Squirrels are rodents of the Sciuridae
family and native to America,
Asian and Europe. There are numerous types of squirrel most
are wild and some are kept as pets. Many people eat squirrel meat whereas other
people view squirrels as pests.
Black squirrels, gray squirrels and Fox squirrels and
American red squirrels are the ones with the bushy tails and considered tree
squirrels. The word squirrel is a reference to the animal's tail and comes from
the Greek meaning "shadow-tailed."
Squirrels are quite unique in that they cannot digest
cellulose and live mostly on nuts and other forms of proteins and
carbohydrates. During the late winter and early spring, they live on plant buds
for survival. Other times of the year
squirrels eat insects, birds and other forms of meats.
Because of their need to chew constantly to keep their very
important teeth sharp for feeding, many humans consider squirrels to be pests. Deterrence
of squirrels from attics and sheds as well as bird feeders and cat dishes
occupies many home owner's time.
Eating squirrel meat, once considered an act of the
desperate individual, has become popular eating in American and the United
Kingdom.