National handwriting day

January 21 is Squirrel Appreciation Day, a day to acknowledge the role that squirrels play in nature and the environment.

It is an unofficial holiday started by North Carolina wildlife rehabilitator Christy McKeown in 2001, as a way to encourage people to put out seeds and nuts for these cute rodents.

Almost Everywhere

Squirrels are found almost everywhere on Earth.

They are native to Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia, and have been introduced to Australia.

In North America, the western and eastern grey squirrels are very common. In Europe, the red squirrel is more common, but its numbers in Great Britain and Ireland are decreasing.

The decrease in the red squirrel population is linked to the introduction of the eastern grey squirrel from North America.

Found in Different Sizes

Squirrels can range anywhere from a few inches to a few feet long.

The smallest known squirrel species, the African pygmy squirrel, are on average only about 3 inches (7.62 centimeters) long. The largest squirrels, the Indian giant squirrel,

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national squirrel day 2023