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Who really thinks about gray squirrels? They’re so common we tend to take them for granted. But what would happen if we had no squirrels? While we see them daily, there’s so much more to these clever creatures than meets the eye.

So, let’s start with some fascinating facts. Why are these small, bushy-tailed mammals gray? Well, their gray fur helps them blend in with tree bark, making it harder for predators like hawks and owls to spot them. However, there are some exceptions, as some can have black or completely white fur. We used to see a white one near Harmon Field several years ago. 

The eastern gray squirrel is one of the most common animals you’ll spot in Western North Carolina’s forests and neighborhoods. We have at least 20 that live at our house year-round. 

During fall, these busy animals work extra hard to prepare for winter. A single squirrel can bury up to 10,000 nuts and acorns in one season. Now, that’s a lot of nuts. 

With their excellent memory, they can find their buried food even when it’s covered by snow. And this is cool—they organize their nuts by type, just like we would do in our pantries. Even with great memories, it’s impossible for them to remember where every nut is, so they only recover about 40-80% of the buried nuts. 

These forgotten acorns grow into new oak trees, helping our forests stay healthy and diverse, making our squirrels some of nature’s best gardeners. So, without squirrels, we might have far fewer oak trees if there were no squirrels.

Interestingly, squirrels practice “scatter hoarding.” They spread their caches across many locations rather than storing all their food in one place. This strategy helps protect their winter food supply from being completely stolen by competitors or rotting all at once.

Each squirrel typically creates hundreds of separate caches, with only a few nuts in each location. But here’s another fascinating thing they do. They often engage in “deceptive caching” behavior, pretending to bury nuts while keeping them in their mouths to trick competitors, like other squirrels.

And here’s something I just learned. Gray squirrels can rotate their ankles 180 degrees, letting them run head-first down trees. Even more surprising is their incredible eyesight. These small animals can see behind their heads without turning around, thanks to unique eye positioning that helps them spot predators.

Plus, it just keeps getting better. Gray squirrels have built-in sunscreen in their eyes. A unique pink-colored substance helps protect their vision when looking toward the sun while climbing in treetops. This natural protection helps them stay alert for danger from any direction.

You’ve probably noticed there always seem to be a lot of squirrels around. So, how many babies do they have annually? Most mother squirrels raise two families yearly, with up to four babies each time. And Dad has nothing to do with raising the kits, nor does he live in the nest. After about three months, the babies leave and are on their own.

Gray squirrels help other forest animals, too. When they drop pieces of acorns and other nuts, these become food for birds and mice. And their old nests become homes for birds and other small animals. 

While most live about six years, they can live up to 12 years. Despite cars and other dangers in cities, urban squirrels often live longer than their forest cousins because they have fewer predators and can find food more easily.

Next time you see a gray squirrel in Western North Carolina, remember that you’re watching one of nature’s most talented acrobats and gardeners. These small but mighty animals help keep our forests growing and provide endless entertainment with their athletic tricks and clever adaptations.

Loti Woods is a founder of Champions for Wildlife, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire and empower our kids using art and education. To learn more, visit championsforwildlife.org or email loti@championsforwildlife.org.