerous in woodlands on mountain slopes or along both banks of river valleys. They mainly feed on nuts such as acorns, chestnuts and walnuts, and also like to eat pine seeds, often going to coniferous forests to find pine seeds to eat. They also eat the tender branches and leaves and bark of pine trees, fungi, as well as insects, small birds and so on. They have the habit of storing food; as soon as autumn arrives they begin to store food, and a squirrel often stores several kilograms of food in several places. Sometimes squirrels are also seen drying food in the trees so that it does not spoil and go moldy.

What kinds of squirrels are there?

1. Snow squirrel: The snow squirrel is the most expensive pet squirrel, with all four limbs orange-red throughout the year and orange-red ear tufts. It molts twice a year. The adult body length is about 25 cm, and the tail length can reach from the back to the neck, and some can reach the head. It wakes at dawn and rests at nightfall.

2. Red-bellied squirrel: The red-bellied squirrel is a medium-sized tree-dwelling squirrel, mostly active in the morning and at dusk. Its diet mainly consists of various nuts, such as pine cones, chestnuts and berries, and it also eats various leaves, tender twigs, flower buds, as well as bird eggs, nestlings and insects.

3. North American red squirrel: The North American red squirrel is widely distributed in North America in cold-temperate coniferous forests, and occasionally also appears in mixed or deciduous forests. Its main food is white spruce seeds, and it also eats fruits, tender shoots, bark, flowers, fungi, insects, bird eggs and small vertebrates.

4. Da's squirrel: Da's squirrel lives in tropical forests, is active during the day, and spends most of its time moving in the trees, occasionally coming to the ground to forage. It feeds on seeds, fruits and leaves, such as figs, mushrooms, acorns, berries and corn.

5. Japanese squirrel: The Japanese squirrel is a species under the genus Sciurus in the family Sciuridae, order Rodentia. It is endemic to Japan, distributed in Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, but it is now rare in the Kyushu region. One of the factors affecting the extinction of this local species is human destruction of forests.

6. Mountain squirrel: The mountain squirrel lives only in Costa Rica and Panama, inhabiting remote mountain rainforests. It mainly moves in the treetops, but sometimes forages on the forest floor. Its average body length is 15 cm and tail length is 13 cm. Its back is olive-brown and its belly is orange-red.

7. Three-colored squirrel: The three-colored squirrel is a medium-sized squirrel that inhabits tropical rainforests. Its back and tail are dark red-brown, with a stripe-like white band from the cheeks to the sides. Its forelimbs and flanks are yellow-brown, and its belly is white. It inhabits trees, but most of its food is obtained from the ground.

8. Devil squirrel: The devil squirrel is medium in size, with a slender and lightweight build. Its body length is about 18-26 cm, and its tail is long and thick. It has now become a new pet sought after by Chongqing white-collar workers. It eats fruits, seeds, meat and so on, and during the breeding period it will eat bird eggs.