February 14, 2010 - Winter Litters

Welcome to the Nature Notebook.

According to a liberal translation of its scientific name, it is the “creature that sits in the shadow of its tail,” a rather appropriate name for the eastern gray squirrel. From now through March squirrels give birth to this year’s first litter. Aggressive chasing between rival males marks early winter mating. After mating, a female squirrel goes off by herself and typically gives birth to two or three young in a protected tree cavity. To escape parasites and predators, the female squirrel might move her babies to another den cavity as they grow.  She will wean these young squirrels in about 50 days, but they will remain with her into the summer before going off on their own. Gray squirrels can have a second litter in late summer or early fall but for now they will be busy with the winter one.

This is PPL's naturalist, Jon Beam, with the Nature Notebook for WVIA.