Living the Squirrel Life
Story by Ally Valladares; photographs by Ally Valladares and Jacob Zadik
Anyone who lives or vacations on Kiawah Island cannot help noticing the amount of wildlife present on the island. Visitors and locals alike flock to Kiawah to see loggerhead sea turtles, alligators, and birds of all sizes and colors. But one of the most abundant species on the island is the one that most people tend to overlook or to look upon only as a nuisance: the eastern gray squirrel. I happen to be a big fan of squirrels, myself... but I may be a little biased.
Eastern gray squirrels( Sciurus carolinensis) are fascinating animals. Although many homeowners may think of them simply as annoying little fuzzy rodents that chew wires and wood, squirrels have many adaptations that no one ever thinks about. For starters, squirrels are scatter-hoarders and have an incredibly accurate spatial memory( as well as a remarkable sense of smell). They can bury numerous small food caches for a few hours, days, or even months, and then later use distinct landmarks and other clues to find where they buried them. The squirrels do not always find all their nuts, however, and that is why we have so many oak trees!
Squirrels are one of the only mammalian species with the ability to descend a tree headfirst. Their ankles rotate so that their feet point backwards, allowing their claws to easily grip tree bark. Their communication skills are varied and, once you become familiar with them, easy to understand. Squirrels make all kinds of noises, ranging from buzzy“ tuk tuk” baby coos to the loud barks and“ kwaas” of alarm. Baby sounds are also sounds of affection, made by males to females and also by rehabbed squirrels to their caretakers.
But as I said, I am a little biased in the squirrel department. You see, I live with one.
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