Squirrels in winter: How to save the cute animals!

Squirrels in winter: How to save the cute animals!

When autumn arrives and the leaves turn bright colors, our little furry friends, the squirrels, face a crucial challenge. This time of year is particularly critical for them as they need to prepare for the winter months. As in a post by NDR As highlighted, squirrels do not hibernate. Instead, they are active all year round as long as they have collected enough supplies.

Squirrels build up numerous food depots throughout the fall in order to be prepared for the often sparser winter season. Their main food sources are nuts, seeds of conifers and fruits. Walnuts and hazelnuts are particularly popular, as the little rodents literally hoard them. In urban areas it is particularly important that we give them a hand. The NABU offers valuable tips to make it easier for them to survive in our neighborhood.

Human support

Help from us as humans is particularly required in urban areas. Naturally designed gardens are a blessing for squirrels, as they not only provide food but also much-needed hiding places. Trees such as hazelnuts, walnuts and beech are important for animals. A regular watering point that we set up in our gardens can also be valuable, but it is important to keep it clean.

For feeders in our gardens, we recommend placing small feeders on trees or on the ground that are filled with hazelnuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds or oatmeal. So each of us can do something to help the squirrels get through the winter well, but without pampering them too much. An oversupply of food can disrupt the animals' natural instincts NABU warns.

Habitats and dangers

Squirrels are not only at home in forests, but also in parks and urban areas. However, they are exposed to far more dangers there, e.g. B. from traffic and predators such as cats. Their habitats are crucial to their survival, providing not only food but also safe nesting places where they can raise their young. They are also masters of hiding and can bury up to 10,000 nuts per season, although their keen memory helps them to find them often. Loud wildlife world The destruction of their habitats through urbanization is a serious threat to the overall number of squirrels.

In order to protect threatened habitats and maintain the squirrel population, our active commitment is required. Educational projects and nature conservation measures play a major role in helping local squirrels and preserving our biodiversity. So let's keep an eye on our little neighbors and support them where we can!