Red squirrel

About

The squirrel, or Red squirrel, is one of the most frequently seen animals in the Carpathian forest during the day. It lives in spruce, fir, and mixed forests from the foothills to the upper forest limit, as well as in the parks of mountain towns. In the Carpathians, many squirrels have very dark, brownish-black fur with a white belly, so they are sometimes perceived as a separate species, although they are the same animal.

The squirrel is easily recognizable by its fluffy tail, which it uses to steer during jumps, and the tufts on its ears, especially noticeable in winter. It stays in trees, descending to the ground to search for food.

Its main diet consists of seeds from spruce, fir, and pine, beech nuts, hazelnuts, mushrooms, buds, and in spring, bird eggs. Under spruce trees, you can see "gnawed" cones with stripped scales. In autumn, the squirrel hides its supplies in the ground and hangs mushrooms to dry on branches; it forgets some of its caches, and new trees grow from them.

The nest is spherical, made of twigs and moss, and the squirrel builds it high in a tree or in a hollow. The young are born in spring, and in a favorable year, there may be a second litter in summer. In winter, the animal does not hibernate, only going out less during frosts.

The squirrel is not listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine.

Where in the Carpathians

The map shows where naturalists recorded the species (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records), not every place it lives. The Ukrainian Carpathians are less studied, so a blank area does not mean the species is absent.

Countries

Ukraine · Romania · Poland · Slovakia · Czechia · Hungary · Serbia · Austria

Mountain ranges

Maramureș Mountains, Hryniava Mountains, Gorgany, Bucegi Mountains, Vihorlat-Gutin Volcanic Ridge, Skole Beskids, Pokuttia-Bukovina Carpathians, Vrancea Mountains, Western Tatras, High Tatras

Altitude belts

Foothills (below 600 m) · Beech forests (600–1200 m) · Conifer forests (1200–1600 m)

When to see it

From naturalists’ observations in the Carpathians (iNaturalist, research grade): the darker the cell, the more often the species is seen that month.

Protection and rules

Not listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine.

Red Data Book of Ukraine

FAQ