SQUIRREL

 SQUIRREL

Though a common term, its authentic pronunciation is ‘SKVI-RUHL’. This tiny creature is dear to many for its sheer ‘fur pattern’, cute looks and brisk movements besides the shrill voice that alerts its clan of the presence of Cats and Snakes; possibly -they are predators of squirrel. Among other ‘rodents’, only these are tolerated by humans. At times they too may prove ‘nuisance’ by building nests inside our homes and deliver young ones in our territory. Such young ‘fledglings’ fall from the hide-out above , spreading all the 4 legs and stay static for a while before making timid clumsy movements , hiding behind items like TV or sofa causing quite some agony to humans . The human agony thereof pertains to safe-guarding the tinier animal from pets at home. For once, pets may turn disobedient at the sight of the young squirrel and ready to pounce on. Certainly, the very thought is agonizing.

With human settlements robbing off natural habitat for animals, squirrels have turned friendly with humans –more for food and shelter. Being timid, they keep off humans except when very familiar. If humans feed squirrels with food /nut/ eatables, the latter wait for such men and move to their proximity, more to gather food and [the squirrels] slowly shed fear and become quite friendly.

Squirrels are essentially [herbivores] vegetarian by food habits; they thrive on fruits and nuts and so depend on human support, especially with the shortening of the area of their natural food hunt.

Studies* have shown that Squirrels are intelligent and do have good memory.  Recall, how swiftly they run into your house when we are less watchful; also they run [without confusion] to where the young ones are left and start feeding them and again disappear in a flash until dusk. These ‘certainties’ in their route into your house signify the squirrel’s memory of topography, route and ‘intelligent’ avoidance of intervention by humans.

Researchers have found that Squirrels have a complex language [voice-based] and variety of sounds to convey ideas between / among them. At the University of Exeter a set of squirrels were trained to collect and store or hide the nuts in specific places. After near two years, the squirrels when brought to re-locate the buried stuff, they remembered the path involving a complex network of curves, bends, blind ends etc. With no hesitation [confusion] traced their way in and dug out the hidden nuts. There appears to be a native wisdom about hiding different nuts in different locales and getting at them when needed. Squirrels are said to do so [segregating different nuts and independently hiding them].

In addition to the great memory, Squirrels are clever too in hiding their ‘food collection’ from other squirrels / competing animals in reaching the hideout or store of food. Quite interesting it is to learn that if squirrels suspect other animals watching them bury the nuts, they simply pretend to bury them in a place; but actually bury them in some other place and later precisely retrieve them for use.

A combination of memory and intelligence make the Squirrels smart in understanding whether or not humans are friendly. Some ‘orphaned squirrels’ raised by humans prefer to be close to humans and also relish the affection shown to them. All said and done, better that humans approach animals with abundant caution to stay safe from bites /nail scratch or animal -borne disease.

Yes, squirrels are worth enjoying from a distance. Sometimes mood-shift may prove harmful to either. If squirrel- human interaction needs substantiation remember the Epic Squirrel in Ramayana – to have done ‘his part’ to ‘Ram Sethu’.

Prof. K.Raman       * Ref: Tree hugger. Com -5176188.