Squirrels

Richard W. Thorington Jr. is a curator of mammals at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. For many years Katie Ferrell was Dr. Thorington's research assistant at the Smithsonian.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Introducing SquirrelsWhat are squirrels?How many kinds of squirrels are there?Where do squirrels live?Why are there no flying or ground squirrels in South America?How are squirrels classified?What is the current classification of squirrels?What characterizes the major groups of squirrelsWhen did squirrels evolve?What is the oldest fossil squirrel?2. Form and FunctionWhat are the largest and smallest squirrels?How fast does a squirrel's heart beat?Can squirrels see color?Do all squirrels have cheek pouches?Can squirrels swim?How far can squirrels jump?Do squirrels fly?What are the largest and smallest flying squirrels?How do you make a flying squirrel?How far can flying squirrels glide?How can you determine whether a fossil squirrel was a tree squirrel, a flying squirrel, or a ground squirrel?3. Coat Color and Squirrel GeneticsWhat species are the black squirrels I see?What species is the red squirrel?What causes the different coat colors of squirrels?How are hair colors determined genetically?What about patterns of coat color?Are there age-related differences in coat color?Are there seasonal differences in coat color?Is there much geographic variation in squirrel species?4. Squirrel BehaviorAre squirrels social?Do squirrels fight?How smart are squirrels?Do squirrels play?Do squirrels talk?How do squirrels avoid predators?5. Squirrel EcologyWhere do squirrels sleep?Do squirrels migrate?How many squirrel species coexist in a forest?Why are there so many more species of squirrels in African and Asian forests?How do squirrels survive in the desert?How do squirrels survive the winter?What is hibernation?Do squirrels have enemies?Why do squirrels commit infanticide?Do squirrels get sick?How do squirrels influence vegetation?6. Reproduction and DevelopmentHow do squirrels reproduce?How long are female squirrels pregnant?Where do mother squirrels give birth?How many babies do squirrels have?Are all littermates equally related?How long do female squirrels nurse their young?How fast do squirrels grow?How long do squirrels live?7. Food and FeedingWhat do squirrels eat?How do squirrels open hard nuts?Do all squirrels bury their food?How does the squirrel decide what food to store?How do squirrels fi nd the food they have buried?8. Squirrels and HumansDo squirrels make good pets?Should people feed squirrels?Do squirrels feel pain?What do I do if I find an injured or orphaned squirrel?How can I become a better observer of squirrels?How do I know whether I have flying squirrels in my backyard?Why are squirrels important?9. Squirrel Problems (from a human viewpoint)Are squirrels pests?How do I keep squirrels away from my . . . ?Are squirrels vectors of human disease?10. Human Problems (from a squirrel's viewpoint)Are squirrels endangered?Will squirrels be affected by global warming?Are squirrels ever invasive species?Do people hunt and eat squirrels?Are squirrel-hair brushes actually made of squirrel hair?Why do so many squirrels get hit by cars?11. Squirrels in Stories and LiteratureWhat roles do squirrels play in religion and mythology?What do squirrels have to do with the Cinderella story?What roles do squirrels play in popular culture?How are squirrels incorporated into poetry?How are squirrels incorporated into literature?12. "Squirrelology"Which species are best known?Which species are least known?How do scientists recognize individual squirrels?Appendix: Squirrels of the WorldBibliographyIndex

A completely authoritative scholarly guide to the biology of a group of organisms and... a completely readable, fully illustrated, and fascinating introduction for the general public. National Museum of Natural History Weekly Update & Forecast 2006 Got squirrels? This book has answers. This is not a children's book... read it with an adult. Fun for all ages. Washington Post 2006 Only a master at both scholarship and communication could pull this off as eloquently and clearly as Thorington and Ferrell have done. Natural History News 2006 A deft account, for backyard naturalists and scientists both. Harvard Magazine 2006 You may enjoy watching these acrobatic characters... [Thorington and Ferrell] will make them more interesting to observe. Tuscaloosa News 2006 Unravels the mysteries of the 278 species of squirrels that inhabit the planet... this is a must read. Princeton Alumni Weekly 2006 Well written and organized and contains numerous color and black-and-white photos. Wildlife Activist 2006 It's rare to see all the science of a college text embedded into a lively presentation also geared for the general audience-but here, it works very well. California Bookwatch 2006 Eminently interesting. -- Susan Lumenello Colloquy 2007 This engaging guide sheds light on a common mammal that is anything but commonplace. Wildlife Conservation 2007 In this wide-ranging, accurate, and revealing approach to the subject, squirrels are placed in a world-wide context. -- Kim Long Bloomsbury Review 2007 Fascinating book sure to entertain readers of all ages and backgrounds. Internet Bookwatch 2006 Thorington and Ferrell have succeeded in producing a short, accessible guide that is of tremendous value to both the scientist and the amateur naturalist alike. -- Michael A. Steele Journal of Mammalian Evolution 2007 What a treat. Buy it, read it, but don't squirrel it away-pass it on! -- William L. Gannon Journal of Mammalogy 2007 An accessible account of the large and diverse squirrel family... this book will appeal to the general public and scientists alike. Southeastern Naturalist 2007 This book is an answer to all questions relative to the American squirrels. -- Francis Petter Mammalia 2008