As part of the rodents’ family, squirrels are typically small or medium in size. Such animals are originally found in the countries of America, Eurasia, and Africa but as years went by, it was slowly introduced to the continent of Asia. It was in the land of Eocene that the existence of squirrels was first found, which was noted be forty years ago. As further studies have been conducted, it was discovered that squirrels quietly have similar characteristics with beavers and dormice. As natively coined from the Anglo-Norman language, the word, squirrel, was first used in 1327. Later, it became common in reference to the tree-dwelling animals. Observed to have a variety of colors, squirrels usually have small and have slender bodies with bushy tail and large eyes. They are dominantly found in tropical rainforests and in not so barren regions and places. Their large eyes provide them with great benefits. One is that it allows them to search for food in dark places, such as in the trunks of the trees. Another is that their large eyes permit them to detect predators that are hiding nearby while they hunt for food. The most common food that squirrels consume is nuts and seeds, although there are other kinds that can thrive on insects.
One interesting behavior that squirrels exhibit is the shaking of their tails. There are several reasons why squirrels wiggle their tails. It may mean to attract the opposite sex or to attract others in the presence of food. Another reason for squirrels to shake their tails is to ward off or distract their predators when confronted. Another reason why squirrels shake their tails is that Tail-shaking–as barking–is a manner of scolding intruders and warning other squirrels of the intruders.
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