Creature Feature - Squirrels

These frisky little animals are a common site in most UK woodlands, the beautiful red one far less common than the invasive greys but they are all quite entertaining to watch.

I’ve personally felt a connection to the squirrel for as long as I can remember and even to this day, a squirrel sighting on a bad day will lighten my mood. Maybe it’s their playful, sometimes naughty and scatty nature!

The squirrel is a rodent and belongs to the family Scuridae and there are said to be around 300 different species across the world but the ones I’m going to focus on are the two that are found here in the UK (and Europe).The beautiful and smaller red squirrel is the only native squirrel to the UK and it’s said that until the medieval era the squirrel was able to travel across the entire country via the ancient woodlands; most of which no longer exist.

These days the red squirrel is on the endangered list and most of the population can be found in Scotland, although they can be found in a few other Welsh, Irish and English habitats.

The decline in the red squirrel can be attributed to the introduction of the non-native North American Grey squirrel and the parapox virus which is carried by the greys but is deadly to their native red cousins. Thankfully recent studies have shown that the reds are starting to show signs of growing immunity to the virus.

Obviously, the other contributing factor to their decline is the loss of habitat.

It’s the lovely red squirrel that has inspired artists and writers alike and is famously depicted in the works of Beatrix Potter as the naughty Squirrel Nutkin.

llIustration by Beaxtrix Potter (The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin)

Squirrels are known for being energetic and playful but when they aren’t chasing after each other and having fun; they can be seen stashing food away for the winter months when they may only emerge for a couple of hours a day. This is where the saying ‘squirrelling away’ come from.

The Squirrel in Nordic Mythology
The most famous squirrel that those with an interest in Norse mythology may be aware of is Ratatoskr. He was said to represent rain and snow as well as the elements Earth and Air. Ratatoskr is a red squirrel and is known as a speedy messenger that scampers up and down Yggdrasil (the world tree) and would relay messages between Níðhöggr (a monster that feeds on Yggdrasil’s roots and resides in the underworld) and the wise Eagle Veðrfölnir who lives at the top of the tree (more often than not, the messages were insults.)

Image from Wikipedia - Illustration from a 17th-century manuscript

Associations:Organization, survival, speed, resourcefulness, responsibility, speed, cunning, playfulness, joy, inquisitive, observant, agility, family, dedication, spirited, kindness, mischief, passion, hard-work, life, change, fertility, re-birth.

Feminine:Feminine

Elements:Earth & Air




**All words and images are my own unless otherwise stated, please make sure that credit is in place if you reblog or share it**
Sources:YPTE, Wildlife Trust, My BOS