Squirrel Appreciation Day

Squirrel Appreciation Day is a holiday which is celebrated on January 21st every year to celebrate and honor squirrels and the contribution they make to the environment. On this day, people are encouraged to head out into the woods or at least, to their local park to look for their favorite types of squirrels and to leave seeds and nuts out for these tree-dwelling rodents.

History of Squirrel Appreciation Day Squirrel Appreciation Day was created by North Carolina rehabilitator in 2001 to acknowledge the contribution that squirrels make to nature. After all, it is estimated that over a billion oak trees are planted by squirrels worldwide when they bury acorns to eat later and then forget where they have buried them – leaving them to sprout.

Facts About Squirrels

• The front four teeth of squirrels grow about 6 inches a year. It’s only the squirrel’s constant gnawing that keeps them under control.

• A group of squirrels is called a scurry.

• There are 265 squirrel species all over the world.

• There are 44 species of flying squirrels.

• Wild squirrels will eat out of a human’s hand.

• Grey squirrels will build nests called dreys, high up in trees.

Backyard Squirrel Feeding Tips Below are a few tips for those looking to make their backyard more squirrel friendly: Many people leave out a birdbath filled with water for squirrels in the backyard because squirrels are always in need of a clean source of water. Many people will also leave out a variety of nuts for the squirrels in their backyard. These nuts include acorns and hazelnuts. Some people also plant a variety of trees and shrubs to give squirrels in their backyard the cover and food sources they need. Some of these trees and shrubs include oaks, pines, hazelnut bushes and smooth sumac trees.

Squirrel Appreciation Day Customs & Celebrations One of the primary ways to celebrate Squirrel Appreciation Day is to head out into the wilderness and do a little bit of squirrel watching. In North America, there are a variety of squirrel species which include the Eastern Grey and the American Red Squirrels. In Europe, there is the Red Squirrel. Go out and watching these squirrels or even taking them some seeds or nuts, is a perfect way to spend this holiday. Another way to celebrate this holiday is to snap photos of your favorite squirrels and post them to Twitter and Facebook. If you do that, make sure that you use the hashtag #squirrelappreciationday, so people around the world can check out your pictures.