On the bookshelf

13februari2013
Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006
Squirrels: The Animal Answer Guide

The subtitle of this book reads: 'Q&A for the Curious Naturalist'. And this is just how the book is written. In an accessible question-and-answer format, the book provides the reader with a great deal to learn about the 278 squirrel species on our planet.
On all continents except Antarctica and Australia, there are squirrels. These vary from large marmots (weighing up to 9 kg) to the smallest flying squirrel (smaller than most mice). Many squirrel species share their habitat with humans. They can be seen in city parks, they eat food put out for garden birds, and they enter houses through windows. Squirrels are seen both as pests and a source of entertainment.

This overview work sheds light on all aspects of the squirrel, from prehistoric squirrels 36 million years ago to the present. Behaviour, nutrition and reproduction are described, and also the questions “How far can squirrels jump?” and “How far can flying squirrels glide?” Also explained is how squirrels can run headfirst down a tree trunk. They can turn almost all the way around on their hind legs.

This book offers plenty of information and is highly readable. The text is also complemented by more than one hundred photographs.


Squirrels: The Animal Answer Guide
Richard W. Thorington Jr. and Katie E. Ferrell
Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006
ISBN-10: 0801884039
ISBN-13: 978-0801884030