Sarah Squirrel is a grey tree squirrel.  Like most grey squirrels, she is about 17 inches long from the tip of her nose to the end of her tail.  Her tail alone is about 8 inches long!  She weighs just under a pound, although some of her older cousins weigh up to four pounds.  Sarah thinks they must live too close to the corn field!

There are over 365 species of squirrel, including the tree squirrel, ground squirrel and flying squirrel.  

Squirrels can live to be ten or twelve years old.  But if they want to live that long they have to be wary of natural predators like hawks, foxes, wildcats, owls, raccoons and even 'possums.  They also have to be very careful crossing highways and city streets, as Sarah finds out!

They live in luxury homes (we call them nests, or by their formal name "dreys") they build themselves, out of leaves or pine needles, grass and twigs, mostly -- with some moss, fur or feathers lining the inside to make it softer and more comfortable.  Sarah's aunt Stephanie likes to use napkins for that purpose.  You'll have to watch the movie to find out what that's all about.

Some squirrels make luxury condos called "dens" inside hollow trees, like Uncle Stanley.  You have to see the movie.

Squirrels hide acorns and other nuts that will keep for a while by burying them  in shallow holes in the dirt, or stashing them under logs and then covering them with leaves.  Sometimes they store their treasure inside hollow trees.  They don't have the best memories in the world, but if they forget where they buried an acorn their very sensitive noses help them find lunch.

Sarah eats mostly nuts, acorns, seeds and fruit, although corn and flower buds can be very tasty too!  She needs to eat about a pound of food a week to be at her healthiest.

Her bushy tail is used primarily for balance in trees, but serves as a sunshade, an umbrella, a blanket, a rudder when swimming, and a warning flag if there is danger nearby; it gives lift when she leaps from branch to branch and slows descent if she should fall.

Sarah's fur is mostly grey, with hints of red and brown on her head, back and tail.  Her tummy and chest are all silky white -- all the way up to her chin.  Some of her friends have all black coats, and a few are all white, but they are all called grey tree squirrels just the same.

Write to Sarah@Sarahsquirrel.com