How do squirrels climb trees?
Squirrels are everywhere. Three hundred or so species of these often adorable rodents live on every continent except Antarctica. No matter where you live, city or country you\u2019re bound to have squirrels nearby. How much do you know about our bushy-tailed neighbors? How fast do squirrels and chipmunks run? Why do squirrels have big bushy tails? Do squirrels get sick? Why do they like nuts better than berries? How do squirrels eat acorns? How do squirrels sleep? Are squirrels nocturnal?\xa0 Answers to your squirrel questions with Ben Dantzer, scientist at University of Michigan. Plus some observational activities you can do to learn more about squirrel behavior!
\n\nDownload our learning guides: PDF | Google Slides | Transcript
\n\nSubmit your squirrel observations to iNaturalist
\n\n\n\n\nHow do squirrels climb up trees? -Rachel, 5, Alabama
\n
Squirrels have long nails and they have five digits (fingers or toes) on their paws just like us.\xa0
\n\nAnd squirrels are expert climbers. \u201cSome tree, or arboreal, squirrels are really well adapted to climb up trees whereas ground squirrels also have nails or claws, but they use them primarily for digging and not for climbing,\u201d explains Ben Dantzer. \u201cTree squirrels have this especially long middle digit that helps them climb up and down trees.\u201d
\n\nSo an extra long middle finger and they can do something else that humans can\u2019t. \u201cThe most helpful thing they can do is when they climb down a tree, squirrels can turn their back feet around when they\u2019re climbing down head first. They turn their rear feet entirely around so they can use those claws to hang down from a tree and walk down easily.\u201d
\n\nWhat? Tree squirrels can turn their feet all the way around so they\u2019re backwards when the squirrel is climbing down a tree?! Time to go outside and see if you can observe that in the wild!